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Shipwreck
Jae-hee stared at her phone with a stern expression. A tabloid article had been posted in her high school alumni group chat. It was from a daily newspaper that often covered celebrity gossip, and the headline was sensational.
“University student who had an affair with a chaebol chairman turns out to be an extraordinary gold-digger?”
Jae-hee quickly scrolled up to the chat and clicked on the article.
“20XX, Month X, Day X: Category (Business)
Recently, the chairman of a major corporation has been revealed to have been caught by a ‘con artist’ posing as a college student.
A, the young woman who had been a subject of attention since her entrance into university for her beauty, has now been exposed as a gold-digger who had been receiving favors since high school and enjoying luxury brands. Her nickname is ‘the Husband Killer.’
According to a whistleblower who knew her, she is skilled at luring married men with her innocent and pure looks. Though she came from a humble background, she used sympathy as her weapon to melt the hearts of her targets... (continued)”
Jae-hee couldn’t bring herself to finish reading the article and closed the window immediately. The content was as sensational as the headline, but just as cheap. Her heart raced unsteadily. A cold shiver ran down her spine.
Jae-hee clenched her teeth with a twisted expression.
This was clearly an article pushed out by Chairman Cha’s side. He must have used a journalist he was friendly with to stir up trouble and manipulate things to his advantage.
How dare they call Hyojung a gold-digger? How dare they say such things about my innocent, good sister?
Jae-hee gripped her phone so tightly it felt like it might shatter.
Chairman Cha’s intentions were obvious. He was trying to tarnish Hyojung with the label of a ‘gold-digger’ to obscure the truth. If the manipulation of comments and public opinion continued, the narrative could shift in his favor.
“Chairman Cha, you despicable…!”
She felt enraged. It was so unjust that tears almost welled up.
Not only did they try to lay their claws on a naive 20-year-old girl, but now they were spreading such a cheap article.
A girl who couldn’t even afford to buy a pair of common sports brand shoes, let alone luxury goods. How could they talk about Hyojung—such a kind and innocent girl—this way...?
Jae-hee buried her face in her hands.
“I’m sorry, Hyojung. I’m sorry, my dear...”
Her weakness had dragged Hyojung into this filthy, chaotic battlefield.
The early morning when she secretly took Hyojung with her. Jae-hee didn’t ask her why she met Chairman Cha or why she did something so dangerous, like filming that video.
Honestly, she didn’t need to ask. She and Hyojung were sisters, so they were too similar to not understand. Hyojung must have sensed something wrong about Chairman Cha and tried to hold onto something that could bind him. And that action was surely a choice made for Jae-hee’s sake, her older sister.
Jae-hee took a deep breath, trying to suppress the surging emotions inside her. All she could do right now was close the message window and turn a blind eye to reality, filled with resentment and anger toward Chairman Cha.
Meanwhile, Kang-joo’s office was eerily quiet. Holding his phone, Kang-joo’s eyes moved slowly. The article Jae-hee had been reading was still open on his screen.
His eyes narrowed slightly and then, in a strange twist, curved into a slight smile.
Soon after, Kang-joo, as if in disbelief, faintly smiled before slamming his phone down. The metallic clink of it hitting the desk echoed through the room. At that moment, the smile disappeared from his face, replaced by a rising anger.
Kang-joo, his face deep in thought, tapped his desk a few times, then picked up his phone again. After a few rings, the person on the other end answered.
“Yes, Director.”
The person on the other end didn’t waste any time with pleasantries, recognizing the caller right away. Kang-joo, in turn, got straight to the point.
“Send the prepared documents to the art museum. Make sure the sender isn’t traceable.”
“Yes, I’ll make sure it goes smoothly.”
The brief, to-the-point conversation ended with the phone being hung up. Afterward, Kang-joo stared down at his dark phone for a while before getting up. He headed toward the marketing team, where his contracted partner would be.
Jae-hee, on the other hand, had a phone tucked between her shoulder and ear, diligently jotting something down in her notepad.
“Yes, uh, yes, I heard about it. They said that’s already been agreed upon... Didn’t the product team mention it?”
The intense gazes on her since the morning were unavoidable. It was natural—her relationship with Kang-joo had already been confirmed publicly, and with rumors about her being a ‘gold-digger,’ the scrutiny was inevitable.
‘How curious must they be,’ she thought.
But for now, she ignored all the stares. She imagined herself as a celebrity for a moment. After all, this was the office, and she was just an employee—her task was to focus on her work.
As she continued her call, making notes on her calendar, the silence in the office grew heavier. She could feel the intensity of the gazes on her, and slowly, she raised her head.
“...”
She glanced over at the source of the stares and barely moved her lips.
“...Yes, understood. I’ll check and get back to you shortly.”
After ending the call, Jae-hee stared at Kang-joo, who was smiling gently, his lips curling into a soft grin.
“Did you put out the fire?”
“Yes, Director.”
“Then, how about we go on a date?”
A large hand suddenly slid around her waist.
A date? It’s still working hours, Director. Before she could even respond, he pulled her up, grabbed her hand, and swiftly led her out of the office.
Kang-joo led her straight to his personal office without any words. After sitting her down on the sofa, he placed a cup of warm water on the table in front of her and sat beside her in silence.
“……”
He handed her the cup, and she drank, though with a confused expression. It didn’t take long before she nodded to herself internally.
Kang-joo must have seen the article as well—the cheap gossip about her being a “gold-digger” and the nasty rumors. Was he calling her to discuss it? Perhaps now that Chairman Cha was starting to make unreasonable moves, he wanted to find another way to suppress the situation.
While mulling over these bitter thoughts, Jae-hee raised her head. She had expected that stiff, formal words stemming from their contractual relationship, but instead, what came from him was surprisingly a question about her well-being.
“Are you okay?”
His voice, gentle and full of concern, took her by surprise.
Jae-hee blinked slowly. She knew what he meant, but still, she couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean, am I okay?”
“Don’t worry too much. This is just Chairman Cha’s last desperate attempt.”
“I… I know. I’m angry, but I don’t think it’s necessary to respond to it,” she answered quietly, her eyes lowering. His gentle touch moved her hair behind her ear. As he did, his voice was as soft as his touch.
