MHD - 27

Chapter 27. An Outstanding Young Lady

Another helper came out of the kitchen and took the side dishes Kim Po-dae was holding, carrying them inside.

As she placed a glass of water in front of Jaehyuk, Kim Po-dae cautiously glanced at him before slowly bringing up Hee-soo again.

“She didn’t look well.”

When Jaehyuk showed no reaction, she added another comment while placing a water pitcher on the table.

“It seemed like she kept getting calls too.”

Jaehyuk’s eyes shifted toward Kim Po-dae as he skimmed through work emails on his tablet. Meeting her steady gaze, Kim Po-dae gave a sheepish smile.

“I noticed little things since it had been so long since I last saw her.”

“She’s someone who takes care of herself well. She’ll handle it on her own.”

His deliberate tone drew a clear boundary, and Kim Po-dae nodded in response.

“I made sure she ate well before she left. It’d be nice to see her again. You could use some company too, Vice President.”

“Company?”

Amused by her transparent intentions, Jaehyuk chuckled lightly.

Kim Po-dae had often teased him about when he would bring home a girlfriend to introduce to the family. Having been with the household since he was very young, she was like an aunt or older sister figure to him.

Though her meddling and chatter sometimes went overboard, he knew it came from a place of concern for him.

“That won’t happen.”

His firm reply carried a hint of bitterness as he turned his attention back to the tablet. Sensing his mood, Kim Po-dae quietly retreated to the kitchen without saying more.

If Seo Hee-soo were the type to simply keep him company, everything would have been much easier.

He tried to focus on reading his work emails, but the words blurred before his eyes. Setting the tablet down on the table, Jaehyuk gazed out the large glass window beside him. Beyond the garden, the annex building stood beyond the central gate.

The place where Hee-soo used to live.

There were times during breakfast when he would glance up and see her passing through the gate on her way to school. Dressed neatly in the uniforms she ironed herself, she would bow her head slightly as she walked by.

From the moment he first met her, Hee-soo had always been guarded.

Unlike the girls who usually surrounded him, she never flirted or approached him recklessly. When he tried to get closer, she would retreat further, almost as if she were running away.

Her pride was immense.

Even when Yoon Ji-seon occasionally bought her expensive clothes, Hee-soo never overstepped her boundaries. She never asked for more than she deserved. It was actually Ji-seon who insisted on buying her new outfits every season, treating her like a doll.

“Thank you, but I don’t want to get too used to receiving gifts from you.”

She politely declined, saying she didn’t want to forget her place. His mother had once remarked that the girl was unusually mature for her age.

She was the complete opposite of his father’s belief that the poor, given a single persimmon, would eventually demand the whole crate.

But then, that same Seo Hee-soo had admitted to needing money. If she said it herself, then it must be true.

Could his father’s words have been right after all?

Pushing aside the tangled thoughts, Jaehyuk picked up the tablet again.

After finishing their meal, Ji-seon sipped her tea while listening to Jaehyuk’s update on recent matters.

“Lately, I’ve been hearing good things about your work from various places. If you keep this up, I can step back from the front lines with peace of mind.”

“You flatter me. I still need more opportunities to learn by your side, Mother.”

“Hmm.”

Pleased with his response, Ji-seon smiled faintly.

“But there’s something I wanted to ask.”

Her tone grew heavier as she set down her teacup. Though Jaehyuk had an inkling of what was coming, he pretended not to notice and raised his cup to take a sip.

“I heard Kangrim Planning submitted a proposal recommending Hee-soo as a model.”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

Jaehyuk looked at Ji-seon calmly, feigning ignorance with a slight smile. Ji-seon sighed softly.

“I don’t see why we should use a washed-up actress for our advertisements.”

“Team Leader Cho strongly recommended her. After hearing his reasoning, I didn’t think it necessary to let personal feelings interfere.”

At the mention of “personal feelings,” Ji-seon hesitated briefly before asking:

“Don’t tell me you still…”

“Mother, you seem quite concerned about Hee-soo.”

Jaehyuk slowly set down his teacup and tilted his head, unhesitatingly following up with another question.

“Are you worried that I might still have feelings for Hee-soo?”

Caught off guard by her son’s directness, Ji-seon’s gaze wavered for a moment.

“It’s not exactly worry…”

Ji-seon avoided Jaehyuk’s gaze and picked up her teacup again.

Jaehyuk calmly observed his mother.

It was Ji-seon who had first brought Hee-soo into their home, who had lovingly dressed her up each season.

Ji-seon had hoped to use Hee-soo’s talent to revive the struggling cultural foundation. At the time, Lee Jung-chul had been eyeing the foundation for dissolution, seeing it as nothing more than a tool to polish the company’s image. To him, the foundation was merely a money-sucking burden that failed to deliver results.

Hee-soo had been Ji-seon’s hope—a girl perfectly tailored to meet all of Ji-seon’s expectations.

But now, why did Ji-seon pretend not to know the girl she once cherished so deeply? Why was she so wary of the woman her son had once loved?

As Jaehyuk gazed at Ji-seon’s fingers gripping the teacup, he let out a faint smile.

