PTT - 32

Realizing this much, everything began to feel chaotic. The person in front of him didn’t seem to be lying.  

Her moist eyes, the forced smile tugging at her lips, and above all, the vivid and specific details of her account—it all felt too real to dismiss outright.  

Watching Siheon’s reaction, Diane swallowed a quiet laugh before driving the final nail into the coffin.  

“…Yeon must have envied me back then. We both practiced shooting in middle school. Due to her family’s financial struggles, she couldn’t receive proper training, but I was fortunate enough to have full support from my parents.”  

“…”  

“I understand it logically, but forgiving her completely has been difficult for me. The fact that I still think about it after all these years says something.”  

The Raon Baek Siheon had known would never bully or harm someone. Though awkward at times due to her lack of social finesse, she always prioritized others, stood up for the weak, and pursued justice.  

But the description coming out of Diane’s mouth didn’t match the Raon he knew at all. Could someone really deceive others so meticulously? Layers of confusion pressed down on Siheon like a heavy stone.  

He resolved to speak with Raon as soon as possible. His unwavering trust in her remained intact, and besides, he couldn’t make a judgment based solely on one side of the story.  

“…I’ve lost my appetite. Let’s finish eating, Diane.”  

Siheon stared down at his tray filled with food, rubbing his temples wearily. Just then, his phone vibrated on the table. The screen displayed four characters: Chairman Baek.  

“It looks like you’re getting a call… Aren’t you going to answer?”  

This wasn’t a welcome caller. After being silent for a while, perhaps he was reaching out with some unreasonable request. Siheon picked up his tray and stood up.  

“Excuse me. I suggested we eat together, but now you’ll have to eat alone. My apologies. Enjoy your meal, and see you later.”  

“Yes, Team Leader. Thank you for your consideration.”  

As Diane watched Baek Siheon walk away toward the exit, her expression shifted instantly. Like an actor responding to a director’s cue, the warm smile vanished from her face.  

With an intrigued smirk, she picked up her phone and unlocked it using her fingerprint.  

“Now they’re even following me to work—what a pain.”  

Muttering quietly so no one could hear, Diane opened her messenger app. Her eyes reflected the conversation history with her friend clearly.  

[How’s it going? Is that wretch really her? Wow, hilarious. She’s relentless. Wasn’t Yoo-sim-yeon the one who used to follow you around?]  

[She didn’t even graduate middle school—how did she get into our company? Weird. Must be a nepotism hire.]  

[LMAO. By the way, isn’t your new team leader totally your type? Any chances?]  

At the last message, Jeong Ah-young—Diane’s real name—curved her eyes into crescent moons.  

Memories of Yu-sim-yeon from middle school resurfaced, stirring up bitterness. A mocking sneer escaped her lips as she thought about how to crush her once again.  

Watching Baek Siheon’s retreating figure grow smaller in the distance, she lifted the corners of her lips. For now, her top priority was winning over that perfect man to her side.  

---

“Shi Hae-in”  

“Shi Hae-in” was an upscale izakaya-style Japanese restaurant boasting one Michelin star. Not only were the prices exorbitant, but reservations had to be made at least two or three months in advance just to secure a spot. However, even the most exclusive restaurants had their exceptions.  

A sleek black sedan pulled up smoothly, and two men stepped out of the backseat: Chairman Baek, impeccably dressed in a suit, and Siheon. After informing them he’d return in two hours, the chauffeur disappeared.  

Unlike his usual half-bangs hairstyle, Baek Siheon wore his hair slicked back with pomade, gazing indifferently at his father. This meeting had started eight hours earlier with an unwelcome call in the cafeteria.  

〈Make time tonight. Your father and I have somewhere to go.〉  

〈Suddenly contacting me and issuing orders is something I suggest you avoid. I’m busy.〉  

〈Your mother seems to be doing better if you can talk back like that.〉  

The moment Chairman Baek mentioned his mother, Siheon’s brow furrowed. An icy chill settled over his shoulders. He thought he’d hit rock bottom, but apparently, there was another level beneath it.  

Twenty years ago, Chairman Baek had cheated on Jung-a and left her. Infidelity wasn’t the sole reason for their divorce.  