“Your mother’s anxious response caused her to make a blunder. I’ll make sure Hyojung’s identity is never revealed, so don’t worry, Jae-hee.”
……
Jae-hee lowered her head even more. She wished her hair would fall over her face to hide her expression, but his hand kept pushing her face into view. Her eyes, reddened from almost crying, were almost visible, and she didn’t want him to see them.
His palm touched her warm, flushed cheek, and she could feel it gently melting her frozen heart. Jae-hee closed her eyes.
He had called her here to say these words, thinking about how the article must have made her feel.
Her anxious breathing gradually calmed. Unnecessarily, even resentment toward him began to build. How could she blame him for being so kind?
When he was this gentle with her… what was she supposed to do with the feelings that constantly flowed toward him?
________________________________________
Outwardly, it was a peaceful day. Standing by the window, Yeonghyeon sipped her tea and gazed down at the pond in the art museum. A pair of mandarin ducks swam on the surface, creating ripples in the water.
“Ha.”
A short sigh escaped her lips, breaking her otherwise expressionless face.
Her husband, Chairman Cha, had become the center of the scandal. She had decided to forget it. Though she was angry that Chairman Cha had tarnished her reputation, it was already done. Thankfully, there hadn’t been anything worse, just a conversation in the car, so she could easily move past it. Yeonghyeon rationalized it that way.
So, she decided to forget it. If she turned a blind eye to Chairman Cha’s wrongdoing, everything could return to normal. After all, the peaceful life she had now, and the fact that Kang-joo could live as the legitimate son of Chairman Cha, was probably thanks to him.
“Such a fool…”
She muttered bitterly, turning away from the window. At that moment, a knock sounded.
“Director, we received a package by courier.”
“Come in.”
The assistant entered, handing her a brown envelope before leaving. Yeonghyeon opened the drawer and retrieved a letter opener. With a few swift cuts, the thick paper was torn open, and its contents spilled out—papers and a few photographs.
Yeonghyeon, without thinking, first picked up the papers and began reading.
“Name: Yoon Jeongmi… Age: 27… Residence: Gyeonggi-do… What is this?”
Her head tilted slightly to the side. She placed the personal details on her desk and picked up one of the photographs. In the photo, there was a blurry figure of someone hugging a woman from behind in what appeared to be a garden.
“Ha.”
A hollow laugh escaped Yeonghyeon as she stared at the photo with a hardened expression. Her eyes were icy as she glared at the photograph. Slowly, she gathered the scattered photos with deliberate movements.
The faint shape of a man and a woman intertwining their bodies naked on the terrace became vaguely visible, and there was also a photo of the two holding hands and strolling through the garden. Yeonghyeon’s hand trembled violently.
Then, when the face of the middle-aged man, which had only appeared as a vague figure, was finally brought into sharp focus...
Crash! Yeonghyeon hurled the flower vase on the desk and sprang up from her seat.
“Cha Byeong-jun, you...!”
Hearing the noise, her startled assistant rushed into the room. Yeonghyeon hissed at him with a venomous glare.
“Get a car ready, now!”
Her eyes gleamed with fury.
“Chairman, Director Yoo is here to see you.”
At Manager Kwon’s voice, Chairman Cha nodded immediately.
“Show her in.”
As soon as he spoke, Yeonghyeon entered with Manager Kwon’s guidance. The office was quiet. Her calm footsteps echoed as she stopped in front of Chairman Cha.
Chairman Cha, who had risen from his seat, scrutinized Yeonghyeon’s frozen expression.
“What brings you here today…?”
A bundle of photos flew toward him. It was Yeonghyeon throwing them at him. The photos skimmed his cheek and fell to the ground. Chairman Cha lowered his gaze to the sharp images that had just flown past.
As he focused on the images, his expression stiffened in shock. The person in the photos was someone he knew all too well—himself, Cha Byeong-jun.
In the photos, he was smiling, having an affair, and entangled naked with someone like an animal. With a fake Mi-ryeong, whom he had secretly hidden at a villa.
Chairman Cha’s face turned pale. His lips parted, about to explain, but Yeonghyeon’s quiet voice stopped him.
“I told you not to let me find out. I don’t care what you do behind my back, just don’t let me find out.”
“...”
“That was too much, wasn’t it? How could you get caught in such a cheap photo…”
Yeonghyeon stepped on the photos with her high heels, crushing them as she calmly spoke, her voice betraying a clear, unmasked anger.
“Are you worried about the source of the photos? Is that what you’re asking?”
“...”
She kicked the photos aside with the tip of her shoe. Her anger wasn’t born from betrayal, but from the shame and hurt to her pride.
What would people say about her? Because of her husband’s wrongdoings, her face would be a source of embarrassment.
What does it matter if she’s the wife of a chaebol? Her husband is having an affair. What kind of man is so unattractive that he has a mistress in her twenties and even plays around with college girls? People would gossip and pity her, clicking their tongues.
“You should have stolen something instead. At least it wouldn’t be so humiliating…”
She couldn’t bear the thought of people discussing this issue, saying, “I’d rather be in her place.” But it was about to happen. Someone was going to pity her, all because of that man. Because of that man.
She couldn’t stand watching her pride being crushed like this. The whole reason she married him in the first place was to avoid this situation. She couldn’t let anyone pity her son, Kang-joo. She couldn’t bear to see her son, a child of a single mother, be looked down upon. She couldn’t bear anyone feeling superior to her because of this. That was why she had created the illusion of a perfect family.
But now, that puppet of hers, Cha Byeong-jun, had poured filthy mud over her head. And it was very dirty mud indeed.
“Can’t you even stay quiet? You couldn’t do that one simple thing and you’ve made me look like this? You’re not a pervert, are you? You’re meeting a girl who’s the same age as your daughter. What were you thinking?”
Yeonghyeon’s face remained expressionless as she harshly reprimanded him.
Chairman Cha’s eyebrows furrowed. He looked down at the photos scattered and trampled on the floor. In the photos, he appeared happy with the fake Mi-ryeong. He looked happier with her than he did with Yeonghyeon, the cold woman standing before him. Now, in front of her, he could only hold on to his crushed heart.
