The Chairman's Offer
Everyone was leaving work for the day.
In-hyuk sat in the back seat of a luxury sedan with Tae Ju-ha. After roughly thirty minutes of silence, they arrived at their destination in Seongbuk-dong.
Tae Ju-ha stepped out of the car and stood beside him.
“I’ll respect your preferences as much as possible, so don’t make it obvious in front of the family.”
“What do you mean?”
Her eyes shifted at the question.
In-hyuk tilted his head, then something clicked.
“…If anyone asks about what happened at home, we agreed to say you came for business.”
“They might not buy that. So be careful.”
“Ha… Think whatever you want.”
Tired of explaining, In-hyuk followed her into the courtyard of the two-story mansion.
This was the residence of Tae Geon-seung, Chairman of Tae Shin Group. Only the chairman himself, his eldest son Tae Seok-hyun and his wife, and their grandson Tae Yeo-jun lived there.
In the living room sat Lee Seon-hye, Tae Seok-hyun’s wife, and their son Tae Yeo-jun. They merely glanced at Tae Ju-ha before falling silent. She was the child of the husband their daughter-in-law had brought from outside, so their dislike was inevitable.
No one offered a greeting.
Then Tae Seok-hyun emerged from the chairman’s study, and the first words were spoken.
“Ju-ha, you’re here.”
“…Yes.”
His gaze lingered on In-hyuk for only a moment before moving on.
So this is how things are inside.
Back when In-hyuk had been a bodyguard, he rarely entered the mansion. The few times he had visited were after Tae Seok-ho had seized both the chairmanship and the house.
At that time, Tae Seok-hyun’s family was no longer present, and the atmosphere had been even colder than now.
Shortly afterward, Tae Su-jin, the chairman’s eldest granddaughter, arrived with her husband Ha Do-kyung.
“Oh, Ju-ha and my brother-in-law got here first.”
“You’re here, unni.”
Among the Tae Shin family, only Tae Su-jin and her husband treated Tae Ju-ha decently.
After greeting them, Tae Su-jin approached Tae Yeo-jun, who sat with a sullen expression.
“Your sister and brother-in-law are here. Aren’t you going to greet them?”
“Why should I?”
The two-year age gap between the siblings did nothing to improve their relationship.
While they bickered, the study door opened again. Tae Geon-seung, the head of Tae Shin Group and its eldest member, stepped out accompanied by his personal secretary and bodyguard, Song Tae-ho.
“The second son’s family isn’t here yet?”
“They were parking a moment ago. They’ll be up soon.”
Tae Su-jin’s answer prompted Tae Geon-seung to nod.
“Then everyone take a seat.”
The family moved to the long dining table set before the kitchen. In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha’s seats were at the very end.
Until that moment, Chairman Tae Geon-seung had not spoken a single word to either of them. It was as if their place was precisely there and nowhere closer.
Nothing has changed at all.
Though it was a meal, the atmosphere felt more like a board meeting where someone was about to deliver a briefing.
Before long, just as Tae Su-jin had predicted, Tae Seok-ho arrived with his wife Choi Tae-eun and their son Tae Seung-hyun.
“Sorry we’re late, Father.”
“Just sit down.”
Three seats remained empty in the middle of the left side. Five people sat on either side of Chairman Tae Geon-seung at the center.
Finally, the housekeeper brought out warm rice and soup.
“Let’s eat.”
The meal began in silence, broken only by the occasional clink of utensils.
Eventually, Tae Geon-seung’s gaze shifted to his grandsons, Tae Yeo-jun and Tae Seung-hyun, seated in the middle seats on either side.
“Yeo-jun, Seung-hyun—when do you plan to get married? I hear Yeo-jun’s mother keeps arranging meetings for him.”
Everyone’s spoons paused.
Tae Yeo-jun quietly set his spoon down, looking awkward.
“It seems I haven’t met the right person yet.”
“A man needs a wife to feel secure.”
Tae Geon-seung then met Tae Seung-hyun’s eyes.
