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After Hyun-woo left, Seok-kyung slammed his fist on the desk.
Anger boiled within him.
Had his mother gone to see Eun-chae again? Or perhaps Ha Joo-eun?
Either scenario wouldn’t be surprising.
“Damn it!”
He wanted to kidnap her and keep her locked away in his house, unable to go anywhere.
No, it would be best if he could just carry her around in his pocket.
There was nothing he could do immediately. However, the board meeting to appoint the new CEO of Baedo Group was only a little over a week away.
If the result was good, then perhaps he could win back Eun-chae’s heart, even just a little.
Seok-kyung stared at his pale fist and gritted his teeth.
________________________________________
[Ballerina Ha Joo-eun Breaks Off Engagement with Baedo Group Grandson Baek Seok-kyung]
[World-renowned ballerina Ha Joo-eun shared regrettable news with her fans via SNS this morning. (Omitted) While the wedding seemed to be delayed due to the sudden death of CEO Baek Kang-ho, news of the couple’s broken engagement was reported this morning. She left a message saying, ‘I couldn’t entrust my future to someone who couldn’t forget a past love,’ raising suspicions that CEO Baek Seok-kyung still has feelings for his ex-wife.]
Chairman Baek placed the newspaper on the table, and the large headline immediately caught the eye.
Seok-kyung, Madam Cha, and Seok-kyung’s uncle Kang Won, who had gathered in his office, stared at the newspaper with grim faces.
As soon as the article based on Joo-eun’s SNS post from early this morning hit the media, Chairman Baek had summoned the three of them.
“What is the meaning of this? A broken engagement with Joo-eun. It seems even CEO Ha only found out after it was in the papers?”
Chairman Baek’s gaze went to Madam Cha and then stopped at Seok-kyung. He frowned slightly, his deeply lined forehead showing his bewilderment.
“I’m sorry. I was the one who asked to break up.”
“Then why? Is it because of your ex-wife, as it says here?”
“It’s not entirely that.”
“Not entirely... so it’s partly because of her?”
Seok-kyung remained silent.
In the end, he hadn’t expected Joo-eun to reveal the broken engagement in this way. If his mother had accepted his decision, they were planning to release a joint official press release from Baedo Group and Haseong Corporation’s PR teams, but she had preempted them.
Still, since not everything in the article was untrue, he had no choice but to remain silent.
“There are rumors of an inappropriate relationship between you and Eun-chae.”
Kang Won cautiously brought up the topic.
“Inappropriate relationship?”
“There’s talk that Seok-kyung even provided Eun-chae with a house and stayed there often. There are also people who claim to have witnessed them dating.”
“Dating?”
Chairman Baek looked at Seok-kyung again.
So, he found out about that too?
Even if they had silenced the restaurant and movie theater staff, now that the article about the broken engagement with Joo-eun was out, someone must have talked.
Seok-kyung clicked his tongue inwardly.
“Even if she’s his ex-wife, she’s a stranger now, and having a relationship with another woman when he was even engaged to Joo-eun shows a lack of qualification as a manager who will lead a company, Father.”
“Your words are harsh, brother-in-law.”
Madam Cha interjected.
Looking haggard from dealing with calls from shareholders since the morning’s news reports, she stared directly at Kang Won.
“You shouldn’t drive Seok-kyung into a corner based solely on rumors.”
“Rumors? Just rumors, Sister-in-law?”
“Of course. It seems that cunning girl tried everything to shake our Seok-kyung, but there’s nothing to worry about now, Father.”
Madam Cha’s usual red lipstick and red nails had changed to a pale pink. Her charismatic attire was also replaced by a very modest dress.
It was a complete disguise to appeal to Chairman Baek, but even Chairman Baek didn’t seem fooled by it.
“After the divorce, she saw how her family was struggling financially, and how could this kind child just ignore that? That’s why he gave her a house. To say they had a relationship while going in and out... you know better than anyone, Father, that he’s not the kind of child to do such a shameful thing.”
“Seok-kyung, you answer me. Are you really not in any kind of relationship with Eun-chae?”
Chairman Baek’s question turned to Seok-kyung.
“What are you doing? Quickly say no. And say you’ll take care of Joo-eun.”
Madam Cha urged him from the side.
Seok-kyung looked at Chairman Baek with a firm expression.
“It’s true that I have that kind of relationship with Eun-chae.”
“True?”
A deflated sigh escaped Madam Cha’s lips beside him. Unable to express her anger in front of Chairman Baek, she slapped Seok-kyung’s back with her palm, looking frustrated.
Kang Won watched the two of them with a satisfied and intrigued expression.
“Yes. My heart went to Eun-chae, leaving Joo-eun behind. It’s not Eun-chae’s fault; it’s mine.”
“So? What are you planning to do?”
“I plan to reconcile with Eun-chae.”