Suddenly, anger surged within him. Like the photos under Yeonghyeon’s heels, his pride, crushed and stomped on, began to rise.
‘What did I do wrong?’
He had done everything she asked. He had brought Kang-joo to be acknowledged as his own child, following her wishes, acting like a puppet under her control.
It had always been a loveless marriage. He had just wanted some peace, some rest, away from Yeonghyeon’s coldness, and now he had to endure this shameful, one-sided condemnation.
‘If that woman had been kind to me from the start, if she had stayed at home... this wouldn’t have happened.’
It was because his wife, the so-called “Director,” was out gallivanting overseas that things had come to this. If Yeonghyeon had given him affection and love, none of this would have happened. That’s what Chairman Cha believed with certainty.
“Do you think you have the right to criticize me like this?”
At his counterattack, Yeonghyeon’s eyes narrowed into a thin line.
“What did you say?”
“You must have been meeting other men secretly too, right? The only difference between you and me is whether we got caught or not, isn’t it?”
Chairman Cha straightened his shoulders, which had been hunched. Since he had started talking, he decided to be bold. It was almost reckless, but Yeonghyeon remained silent and smiled, as if inviting him to continue. Chairman Cha’s tone became more confident.
“You’re not so innocent either. You were already pregnant before we got married.”
“......”
“If I had turned a blind eye to that, don’t you think you should have turned a blind eye to something too? How dare you make me look so miserable like this?”
In response to Yeonghyeon’s silence, Chairman Cha felt like he had gained the upper hand.
‘Of course, I made that unknown bastard my son. How dare she criticize me?’
He should have been confident from the beginning, but he had been shrinking away. Looking back, he realized that he actually held the better hand. Yeonghyeon, who hated anything that could hurt her pride, couldn’t possibly be confident about Kang-joo.
“Think about it, Director Yoo. What if I exposed the secret about Kang-joo? Do you think the media wouldn’t go wild and spread his photos everywhere, asking, ‘Who is his real father?’ Do you want your son to face those cheap stares from the public?”
“......”
Yeonghyeon shut her mouth tight and stared at Chairman Cha’s glistening eyes for a long time. Then, at some point, a faint smile spread across her lips. It seemed like she had come to a decision.
“I swear, I’ve never been with another man. I’m not some dog running around peeing on telephone poles like someone I know.”
“How dare you call me that...!”
“Shut up. How dare you drag my son’s name through the dirt with that filthy mouth? The only reason you could marry me is because of Kang-joo. If it weren’t for him, do you really think someone like you could marry me? Know your place.”
Her cold laughter pierced Chairman Cha’s heart.
Someone like him. People like him. That was something Chairman Cha often said. He would sit in a position of power, looking down on others, crushing them with his authority. Now, he was hearing those words directed at him. Now, he was the one being trampled, humiliated at her feet. The reality was unbearable.
Yeonghyeon sneered at him.
“Why didn’t you say it from the beginning? ‘I’ll cheat, and I’ll do it boldly.’ If you had said that, I would have kicked you out with a beating. You filthy dog.”
In an instant, Chairman Cha had been reduced to a filthy dog who didn’t know his place. His neck veins bulged as he held back his humiliation.
Yeonghyeon had made up her mind. She was going to throw her husband, Cha Byeong-jun, out.
If she gave in to his threat about exposing Kang-joo’s secret, the future would be predictable. That despicable man would undoubtedly use Kang-joo as leverage to control her life, squeezing her with that collar forever.
It was better to shake things up now.
Even if it meant breaking her back, she had to face it head-on. She had to endure the worst, no matter how catastrophic the end would be.
It was a deeply thought-out decision, but Yeonghyeon decided to make it in that moment. That was just her nature. Once she made a decision, it was final, and she never regretted it. Kang-joo shared the same strong-willed nature.
“Kang-joo is my son, no matter who his real father is. He’s from Seongang, and that’s all that matters. But you? If I throw you out, you’re finished. Take away the title of ‘Yeonghyeon’s husband,’ and you’re just a puppet.”
After finishing her words, Yeonghyeon looked down at Chairman Cha, who was taller than her. Chairman Cha glared at her with bloodshot eyes. He couldn’t even open his mouth to respond. It was impossible to argue back.
Yeonghyeon turned and walked toward the door.
“Do whatever you want with the Kang-joo issue. It’s all up to you, as long as you can handle the consequences.”
“......”
The sound of Yeonghyeon’s heels clicked as she walked further away. Chairman Cha gritted his teeth and clenched his fist tightly. The veins on the back of his hand bulged with anger. His voice, filled with rage, echoed in the silent space.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
His eyes, filled with venom, burned a bright red.
The next evening, a gossip article once again heated up the internet. It was an article related to Seongang Group, published by the newspaper that had previously labeled Hyojeong a “gold-digger.”
“The Shocking Past of a Conglomerate’s Wife: Who is the Real Father of the Heir?”
Recently, a conglomerate chairman suffered from an embarrassing scandal involving a gold-digger. Now, he faces betrayal from his wife... Is the beloved son he raised really his own? Outwardly, they appear to be the perfect couple, but in reality, their relationship is nearly estranged, making this affair almost unavoidable... (continued)
Yeonghyeon skimmed through the article while sipping her coffee. Although all names were shortened to initials, it was obvious to anyone with a brain who the “conglomerate chairman” was and who the “beloved son” referred to.
The article was clearly biased. It defended Chairman Cha Byeong-jun’s affair while targeting Kang-joo.
There was even a photo of someone, with their face mosaicked, but the image still suggested a strikingly handsome figure.
“Even with his face covered, he still looks so handsome. Who else could it be but my son...?”
Yeonghyeon smiled and saved the photo of Kang-joo from the article. Even with his face obscured, his tall stature, broad shoulders, and neat appearance were unmistakably Kang-joo.
She wondered if he would be hurt by this article. We’ll get through this together.
This was something they should have dealt with long ago, but they were only facing it now. The sins they had ignored and hidden were now catching up to them. Sighing inwardly, Yeonghyeon called for her secretary.