“Work still comes first for me. That said, I’m not completely against the idea. Once I wrap up the Taiwan project I’ve been assigned, I’ll make time.”
“That’s not a bad plan.”
The two answers carried very different undertones.
As the meal continued, In-hyuk felt both Tae Geon-seung’s and Tae Seok-ho’s eyes on him.
Tae Seok-ho is one thing, but why is the chairman looking at me like that?
After the meal, coffee and tea were served according to each person’s preference.
“I heard Ju-ha achieved impressive results at the New York branch of Tae Shin Asset Management. And today you were appointed as its representative director?”
It was information he clearly already knew, yet he phrased it as if he had only just heard.
Tae Ju-ha set down the teacup she had been sipping.
“…I was fortunate to meet good investors there.”
“You’re doing well. But being representative director is very different from branch manager. Remember that the livelihoods of Tae Shin Asset Management’s employees now rest on your shoulders.”
“I’m aware.”
Throughout the exchange, Tae Geon-seung’s gaze occasionally drifted to In-hyuk before settling on Tae Seok-hyun.
“Seok-hyun.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Now that Ju-ha has taken the representative position, Kang’s son-in-law will have to work under her… That must be rather uncomfortable, isn’t it? I heard he was performing well at Taeshin Mulsan.”
Several hands froze mid-motion.
Tae Geon-seung had said nothing when In-hyuk was transferred from Taeshin Mulsan to Tae Shin Asset Management. For him to bring it up now was unusual.
Tae Seok-hyun, who had personally issued the transfer order, answered.
“I didn’t want to either, but Kang’s son-in-law requested the transfer himself. Isn’t that right, Kang’s son-in-law?”
Fragments of the original memory surfaced. There had been a similar dinner back then, but no such questions had been asked.
In-hyuk carefully opened his mouth.
“…That’s correct.”
Yet Tae Geon-seung was not easily convinced.
“The situation is different from when Ju-ha went to New York. If they held similar positions it might be one thing, but having a married couple serve as representative director and team leader in the same company will invite all sorts of talk.”
What was his intention? While everyone wondered, Tae Seok-ho grew impatient.
“If that is your wish, Father, I’ll have Kang’s son-in-law transferred back to Taeshin Mulsan immediately.”
At that, his sister-in-law Lee Seon-hye’s expression stiffened slightly. Before being Tae Seok-hyun’s wife, she was the youngest daughter of WS Group’s former chairman and the current chairman’s youngest sister.
One of the reasons In-hyuk had been sent to Tae Shin Asset Management in the first place was because of her. She had disliked the idea of Tae Ju-ha, the child brought in from outside, reaching the core of Tae Shin Group, so she had ensured he was placed only in a subsidiary.
Now that her father-in-law was pressing the matter of her son-in-law, displeasure washed over her.
“That might not be a bad idea, but shouldn’t we hear Kang’s son-in-law’s thoughts first?”
All eyes in the Tae family turned to In-hyuk.
The pressure was immense. Especially with Lee Seon-hye’s icy glare, an ordinary person would have been thoroughly intimidated.
“I would like to remain at Tae Shin Asset Management as I am.”
Tae Geon-seung pressed further.
“You truly won’t find it uncomfortable?”
“I keep work and personal matters strictly separate, so it’s fine.”
“But now that Ju-ha is representative director, the relationship could become awkward. No matter what you do, people will talk. Whether you like it or not, prejudice will follow.”
In-hyuk still could not grasp Tae Geon-seung’s true intent.
“It doesn’t bother me. I’m satisfied with what I’m doing now.”
“Hah… Well, if that’s what Kang’s son-in-law insists, there’s nothing to be done.”
A few barely audible sighs of relief escaped.
Then Tae Geon-seung looked at Tae Ju-ha.
“Ju-ha, how much of Tae Shin Asset Management’s shares do you currently hold?”
The sudden question made her hesitate.
“…Approximately 2.45 percent.”
It was just enough to barely maintain her position as representative director of an unlisted company.