“If that’s what you’re worried about, please rest assured. I’ve already made plans to meet with Miss Kwon Chae-won next weekend.”

“Oh, really? The daughter of Assemblyman Kwon Sam-soo from the New Future Korea Party?”

Ji-seon’s face immediately brightened. The tension that had lingered just moments ago melted away into a warm smile.

“Yes. She stood out the most from the list you gave me.”

“Good. Do your best. That young lady is truly outstanding in many ways.”

Yes, she is outstanding. In more ways than one.

Jaehyuk nodded along with Ji-seon’s words, offering a subtle smile.

Though Jaehyuk had his own reasons for choosing Assemblyman Kwon’s daughter, Ji-seon seemed pleased, believing her son was following her wishes.

“If Assemblyman Kwon is re-elected as the floor leader this time, it will be a significant advantage for you.”

For a while, Ji-seon enthusiastically shared what she knew about Kwon’s daughter.

“Chae-won attends a regular gathering every Wednesday. All the friends in that group are children of influential political figures. You should try to build connections with them later.”

“Yes.”

“Networking is done this way. You understand, right? The longer you invest in relationships, the better they become.”

“That’s correct, Mother.”

Nodding silently in agreement, Jaehyuk smoothly concluded the conversation about Hee-soo.

“Mother, regarding Hee-soo’s advertisement deal, I think it’s best if both you and I set aside personal feelings. The current model, Jin Yoon-ah, hasn’t shown enough likability to continue representing the premium brand. Team Leader Cho recommended Hee-soo simply because of that.”

“If that’s what you think…”

Returning to business matters, Ji-seon quickly acquiesced with a subdued nod.

Though she was now considered a fairly capable businesswoman, Ji-seon had never been particularly interested in management.

According to Gong Sun-young, her strategic assistant, Ji-seon endured years of disinterest in the work solely for her son’s sake.

It was a great sacrifice, but the expectations placed on her in return were equally immense.

“I understand exactly what worries you, Mother.”

“Yes, Jaehyuk. I just…”

“Please don’t worry.”

Ji-seon hesitated before speaking, but upon hearing Jaehyuk’s firm reassurance, she closed her mouth, seemingly comforted by his resolute demeanor.

“Oh, and Mother, I’ve recently initiated a new research project. I’m still debating whether to sign the contract.”

“Really? What’s worrying you?”

“It’s a place we previously put on hold due to lack of profitability…”

To redirect his mother’s attention, Jaehyuk resumed an unfinished work discussion.

“Mother, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Alright. Let me know how it goes with Assemblyman Kwon’s daughter.”

“Understood.”

After leaving the main house, Jaehyuk called Director Oh while waiting for the chauffeur to bring the car around.

“Director Oh, please look further into Miss Kwon Chae-won for me.”

[Of course. Just tell me what you need.]

Although he had already received basic information about the arranged meeting partner through Team Leader Gong, something crucial was missing.

This was also the reason he had singled out Kwon Chae-won’s name from the list his mother provided.

It was Kwon Chae-won’s discreet private life. In that regard, she was truly the most “outstanding” young lady.

“For now, assign someone skilled to follow her.”

[Understood.]

“She occasionally moves around alone in her personal vehicle. Have someone tail her then. There’s a man she meets regularly. Gather evidence and report back to me.”

He had overheard some drunken chatter among friends at a drinking party—talk of how Kwon Chae-won often hung out with Baek Dong-hwan and frequented his villa in Namyangju.

That alone would have been enough reason to reject her later.

But the follow-up story was even more scandalous.

It turned out that Kwon Chae-won had broken up with Baek Dong-hwan because she had an affair with some male actor. Rumors swirled—some even claimed that the actor was a major smuggler who brought drugs into the country, though none of it could be verified.

Regardless, this heartbreaking love story became perfect fodder for teasing Baek Dong-hwan at drinking parties.

“Chae-won would get killed by her father if he found out she was dating an entertainer. She’s got guts.”

“Hey, hey, it’s not just dating. Do you know what they do in hotel rooms late at night?”

“Our Dong-hwan’s ex-girlfriend sure knows how to live dangerously. It’s like she’s filming Sex and Drugs in real life.”

“Assemblyman Kwon has a terrifying temper. You should see him on the golf course—he’s got crazy strength for an old guy. She must have no fear of tomorrow.”

Jaehyuk, who rarely drank, remembered every word his friends said with crystal clarity. Information that never made it into stock market gossip often surfaced during these drunken gatherings.

Kwon Chae-won, I’m sorry, but I’ll need to use you for a while. I need some time to deceive everyone.

As Jaehyuk gave Director Oh further instructions, he briefly mourned the role Kwon Chae-won would unknowingly play as his scapegoat.

“Kwon Chae-won is always accompanied by bodyguards, so we’ll need to approach carefully.”

“Understood. I’ll contact you as soon as preparations are complete.”

Shortly after ending the call, a black sedan pulled up in front of Jaehyuk.

Before climbing into the backseat, Jaehyuk turned his head to glance back at the main house one last time. Then, without another moment’s hesitation, he stepped into the car.