“Don’t respond to this. Just ignore it. But send this out immediately. Make sure the face is thoroughly covered.”
“Yes, Director.”
The secretary left the office holding a photograph of Chairman Cha and the fake Kang Mi-ryeong caught in an affair, leaving the office.
Yeonghyeon leaned back in her chair. Her head ached, and her shoulders throbbed. Her mind was troubled, and it seemed to be taking a toll on her body as well.
Chairman Cha’s actions were the result she had expected. Having waded into the muck, the winner would be the one who managed to get out of it first, cleaning off the filth as quickly as possible.
She wasn’t planning to blame anyone. If there was fault, it was in her judgment for choosing someone like Cha Byeong-jun.
Yeonghyeon picked up the family photo on her desk.
“Let’s see who wins.”
She lightly tapped her finger on Chairman Cha’s face in the photo and muttered softly to herself.
“But I think I’m going to win.”
It had been a hectic week. The term “Seongang” was constantly trending in the real-time search rankings.
Chairman Cha had extended his reach to a freshman student at a university, and shortly after, an article revealed that the university student was a “gold-digger.” Most people scoffed at the news, while some tilted their heads in confusion.
“Could she really be a gold-digger?”
That was exactly the kind of reaction Chairman Cha was hoping for. He wanted to plant seeds of doubt, to create room for suspicion.
Then another article was published. This one was a different kind of gossip, deeply personal and about Seongang Group’s Executive Director, Cha Kang-joo. The shocking revelation that he was not Chairman Cha’s biological son.
With various articles popping up one after another, any place with more than two people gathered quickly became abuzz with discussions about him.
“What’s going on? So, Chairman Cha found out his son isn’t really his, and that’s why he’s been having affairs?”
“No, he’s known all along that Kang-joo isn’t his biological son. Chairman Cha’s wife is from a royal family, you know. Chairman Cha is the son-in-law. He came into this knowing all about it.”
“Well, I heard no matter how much stock he collected, he was always second to his wife and son.”
“But who leaked that information? Did Chairman Cha spill it? I heard divorce rumors are floating around, maybe he’s trying to shape public opinion before that?”
Chairman Cha’s goal was simple. He wanted to shift the focus of his infidelity to family matters.
He aimed to justify his affair by pointing to the existence of an illegitimate child, Kang-joo, and claim the moral high ground. Instead of focusing on the humiliating label of being a “sugar daddy,” he wanted the public’s attention on “illegitimate child Cha Kang-joo.”
But unfortunately for him, people weren’t as easily swayed as he had hoped.
They merely mocked him even more.
“They say he’s scrambling to save himself now, huh? What a joke.”
________________________________________
Meanwhile, Jae-hee didn’t learn about Kang-joo’s news until late at night.
After turning off her cell phone and talking with Hyo-jeong at the hotel, she turned it back on while on the way home in a taxi. That was when she saw the article.
“The Shocking Past of a Conglomerate’s Wife: Who is the Real Father of the Heir?”
When she first saw the article, she couldn’t believe it, holding her breath, and then her hands started trembling with anger. Everything was falling into place now. She hadn’t understood why the ruthless Chairman Cha had tormented Kang-joo so much, but now she did. Now, finally.
That was why Kang-joo was always… That’s why... in that warehouse… The reason he had been pushed into that abyss of loneliness. It was because of that cruel reason. Her heart ached, and she felt a tightness in her chest.
She remembered the tears that had silently soaked Kang-joo’s face under the pale moonlight. She vividly recalled how he had trembled as he sat there alone, crying. But when she walked into the warehouse, he had put on a smile, hiding the tears clinging to his lashes.
Jae-hee let out a strained breath. This was a different kind of shock than when she had discovered the secret about Chairman Cha and her mother. Her heart broke, it hurt, and it tightened.
Jae-hee, with a face that looked like she might cry, scanned the article again. She read and reread it, trying to understand what had driven Kang-joo to the edge. At the bottom of the article were lighthearted comments.
“He really doesn’t look like them at all. That’s one messed-up rich family. Reality is worse than drama.”
Some of the comments, which could be deeply hurtful to someone, were quickly posted and circulated. Kang-joo was now the center of attention for all the wrong reasons.
Jae-hee stuffed her cell phone deep into her pocket. The city outside the taxi window felt unusually cold.
In this cold city, in this cold building, Kang-joo would be alone again tonight. She wondered if he had seen the article. If he had, what would he be doing now? What would he be thinking, and how would he be feeling?
“…Sigh.”
Anxious thoughts swirled in her mind. She wanted to see Kang-joo. She wanted to see him now, not knowing what kind of expression he would have.
The taxi’s speed felt painfully slow today, like a slug crawling through the streets of Seoul.
When Jae-hee returned home, she moved silently. In the distance, she saw Kang-joo. He was sitting on the bed, looking through documents, and when he heard her approach, he slowly raised his head, his expression as calm as usual.
“Did you get back?”
His voice was no different from usual. He must have seen the article too. He would have watched how people were tearing him apart, discussing, mocking, and analyzing him. Despite all that, Kang-joo remained composed as always, and seeing him like this only made Jae-hee realize how strangely composed he was today.
Jae-hee suddenly felt a surge of anger upon realizing that it was Chairman Cha who had made Kang-joo the way he was. It was him who had trampled on the child’s fear, tears, and anger, flattening it all. It was all his doing.
“Are you okay?” The painful words lingered on her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. The moment she tried to comfort him, he would become a pitiable figure, and he didn’t need pity. Kang-joo didn’t need that.
Standing still, Jae-hee just stared at him, but it was Kang-joo who spoke first.
“Jae-hee.”
He reached out one arm, as if beckoning her to come closer. Jae-hee hesitated but eventually walked into his embrace, sinking into it. It was comfortable and warm.
His large hand rested on her back. The warmth that touched the top of her head must have been his cheek. His tender hand, as usual, gently swept down her back. Neither of them said anything. They simply held each other, sharing their body heat.
After holding Jae-hee for a while, Kang-joo gently brushed her hair aside and quietly smiled.
“I know what you’re thinking... but I’m okay. It’s just that the whole world now knows what only my family knew.”