Over more than a decade of marriage, they clashed repeatedly. Baek Moon-jin belittled his wife and gaslit her constantly. What began as love ended in ruin.  

Watching Moon-jin disrespect his mother and chase other women filled Siheon with deep disgust. It wasn’t just his complicated relationships with women; as the chairman of a conglomerate, he was embroiled in various illegal activities.  

The most revolting part? Moon-jin wanted Siheon to inherit the company.  

Siheon wasn’t Baek’s only son. In fact, until he discovered a few years ago that his second wife’s child, Woo-hyuk, wasn’t his biological son, Moon-jin hadn’t given Siheon a second glance.  

Once the truth came to light, he immediately cast aside the son he’d raised for over a decade and extended a hand to his ex-wife’s boy.  

〈Your mother is sick, right? Treating her abroad will cost a fortune. Do you have savings?〉  

Baek Moon-jin skillfully exploited Siheon’s weakness. In his mid-twenties, Siheon’s modest savings weren’t enough to sustain life overseas. Without insurance coverage, hospital bills skyrocketed astronomically, and his funds were dwindling fast.  

And Moon-jin was a man who knew how to exploit others’ vulnerabilities. Having to reconcile with a father who had all but ignored him for years was torment for Siheon.  

But for the sake of Jung-a, the mother who had single-handedly raised him properly, he endured the humiliation. Chairman Baek hoped Siheon would quit his job at the NIS and begin training as his successor immediately.  

Though late in his thirties, Siheon was highly intelligent and had studied business management. Moon-jin believed that throwing him into the field would allow him to absorb everything quickly and grow exponentially.  

“If you say anything disrespectful in front of the person we’re meeting today… I trust you know the consequences.”  

“Must be an important client to Chairman Baek.”  

“Hmm, not exactly important… More like a bothersome pig wearing pearls that don’t suit her. Quite distasteful.”

Despite the rather scathing remark, Baek Siheon’s expression remained unchanged. Adjusting his tie knot without a trace of a smile, he looked every bit the epitome of a cold-hearted handsome man.  

By year’s end, a new drug was set to be released, and for that reason alone, Siheon couldn’t yet sever ties with the man who called himself his father. Though Jung-a had insisted on cutting off all connections between them now that her health had improved, Siheon couldn’t risk leaving her vulnerable to the ticking time bomb of an unpredictable illness.  

“Let’s head in.”  

At Chairman Baek’s words, the door to the izakaya opened. Siheon, making no effort to hide his fatigue, followed behind him.  

---

VIP Room “Sakura”  

The innermost VIP room, Sakura. A kimono-clad Japanese server knelt gracefully, explaining each item on the menu in detail. Speaking fluent Korean, she calmly introduced the dishes before finally placing a bottle of sake on the table.  

“Please enjoy your meal. If you need anything, feel free to call for me at any time.”  

After bowing deeply with utmost respect, the server silently slid the door shut and exited. At that moment, a middle-aged man with deep wrinkles took the ceramic bottle by its neck and began pouring wine into Moon-jin’s glass.  

“Our Chairman Baek, thank you for coming all this way. With our business going so well lately, I wanted to treat you to a meal.”  

Bang Won-gyeol, Mayor of Seoul. A political powerhouse who had spent decades entrenched in the political scene, he was often described as embodying the “dignity of four terms.”  

Though his usual demeanor lacked refinement or elegance, even those who opposed him acknowledged that Bang Won-gyeol stood firmly at the center of power.  

The large-scale hotel construction project recently launched by Hwacheol Group required approval from the city government to proceed smoothly—a reason why Moon-jin, despite his disdain for Won-gyeol, still bowed his head and played nice.  

“I’m deeply grateful. May I pour you a drink in return, Mayor?”  

“Ah, of course! Fill it to the brim. As you know, I’m quite the drinker. And your son here—surely he’ll join us for a glass?”  

Laughing boisterously, his jowls quivering, Mayor Bang turned his gaze toward Siheon, gesturing for him to pick up his cup. But Siheon remained still, like a statue, refusing to move.  

Unable to endure the awkward silence any longer, Chairman Baek discreetly tapped Siheon’s thigh under the table. Finally, Siheon opened his mouth.