Madam Cha stood up abruptly, her face turning bright red.
“Seok-kyung-ah, don’t you remember that your ex-wife betrayed you? What are you trying to do by taking back a woman like that?”
Kang Won asked, looking genuinely curious.
“Eun-chae never cheated.”
“Never?”
“No, she didn’t. I don’t know the reason, but it was an excuse to divorce me.”
“What was the reason she wanted to divorce you?”
“That’s still...”
Seok-kyung trailed off.
“No way. Absolutely not! Don’t say such ridiculous things.”
“Do you remember what I told you a few days ago, Grandfather?”
Without even listening to Madam Cha’s angry muttering, Seok-kyung turned his gaze to Chairman Baek.
“I told you, there’s someone I want more than anything now, and I can only have her if I have Baedo Group.”
“That person is Eun-chae?”
“Yes. She’s worried about my well-being. She thinks if she accepts me, I’ll lose everything. That’s why she’s rejecting my feelings.”
“Hmm...”
“Give me the CEO position of Baedo Group, Grandfather.”
Madam Cha, who had been listening to Seok-kyung’s words, covered her mouth with her hand. She looked like she couldn’t believe her son had made such a negotiation with her father-in-law.
Similarly, Kang Won, who had been quietly listening, jumped up from his seat.
“What are you saying! You’ve created this mess over just one woman, and now you’re asking for the CEO position of Baedo Group because of her! Are you out of your mind?”
Even though his brother had died and a cunning sister-in-law remained, Kang Won hadn’t seen Seok-kyung as a major threat, so Seok-kyung’s words were like a bolt from the blue.
“Aren’t you being too greedy!”
“Even when Father was alive, and while he was ill, I sufficiently demonstrated my capabilities as the Managing Director of Business Support for Baedo Group.”
Seok-kyung looked at his uncle with sharp eyes.
“Even when you, as the Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, showed no ability whatsoever.”
“W-What did you say?”
“You’ll understand more clearly if you look at the performance evaluation of the department members conducted every year.”
Seok-kyung spoke without hesitation, not backing down an inch.
Since it was something that would be given to him anyway, something that would become his no matter what, there was no reason to remain silent now that he had become ambitious for the position he had previously ignored.
There was no reason to meekly retreat just because he was attacked, and he had never intended to hide behind Madam Cha’s skirts.
Wasn’t his father enough for that?
“D-Did you hear that, Father? Our Seok-kyung is so sharp. I’ll take care of Eun-chae...”
“Mother, you listen carefully too.”
Seok-kyung cut off Madam Cha’s words.
“Stop tormenting Eun-chae.”
“Baek Seok-kyung!”
“The Baedo Group that my mother can manipulate is gone.”
“W-What is he saying...”
Madam Cha sat down next to Seok-kyung with a suddenly flustered expression. Her face pale, she glanced at Chairman Baek, signaling Seok-kyung to stop.
“That’s enough. Everyone go back.”
Chairman Baek, who had been quietly observing the situation, closed his eyes and leaned deeply against the sofa.
“Father!”
“Father!”
Kang Won and Madam Cha called out to Chairman Baek simultaneously.
“Ah, I’m tired. I’ll carefully consider and nominate a candidate to the board, so everyone just go back.”
Reluctantly, the three of them stood up and left Chairman Baek’s office.
Since the person nominated by Chairman Baek was highly likely to be elected as the next CEO by the board, all three had dark expressions.
Seok-kyung hadn’t gotten the answer he wanted, and Madam Cha looked drained by her son’s rebellion.
“I thought you were a kitten, but you’re a tiger cub.”
Kang Won, who had come outside, spat harsh words at Seok-kyung.
“I’ve never been a kitten. If you thought so, I’m glad you realized it before you got bitten.”
When Seok-kyung replied with a blank face, Kang Won scowled and left the chairman’s office with heavy steps.
Madam Cha gestured to Chairman Baek’s secretaries to vacate the office for a moment and turned to Seok-kyung.
“Are you happy making your mother a laughingstock?”
Madam Cha snapped.
“No one was laughing.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“The reason I followed your wishes, Mother, was because our interests aligned. You wanted to get your hands on Baedo Group, and there was no reason for me to see that as a loss.”
“But?”
“Regarding Eun-chae, my opinion differs from yours. And there’s no reason for me to follow your opinion.”
“You’re my son!”
She slapped her chest with her palm and shouted.
“How many mothers would just stand by and watch their son walk down a bad path?”
“It’s greed.”
“...What?”
“Trying to control your fully grown adult son according to your own wishes isn’t right; it’s greed.”
“You wicked child.”
Madam Cha sobbed.
Fatigue washed over him again, and Seok-kyung ran his hand over his face. He suddenly felt a dampness on his palm.
“Huh? You?”
When he took his hand away, Madam Cha looked at him with a startled expression.
His palm was covered in blood.
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