Jae-hee bit her lip tightly. Tears threatened to spill over, but she held them back, staring at his chest as if willing it to be stronger than the storm inside her.
He didn’t even know. I didn’t know that either. The pain of his past hurt so much, Jae-hee thought, as she leaned against his chest, trying to hold back the sobs. He was unfazed, and it was only she who was moved. That fact was somewhat absurd, but it was hard to stop the emotions rising within her.
His hand gently patted her back again.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” he said softly. “The one who should be comforted is me, but somehow, I’m the one comforting you.”
Jae-hee whispered, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
“I wish you’d think of yourself, Kang-joo.”
She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
“You’ve always endured, haven’t you? It was for Director Yoo, right?”
Jae-hee finally understood the reason Kang-joo had suffered in silence all these years. She understood why he had spent those lonely, painful years. Knowing Kang-joo’s nature, he would rather endure the pain himself than hurt his mother.
He was always like that. Even now, it was she who was crying, yet it was he who held her, comforting her. That fact tore at Jae-hee’s heart, making it almost unbearable.
“But… why didn’t you just cry and complain? Why didn’t you say you were hurt, that you were struggling, and cry your eyes out, saying Chairman Cha was a bastard and abused you? Why did you suffer in silence?”
Jae-hee finally let the tears fall, the ones she had been holding back. When Kang-joo had been in his darkest moments, struggling alone in the blackness, only Jae-hee had been able to see his raw pain. She knew him better than anyone. And now, in her voice, the tears flowed freely.
“I want Kang-joo to be happy. I really want that for you.”
Her faint whisper mingled with her tears as she exhaled, pressing her forehead against his chest.
“Jae-hee.”
Kang-joo’s quiet voice reached her from above. Reflexively, she lifted her head, but Kang-joo pulled her into his embrace again, making it impossible to see his face.
His voice continued, softly, quietly.
“Jae-hee.”
“Yes.”
“Jae-hee.”
“…Yes.”
“Jae-hee.”
Kang-joo called her name again and again. It didn’t seem like he was waiting for a response. He called it softly, just for himself.
Jae-hee’s heart ached. There was something deeply etched in his voice that made her heart feel tight. She didn’t know what it was, but it felt as if a burning thorn was poking her from inside his embrace.
Kang-joo, who had been holding her like he was unwilling to let her go, eventually laid her down slowly. Jae-hee, resting her back against the soft bed, quietly gazed up at him. The moonlight, casting a gentle glow on him, seemed particularly forlorn tonight. His deep eyes, filled with quiet intensity, met her gaze, and she felt them cover her as if the moon itself had swallowed her up.
“Kang-joo…”
His lips slowly touched hers. The kiss was slow, almost as if the moon itself were drifting away, tender and gentle.
Jae-hee accepted the kiss, raising her arms to wrap around his firm back. The warmth of their bodies touching caused her heart to quietly flutter.
Kissing her and sharing their breath, Kang-joo slowly unbuttoned her shirt. The sound of the fabric sliding down was particularly clear. As soon as her bra became visible through the half-opened shirt, Kang-joo promptly unfastened that as well. The flesh that had been tightly contained now spilled out and shifted.
As she instinctively raised her arms to cover herself, his actions became even faster. His lips traveled from her lips to her neck, then down her neck to the valley of her breasts, and finally, he bit down on her swollen, white breast.
“Ah!”
Jae-hee bit her lip and lowered her head. His dark hair was scattered across her exposed chest. The city lights fell on it in places, reflecting as he sucked on her nipple.
Jae-hee let out a suppressed moan. When his thick, warm tongue slowly licked her nipple, her lower abdomen contracted. When his lips covered her areola and slowly traced it, her shoulders twisted slightly. A sensation like a low fever surged through her.
The air touching her skin was cool, but his lips were surprisingly hot, making the sensation even more exquisite. The tip of his tongue, which had been teasing her nipple, now pressed harder. He sucked on the stiff nipple, twisting it and lightly biting it with his teeth. Like a nursing child clinging to its mother.
Just as a child’s world contains only its mother’s breast, young Kang-joo had only Jae-hee. If Jae-hee hadn’t been there, none of this would have existed. Without her, he was nothing.
The girl who stood at the end of the road with a lamp in her hand whenever he wandered lost in the dark.
The breathing hole who smiled and hugged him, saying, “Kang-joo oppa.”
The only lifeline that kept him alive.
“Jae-hee...”
Kang-joo whispered her name as he grasped her breast. Jae-hee let out a soft moan at his voice, which sounded so distressed. As she became disoriented by the dizzying sensation, she carefully embraced Kang-joo.
As Jae-hee’s touch was felt on his back, Kang-joo’s actions became even more desperate. The way he bit into her breast as if begging resembled a starving child. A starving child frantically searching for non-existent breast milk. A pitiful child starving for affection and hungry for love.
“Ah... uhn...”
A faint pain mixed with Jae-hee’s moan. Her nipples tingled and felt numb from his painful sucking and biting. But instead of pushing him away, Jae-hee embraced him. She stroked and comforted him as he clung to her chest with such greed.
As if the only comfort she could offer was to offer her breasts.
The men stirred with a quiet unrest. Everyone’s actions were unusually cautious, as if walking on thin ice. This was because before the keyword “Cha Kang-joo, illegitimate child” could properly heat up, another topic had emerged, boiling the pot anew.
It was none other than photos of Chairman Cha’s affair.
Not just him showing lecherous intentions towards female university students, but paparazzi photos clearly showing him committing adultery. Pictures of Chairman Cha spending intimate time with an unidentified woman were taken and spread like wildfire.
“Did you see the new photos of Cha Byung-joon?”
“Yeah, I heard his affair partner is really young? In her mid-20s, they say. They’ve been seeing each other for a while, too. I wonder if he seduced her when she was a freshman?”
“Right? He seems only interested in young women. It’s pathetic, really.”
The rumors about Cha Kang-joo being an illegitimate child had quickly died down. Only Chairman Cha’s actions were being gossiped about again. It was only natural that people paid more attention to the photos they could see with their own eyes than to hearsay rumors about an illegitimate child.
