66. Guardian

“S... Secretary Seok. Surely not.”

Haerin stammered, watching the sidelong glance Secretary Seok gave her.

All sorts of conjectures flashed through her mind.

Her father had told her that the longer someone had worked at Taesung, the less she should trust them, but Haerin had been confident in her judgment of people.

Moreover, based on what she had observed so far, Secretary Seok’s feelings for Soohyun seemed genuine at the very least. So, she had thought Secretary Seok’s humanity would be reasonable.

The very reason Haerin had entrusted everything to Secretary Seok was that she believed he would protect Soohyun’s child within her from falling into Chairman Park’s clutches.

However.

As she felt herself being dragged to an unknown place, she felt pathetic for trusting someone again after all she had suffered at Taesung.

The rumors of him being Taesung’s dog must not have been groundless.

With a sense of resignation, Haerin took her eyes off the rearview mirror and looked out the window. Rural scenery unfolded outside the rapidly moving car.

“...Madam. Chairman Park’s health is very poor.”

“......”

Lost in the scenery outside the window as if resigned, Secretary Seok began to speak.

“To put it simply, you can think of him as not being in his right mind.”

Haerin’s gaze, which had been on the window, returned to Secretary Seok. The words of Secretary Seok, whom she had thought was not on her side, sounded subtle.

“Based on my long years of serving Chairman, this is the most dangerous time.”

Not knowing the intention behind Secretary Seok’s words, Haerin simply listened. Secretary Seok occasionally met Haerin’s eyes through the rearview mirror and continued to speak.

“The main residence is currently undergoing pond construction.”

He said that they had unexpectedly started digging, claiming they needed to replenish the water’s energy. The construction to make the existing pond wider and deeper was in full swing, and he said it wasn’t the first time this had happened.

“There was a similar incident a long time ago.”

Chairman Park, who usually acted as if he feared nothing in the world, not even hell, had once been so terrified that he had confined himself to the house.

It was right after his eldest daughter-in-law had died.

Chairman Park himself unknowingly recognized that what he had done to his daughter-in-law was terrible.

The fact that he had tormented his grandson to shake off his guilt after his daughter-in-law’s death was not without reason.

It was common sense that if you felt sorry, you should admit your mistake and atone for it, but Chairman Park denied reality by shifting the blame onto others and escaped the situation by using superstitious methods.

Back then, he had also mobilized people to dig a large pond, and it was Im Woo-shik who had encouraged it.

“When Chairman Park becomes this weak-minded, no one knows what he might do. When cornered, he tends to rationalize even extreme choices.”

Secretary Seok confessed that he was afraid, remembering the time when the eldest grandson had been made a sacrifice, cornered, and ultimately killed.

Only then did Haerin realize that Secretary Seok wasn’t trying to take her to Chairman Park.

“Madam needs someone’s protection. And it’s a situation where very strong protection is needed.”

That strong protection couldn’t be Secretary Seok.

No matter how meticulous he was, he was ultimately just an employee in the face of the large corporation that was Taesung. Moreover, he couldn’t possibly have the power to oppose Park Yoon-hwa, who had connections and provided kickbacks across the political and legal spheres.

“...In this situation, the person who can protect me...”

Trailing off, she looked out the window at the passing scenery and thought it was a view she had seen before.

“We’ve arrived. Please get out.”

When the car, which had been driving up a mountain road for a long time, stopped, Haerin realized she had returned to a place she had visited once before. The place she got out was the Taesung family’s villa where Haerin had her wedding.

“We’ve arrived.”

As she stood beside the car, looking around, Secretary Seok made a phone call behind her and reported to someone. A moment later, the villa door opened, and Soohyun’s father, Taehoon, came out, leaning on a cane.

“This is a place Vice Chairman often comes to for recuperation. You’ll be safe here.”

Secretary Seok gave a further explanation beside her, and Taehoon, seeing Haerin, hurriedly walked towards her. He then took Haerin’s hand, his eyes filled with tears.

“You must have had a long and tiring journey.”

The Taehoon Haerin remembered was a father-in-law in name only, who had never even properly met her eyes. His welcoming demeanor, as if he were a different person, felt somewhat awkward.

Haerin subtly pulled her hand away.

“Yes. It must be a bit sudden for you.”

Taehoon gave a lonely smile, immediately noticing her awkwardness.

“Let’s go inside first. Let’s talk inside.”

Haerin glanced back at Secretary Seok, who was standing behind her, and then followed Taehoon inside.

________________________________________

As they settled down in the living room, Taehoon’s second wife, Hyeyeon, came out from inside with warm tea.

Haerin had barely encountered her mother-in-law except for the engagement ceremony and the wedding, so she felt uncomfortable in her seat. Fidgeting with her teacup, Taehoon let out a short sigh.

“I know everything must feel sudden.”

Taehoon began slowly and then told Haerin a story she hadn’t known.

Having lived his entire life under the scrutiny of his brothers, Taehoon had a thought after losing his wife that he had never had before. It was a determination to sever this chain of malice with his own hands.