“To be a representative director with real influence, you need power as well. I’ll add another 3 percent.”
“Father!”
“Father-in-law!”
Tae Seok-hyun and Lee Seon-hye cried out in alarm.
“Why? Are you dissatisfied that I’m giving away my own shares?”
“There’s already talk about Ju-ha becoming representative director at her age and with her experience. If you hand over shares as well, the criticism will only grow louder. That’s what concerns us.”
It wasn’t entirely wrong, yet the nuance felt off—as though the real meaning lay elsewhere.
“Yeo-jun is already a headquarters director, and Su-jin and Seung-hyun both hold representative positions. What’s the problem?”
Each of them had received comparable shares and secured their positions firmly.
Tae Ju-ha, by contrast, had received fewer shares in Tae Shin Asset Management than the others, and even those had been conditional—barely enough to operate as representative director.
“That’s…”
“I’ve already decided. So don’t argue.”
“…”
The subtle tension silenced everyone.
The meal finally ended after dessert.
One by one, the family members left and got into their cars.
In-hyuk returned home with Tae Ju-ha.
At some point, their rooms had been switched—someone must have arranged it.
Despite the quiet atmosphere, his mind was filled with complicated thoughts.
Aside from the questions directed at me, everything else matches what I remember.
At dinner, Chairman Tae Geon-seung had transferred an additional 3 percent of Tae Shin Asset Management’s unlisted shares to Tae Ju-ha. That brought her total to over 5 percent.
However, that was as far as In-hyuk’s knowledge went. Not long after, Tae Ju-ha would die in a traffic accident.
Of course, there was one difference now: he knew something he hadn’t known before.
With this share transfer, Tae Seok-ho now has an even clearer reason to kill her.
The problem was that after her death, he himself could also come under threat.
In-hyuk rose from his seat and stepped into the living room. Tae Ju-ha had just come out of her room, dressed casually as if heading out.
“Where are you going?”
“…I’m having trouble digesting. I thought I’d stop by the pharmacy.”
Despite her calm appearance, the dinner had clearly been very uncomfortable for her.
“If you have a moment, may we talk?”
“Is it important?”
In-hyuk stopped hesitating.
“It’s about the H&T Fund materials you have.”
Her expression turned icy in an instant.
“…How do you know about that?”
“Your uncle asked me to bring him the H&T Fund data.”
“Tae Seok-ho? How did he…!”
“There are photos of you receiving materials from an H&T Fund contact in New York.”
Tae Ju-ha’s face grew even more complicated.
In-hyuk let out a quiet sigh and continued.
“It seems the H&T Fund is connected to Tae Seok-ho. What was your purpose in investigating them? Do you have a grudge against him?”
Given the situation, if Tae Ju-ha held a grudge, it should have been against her biological father Tae Seok-hyun and his wife Lee Seon-hye rather than Tae Seok-ho.
“Why should I explain that to you?”
“From what I can see, whatever’s happening with the H&T Fund is important to Tae Seok-ho. If he already knows you possess that data, can’t you imagine what might happen?”
Tae Ju-ha had married In-hyuk knowing he was Tae Seok-hyun’s loyal dog.
Yet now he was suddenly confessing that Tae Seok-ho had approached him, and the confusion was evident on her face.
“What exactly is your relationship with Tae Seok-ho that he would make you such an offer?”
“He proposed using me as one of his people. I haven’t accepted yet.”
“So you’re saying you’ll take the H&T Fund data I secured and hand it over to him?”
In-hyuk could easily guess what she was thinking.
“I have no intention of joining hands with Tae Seok-ho.”
More precisely, the issue was Tae Ju-ha’s death and the death that would follow for him. Since he didn’t know why death would come, he intended to eliminate the cause connected to her first.
But her expression only grew more bewildered, filled with questions.
“Then why bring up the H&T Fund data at all?”
“I’m going to take that data from you and hand it over to Tae Seok-ho.”
At the same time, Tae Ju-ha’s face twisted with irritation.