Who on earth was the woman? And moreover, how daring was the media outlet that released such an article about the chairman of a large corporation? Who was backing them?
And before people’s questions could be answered, an even bigger incident erupted. If the topics discussed so far were mere gossip, this was on a different level. Something closer to a crime than gossip. A very fatal and dangerous video that could surely bring Chairman Cha down had surfaced.
Just like the “Daddy-Long-Legs” video, the title of this video was also very simple.
[The Chairman in the News. Past Private Life.]
The content was as simple as the title.
October XX, 20XX. Only the past date was added like an afterthought; there was no other explanation. Only a short, edited video was uploaded.
A scene of a woman going up the stairs. Followed by a scene of a middle-aged man secretly following her. A short while later, a scene of the woman running away in disheveled clothes, and the man hastily chasing after her. That was the end. There was nothing else.
It wasn’t a particularly sensational video, but the problem was that the man’s face in the video was very familiar to the public. It was none other than Chairman Cha Byung-joon, the chairman of the large corporation at the center of the storm of public opinion.
The moment Chairman Cha’s actions went from simple adultery to a crime, people openly began to tear him apart.
“Isn’t this just cause for jail time?”
“So what happened to the woman in the video? Did this just get swept under the rug?”
“Wouldn’t the video have been uploaded because it was just buried? Cha Byung-joon has never been on trial.”
“Isn’t Sunghang going to make an official announcement? Have they completely abandoned him?”
“Chairman Cha’s wife is the daughter of the previous chairman. I heard her influence is stronger than Cha Byung-joon’s. There are rumors they’re getting a divorce.”
“I’d abandon him too if I were her. How could she live with such shame?”
Fortunately, the identity of the woman in the video was not revealed. People were too busy talking about Chairman Cha’s outrageous behavior and his future course of action.
And at that time, Chairman Cha was exploding with anger in a hotel room. Isolated in a luxurious place, unable to even go to work.
“This, shit! Who the hell spread this!”
Along with a string of low curses, the sound of a vase shattering echoed through the room. Cold water soaked the floor. Chairman Cha gritted his teeth, his face flushed red.
“Yoo Young-hyun, that crazy bitch! How could she go this far…!”
His hand gripping the table trembled. Even when the article about Kang-joo’s illegitimate child was published, he never imagined the situation would unfold like this. He expected public opinion to be inflamed by the affair of a chaebol family’s wife and the secret of the birth of the respectable chaebol heir, Cha Kang-joo.
He was supposed to distort the noble face of Yoo Young-hyun, but instead, he was the one who was stabbed in the back. He never thought she would release photos of his own affair, but how…?
And moreover, where did she even get that CCTV footage? Where did she find the thread to go this far!
“Where the hell did she get that CCTV footage?”
Unable to contain his anger, Chairman Cha tore at his hair.
His involvement with Hyo-jung and the affair with the fake Kang Mi-ryung were matters that could be easily overlooked. They were merely acts that went against moral standards, not crimes. But that incident, the one involving Kang Mi-ryung, was not something that would end as mere gossip.
It was clearly a crime. A terrifying matter that could formally put him on trial.
“Shit, shit!”
Chairman Cha clutched the table with an anxious face. The trembling caused by his nervousness wouldn’t stop easily.
And at that moment, Jae-hee was also absent from work, just like Chairman Cha. As soon as she arrived in front of the building, she was intercepted by Chief Kwon and was on her way to Young-hyun’s art museum.
Upon hearing that Director Yoo, Kang-joo’s mother, had summoned her, Jae-hee got into the car without a word. Why was Chief Kwon, Chairman Cha’s loyal right-hand man, following Director Yoo’s orders instead of being with Chairman Cha? Could it be related to the CCTV?
Such a question briefly crossed her mind but she dismissed it. That wasn’t important right now.
As they left Seoul, the road became increasingly deserted. Jae-hee, who had been watching the birch trees flashing past the car window, spoke with difficulty.
“Chief Kwon.”
“Yes, Jae-hee-ssi.”
Chief Kwon glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“Chief, did you perhaps upload my mother’s CCTV video?”
This time, Chief Kwon answered with difficulty.
“...Yes, I did.”
As expected. It was what she had anticipated.
At Chief Kwon’s honest answer, Jae-hee nodded blankly, almost unconsciously.
She hadn’t uploaded her mother’s CCTV video herself. She had planned to use the video as evidence if a formal trial was held.
But the video had suddenly been uploaded online. The repercussions were greater than she had expected. Everyone was criticizing Chairman Cha, and thanks to the rapid public attention, it might even work in their favor in the trial. Now that everyone’s attention was focused on it, they couldn’t just brush it aside.
It was a fortunate turn of events for Jae-hee. It was unfolding like a well-written script. And it was happening very naturally, without causing any harm to her or Hyo-jung.
While she was very grateful for Chief Kwon’s actions, she was also worried.
“Why did you do that, Chief? It’s dangerous… What if you get sued for defamation?”
Chairman Cha would be even more furious because someone he trusted had betrayed him. He might vent his anger, which he couldn’t direct at his wife Young-hyun, on the weaker Chief Kwon.
But even at Jae-hee’s worried voice, Chief Kwon simply shook his head.
“Director Yoo has taken care of it. It’s alright, nothing will happen.”
Ah. A sigh of relief escaped Jae-hee. Yes, if it was her, it was possible. She would protect him sufficiently.
The art museum began to appear in the distance. The grand and large art museum where Chairman Cha’s wife and Kang-joo’s mother resided. Chief Kwon stepped on the accelerator towards the art museum, recalling what had happened a few days ago.
Two days prior. After much deliberation, Chief Kwon had visited Director Yoo. He carried a USB containing a backup copy of the video of Chairman Cha and Kang Mi-ryung. As soon as Director Yoo received the USB from Chief Kwon, she was certain. If Chief Kwon had secretly come to her like this, there must be something significant inside. Something that would be a key variable in this matter.
And her prediction was spot on.
After watching the CCTV footage, Director Yoo was speechless for a moment. It was difficult for her to maintain her composure. She tried to remain calm, but her hand trembled. It was inevitable, as the shameless Cha Byung-joon, who had only committed adultery, had now crossed a line.