Though physically weak, Taehoon had a knack for investment and had long ago established an investment company overseas, managing funds that no one else knew about. And when Soohyun showed talent in management, Taehoon had hope that he could realize his determination.

The father’s goal was to completely resolve the company’s situation, which was being manipulated under Chairman Park’s control.

The faint hope turned into a realistic goal, and Taehoon secretly approached figures in the political and business world who received kickbacks from Chairman Park, gradually building his power.

Taehoon always moved like a shadow, and because he was physically weak, his brothers didn’t pay much attention to his movements either.

“Soohyun often said he would destroy Taesung, but I lived with the hope that his resolve might change someday.”

It wasn’t a coincidence that Secretary Seok remembered Haerin and found her again.

At the time, Soohyun had only made a phone call as if it were nothing, but Secretary Seok had remembered it all along. And when Chairman Park said he would find a bride, Secretary Seok had frantically searched and found Haerin.

It was because she was the only person Soohyun had ever shown interest in, someone whom no one else had paid attention to, either before or after.

Taehoon, having heard the story, earnestly pleaded with Chairman Park, and it wasn’t difficult for Chairman Park, who already had lingering unease about his eldest daughter-in-law, to agree.

“Hah...”

Haerin, hearing about her current situation, could only let out a long sigh. What good was it to hear all this now?

“I was so consumed by my grief that I couldn’t take care of my son. I want to atone for that sin by saving you and your child.”

“I no longer want to be involved with the name Taesung.”

“I know. I understand. But even if you legally don’t remain my daughter-in-law, the fact that the child you carry is my bloodline doesn’t change.”

“......”

“That doesn’t mean I intend to do anything to you. I just want to protect my grandchild. Please let me.”

Sorrow clouded Taehoon’s face.

“After you safely give birth, I will arrange for you to live your life as you wish, so don’t worry about that either. I’m just doing this because I want to atone for my past deeds.”

“I don’t know what to say...”

Taehoon’s words were all so sudden that Haerin was at a loss. It was true that she needed protection, as he said, and it was also true that there was no one in Korea as powerful as Jung Taehoon if she were to receive protection.

More than anything, Taehoon was the one who had saved Haerin when Chairman Park had arbitrarily manipulated her with the treatment as leverage. Remembering that time, no matter how many times she thanked him, it wouldn’t be enough.

“...I will definitely repay you for the medical expenses, even if it takes my whole life.”

“That’s not important, my dear daughter-in-law.”

At Taehoon’s gesture, Secretary Seok, who had been standing nearby, took out a small video player.

“Madam. Please listen to this.”

It showed Seyoung and Im Woo-shik talking.

‘Let’s take this opportunity to make the child she’s carrying yours, Seyoung-ah.’

‘Yes? Mine?’

‘I’ll find a way to get Soohyun into a hotel room, so you just go lie down next to him.’

Listening to the part where they were plotting, goosebumps rose all over her body.

“When the Chairman is as weak-minded as he is now, he listens to this person’s words without question, so you must be careful.”

As Secretary Seok finished speaking, Taehoon added,

“Soohyun and I plan to put an end to this matter soon. In the meantime, you will be safely protected here.”

Taehoon said that from the moment he learned that Soohyun was adamant about not wanting children, he had been considering ways to protect his daughter-in-law.

Thus, all of this had been proceeding in utmost secrecy since the moment Haerin was hospitalized. Knowing the truth, there was no more reason to hesitate.

Haerin decided to get one more promise.

“Then, as you said, can I trust that you won’t mind if I leave Taesung after everything is over?”

“Yes. I will leave that to your choice when the time comes.”

Having heard the answer she wanted, Haerin raised her eyes to discern the sincerity of the speaker. Looking into Taehoon’s eyes, she checked once more if there was any falsehood in his words.

Taehoon looked tired and weary, but his eyes seemed quite earnest. At least, there was no trace of the sinister glint characteristic of the Taesung family in his eyes as he looked at her.

“Please make sure I don’t run into Sunbae Soohyun while I’m staying here.”

“Yes. I will leave that entirely to you.”

When Taehoon readily accepted even her last firm request, Haerin finally felt a little relieved.

“Um, my parents must be waiting for me.”

“That’s right. Secretary Seok, isn’t he here yet?”

At Haerin’s words, Taehoon immediately asked Secretary Seok, who then made a call and stood up. A few minutes later, when Secretary Seok reappeared, Haerin’s parents were with him.

“Haerin-ah!”

Her mother, who had found Haerin, rushed over and hugged her first.

“Mom! Dad!”

The three of them embraced each other and wiped away tears.

Taehoon watched Haerin standing with her parents’ hands in hers from a few steps behind, without saying a word.

‘I didn’t realize it, but they do resemble each other a bit...’

Haerin’s gaze, which had been fixed on her belly throughout their conversation, brought back a faint memory for Taehoon. It was the look his deceased wife, Yeonhee, used to have when she took care of their children.

‘Yeonhee-yah. I think I can trust that child.’

Taehoon left the living room, convinced that his choice was not wrong.