Kang Mi-ryung. The housekeeper who worked in her house. The disgusting shadow that chased after that housekeeper. A chase that had turned into a crime.
Young-hyun let out a groan as if in pain. At the time of the incident, she had been told it was a simple theft, and she had believed it. Who would have imagined that Mi-ryung would become a vegetable, burdened with the false accusation of attempted theft?
She had never imagined that such a disgusting past was hidden.
Feeling nauseous, Young-hyun leaned on her desk for a long time. Then, she finally raised her head and spoke with a devastated voice.
“Does Yoon Jae-hee know about this?”
The lover of her son and the daughter of the housekeeper in the video. Did she perhaps know? Did she know about this and intentionally approach her son? Trying to piece together the disjointed events, Young-hyun asked. If she had approached Kang-joo with ulterior motives, she wouldn’t let it go.
But Chief Kwon had shaken his head without a moment’s hesitation.
“Jae-hee-ssi doesn’t know. These are files I had independently, and you are the first person I’ve shown them to.”
He had carefully packaged and covered it up, fearing it would harm Jae-hee.
That day, the day Jae-hee had asked Chief Kwon for the CCTV footage, she had said she intended to give up on her marriage to Kang-joo and that she didn’t love him. Words that were clearly a lie.
Chief Kwon easily saw through her lie. How could he not recognize the look in the eyes of someone in love? Just as he harbored an unattainable love for Si-eun, he had long since realized that Jae-hee harbored similar feelings. Her eyes, occasionally wavering with anxiety, were just like his.
“I don’t love Kang-joo-ssi,” she had said, but her lips trembled so much. The area under her eyes, which she had tried to keep composed, was red and wet. How could he not know her true feelings when only her lips spoke lies?
That was why. That was why he had gone to the trouble of confirming the CCTV and even handing it over to Jae-hee.
At first, he hadn’t even intended to watch it. He hadn’t been swayed by her persuasion. But the more he thought about Jae-hee’s actions, the more puzzled he became. She was willing to go to such lengths to obtain the CCTV, even resorting to lies, and eventually, even curiosity surged within him.
What on earth was in that CCTV that made her go to such lengths, even giving up the position of a chaebol family’s daughter-in-law?
And then, he checked the video. Inside, there was a monstrous being. A monster named Chairman Cha, who had framed an innocent woman as a thief and driven her to become a vegetable.
So that was it. That was why Jae-hee-ssi had gone so far.
Even after confirming the video, Chief Kwon had pondered for a long time. The moment he handed this material to Jae-hee-ssi, he would be betraying Chairman Cha. Could he really be safe with a figure like Chairman Cha as his enemy? What kind of future would this action bring?
Frankly, he was afraid. Chairman Cha was a huge monster wielding power in both hands, and he was just a small and insignificant being before him.
But.
But after long deliberation, Chief Kwon made a decision. He would use the hands of “lowly things like you,” whom Chairman Cha so despised, to bring him down.
Therefore, now was the opportunity. The moment Director Yoo became Chairman Cha’s enemy. The only chance to bring Chairman Cha down under her protection.
For the sake of his future with Si-eun, it was right to use the situation. To the question, “Does Yoon Jae-hee know about this?” he should have answered that she knew, and thus, he should have been the one to delve into the Sunghang family instead of Jae-hee.
But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Taking advantage of someone else’s pain to further his own interests was not his style. Even if he married Si-eun in that way, he would surely carry a sense of unease in his heart for the rest of his life.
So he couldn’t use Jae-hee as a means to his marriage.
And after hearing Chief Kwon’s answer that Jae-hee didn’t know about the video, Director Yoo had been lost in thought. Should she release the CCTV video now or not…? After agonizing over it alone, she had thrown the question at Chief Kwon.
“But how did this get leaked?”
“Chairman Cha occasionally visited Kang Mi-ryung-ssi. As his visits became more frequent, I became suspicious and investigated.”
It was an answer mixed with half-truths and half-lies. It was true that Chairman Cha visited Mi-ryung at the nursing hospital, but he hadn’t become suspicious of it and investigated the CCTV.
“But why are you bringing this now? Why have you been holding onto it all this time?”
“It’s a cowardly excuse, but I was afraid of the Chairman’s power. Furthermore, even if I had released this alone, wouldn’t it have been extinguished like a candle in the wind? So I just held onto it.”
“Hmm.”
“But now that Director Yoo is here. I thought that now we could bring Chairman Cha’s wrongdoing to the surface.”
Young-hyun carefully scanned Chief Kwon. She looked ready to pounce on him if he showed even the slightest hint of falsehood. Chief Kwon was inwardly nervous, but Young-hyun soon nodded in agreement without any particular expression. Knowing Chief Kwon’s upright character, she easily nodded her head.
“Good, you made a good choice. Things are unfolding interestingly.”
Young-hyun, clutching the USB tightly, even laughed out loud with a satisfied face.
Chief Kwon, stopping his recollection, stepped on the brakes. The sedan had already arrived in front of the art museum.
Gripping the door handle, Jae-hee took a deep breath. Why would Director Yoo call her? It was probably related to the CCTV.
Her heart was so heavy that she felt like someone was pulling hard at her feet. Honestly, she was even afraid. The daughter of the housekeeper who came saying she would marry Kang-joo. Now, the daughter of that housekeeper who was even disgracefully connected to Chairman Cha. That was who she was.
But Jae-hee soon lifted her head stiffly.
It’s okay, don’t be intimidated.
The fault was with Chairman Cha. Everything she did was for her mother. The contract marriage was simply a mutual arrangement between her and Kangjoo, based on shared goals. So there was no need to feel small or insecure. The only person truly guilty in this situation was Chairman Cha Byeongjun, wasn’t it?
As she walked quietly through the room, Manager Kwon spoke softly.
“Please keep this in mind. Jae-hee doesn’t know about the CCTV. She only found out when the article came out.”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
Manager Kwon stopped walking, turned his head, and looked at Jae-hee.
“I have no intention of using Jae-hee for my marriage. You’re already burdened with your mother’s matters, so focus only on that. Make sure to get your revenge on Chairman Cha.”
Jae-hee’s lips twitched. Her heart hurt. I was the one who tried to blackmail you with Si-eun’s matter, acting despicably and cruelly... How could you...
“I can’t do that, Manager Kwon.”
“I’m the one who held onto the CCTV and spread it. Just let people think that you knew nothing about it, and we’ll leave it at that.”
He spoke the words firmly, as if putting an end to the matter.
Jae-hee’s throat, which had been tightly constricted, finally loosened. She shook her head and stopped him.
“No, I can’t use you, Manager Kwon. I was the one who first brought you into this by asking for the CCTV. So, I’ll take responsibility. I can’t just use you and then walk away without acknowledging it.”
She shook her head firmly, but Manager Kwon’s response was even more resolute.
“Director Yoo already knows that. Even if you try to deny it, it’ll only damage my credibility. For my sake, just let it be. Just do it this way. It’s the best course of action.”
“....”
Jae-hee couldn’t respond easily. Manager Kwon began to walk again, guiding her inward and closing his mouth. His face showed that further discussion was unnecessary. Jae-hee could only follow him, feeling a mix of gratitude and conflicting emotions.
“Go on in.”
“Yes. Thank you, Manager Kwon.”
After taking a deep breath, Jae-hee entered the director’s office. She saw Younghyun sitting by the window, drinking tea.
“Hello, Director.”
Director Yoo looked at Jae-hee through the steam rising from her cup before standing up. With long strides, she approached, sat on the sofa, and gestured for Jae-hee to sit.
Jae-hee understood and took the seat she indicated. As she observed Younghyun, she was struck by how much she resembled Kangjoo—the way she sat by the window, her confident, purposeful strides, and the piercing gaze she directed at people all reminded Jae-hee of Kangjoo.
Without hesitation, Director Yoo spoke.
“Did you see the CCTV footage?”
Her blunt approach, addressing the matter head-on, was eerily similar to Kangjoo’s directness.
“I did.”
“That’s Kang Mi-ryeong, isn’t it?”
“Yes. She’s my mother.”
Jae-hee responded calmly, as if talking about a stranger, but her eyes betrayed a slight tremor at the mention of her mother’s name.
For a moment, a flicker of sympathy passed through Younghyun’s eyes, but it quickly vanished, replaced by firm resolve. Keeping her expression unreadable, she spoke in a commanding tone.
“Report Chairman Cha as soon as possible.”
“Pardon?”
Jae-hee lost her composure, raising her voice in shock. Meanwhile, Younghyun nonchalantly set her teacup down. “I’m telling you to report what my husband did and push for a reinvestigation as soon as possible. We need to strike before the momentum dies.”
Jae-hee had, of course, planned to do that. But hearing those words come from the wife of Chairman Cha made her feel uncomfortable. After all, wasn’t she the one who had pushed for a marriage to their son?
Younghyun continued with confidence.
“Put the marriage matter aside for now. There’s no need for you to carry heavy feelings about exposing your future father-in-law. In the end, if you divorce me, you’ll just be a stranger.”
“....”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about you and Kangjoo getting married—I’m still against that. Especially given this complicated situation. It’s uncomfortable for me to face the daughter of the woman who tangled with my ex-husband in my own house.”
Younghyun rubbed her temples, as if the sensitive topic was giving her a headache.
“Yes, I understand. And I was planning to report Chairman Cha too. It’s about my mother’s situation.”
Jae-hee’s voice quivered at the end, and her previously calm expression faltered slightly. Younghyun, who had been staring at her, narrowed her eyes for a brief moment before returning to her usual calm demeanor.
With a sigh, Younghyun softened her tone.
“I’ll take full responsibility for the aftermath, so don’t worry about Chairman Cha. Face him head-on.”
“Yes. I’m not afraid, Director.”
Jae-hee’s voice, filled with determination, held firm. Younghyun, seemingly lost in thought, turned her gaze away from Jae-hee and looked past the sofa, continuing with a heavy sigh.
“Sigh... Anyway, this is good. I’ve been planning to take down Chairman Cha with the paper company issue. If we can file for divorce and tie it in with Mi-ryeong’s case, Chairman Cha will be cornered, no doubt.”
“....”
“No matter what, even if I have to get my hands dirty, I’m determined to bring down that bastard, Chairman Cha. So let’s do this well. Let’s forget about labels like ‘my son’s girlfriend’ and just focus on people helping people.”
“Yes, Director. I’ll rely on you.”
Oddly enough, a faint smile tugged at Jae-hee’s lips. This was because Younghyun’s words about taking down Chairman Cha reminded her of Kangjoo. He had once spoken about the chairman with the same cold, emotionless face, as though chewing up the name without any feeling.
It really was true that blood couldn’t be hidden. Even though Younghyun had turned her back on Kangjoo, even though she had cast him into cruel loneliness, a mother was still a mother. That truth left a bitter taste in Jae-hee’s mouth.
The sudden meeting was nearing its end. They had said everything they needed to say and shared everything that needed to be spilled.
Younghyun delayed her final words and continued to stare at Jae-hee, sitting with her arms crossed and her legs crossed, surveying her with a strange gaze. Jae-hee met her eyes calmly. Eventually, Younghyun stood up and walked toward the window.
“After this is all settled... after that, we’ll talk about marriage again.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Alright, go ahead then.”
Finally, the command to leave was given. Jae-hee bowed politely toward Younghyun’s dry voice before turning and walking out.
“I’ll see you next time.”
Once outside, she leaned against the cold door and let out a long, shaky breath.
“Sigh...”
Her heart was pounding. She was now one step closer to bringing Chairman Cha to justice. If it hadn’t been for Kangjoo, she wouldn’t have had the courage to dig into Chairman Cha’s past, and if it hadn’t been for Younghyun, the case would never have gained this much momentum.
In other words, these two, so alike in their way of thinking, had been her saviors.
A few seconds passed before Jae-hee lifted her head. Straightening her back, she walked forward, toward the waiting Manager Kwon. She gave him a bold smile.
“Did you have a good conversation?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I really appreciate it, Manager Kwon.”
Now, it was time for Chairman Cha to face the consequences of all the wrongs he had committed.
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