Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: The Perfect Catch
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Hoo.
I looked down at Hyun Ye-won, who had bowed at the waist, and muttered to myself.
'A prime catch.'
I'd only tossed out a casual probe, but she seemed to know the whole story. I replied as if I'd intended it from the start.
"Have a seat for now."
"Yes..."
Hyun Ye-won shuffled over hesitantly and took a seat at the table. I sat across from her and continued.
"Could you explain what happened?"
"W-Well, it seems like it was my half-brother who started this. It's complicated to explain..."
Hyun Ye-won calmly laid out everything that had transpired, including Hyunmu's family dynamics and the position Hyun Tae-seong occupied in them.
To sum it up briefly:
"So, Hyun Tae-seong got impatient and made his move. Chairman Hyun Jeong-hu probably turned a blind eye to it."
"Yes. That's right."
Tap tap.
I drummed my fingers on the table.
It was a question I'd had ever since hearing Hwang Tae-in Director's name.
'Was it Hyun Jeong-hu?'
Only half right.
It seemed [The Song] had been targeted for acquisition not so much for its corporate value, but because that's where Hyun Ye-won worked.
Silver lining, I suppose. As long as Hyun Jeong-hu wasn't front and center, dealing with this would be far easier.
'And if the opponent's Hyun Tae-seong, even more so.'
Hyun Tae-seong. How could I not know that name?
He was a man who fell far short of Hyun Jeong-hu—in all the worst ways.
In a manner of speaking, he was the one who'd later get caught at a drug-fueled party with a bunch of women, dragging Hyunmu's name through the mud.
Hyun Jeong-hu had at least managed to keep his own string of affairs under wraps. Hyun Tae-seong couldn't even manage that much—he clearly hadn't learned a thing.
'This just got a whole lot easier.'
I smiled to myself.
Whether Hyun Ye-won intended it or not, she'd essentially become a perfect spy feeding me intel on Hyunmu's movements.
I patted the shoulders of the thoroughly tense Hyun Ye-won.
"Why are you the one apologizing? Your half-brother's the one who did wrong."
"B-But..."
Hyun Ye-won trailed off, her voice starting to quiver.
"This happened because I'm here. If it weren't for me, Hyun Tae-seong never would've pulled something like this. ...It's all my fault."
Hyun Ye-won hung her head and clenched her fists. Her pants leg crumpled mercilessly, tears plopping down onto it.
"I'll resign."
"Ye-won."
"If I leave... Hyun Tae-seong will back off. I was the target from the start."
Hyun Ye-won choked out her words, pausing to catch her breath midway, but she got it all out.
She seemed half scared out of her wits.
"You really mean that?"
My voice didn't seem to reach her.
"Then [The Song] won't end up in Hyunmu's hands either. That's right. I'll quit."
"..."
No helping it.
What could she possibly quit with those trembling hands? I let out a deep sigh. She flinched at the sound.
She acted like she hadn't heard my voice at all.
'...Is she scared? That [The Song] might collapse because of her. No, not [The Song].'
Me.
Song Woo-yeon crumbling.
Hyun Ye-won acted like that terrified her more. Foolishly. Without a thought for what she'd lose.
"You've finally gotten the hang of things. Team Leader Jo praises you all the time. Says you're sharp and a quick learner."
Hyun Ye-won just bit her lip at my words. I kept going.
"Your morning coffee breaks with Team Leader No."
"?"
"Your walks with Deputy Manager Park Sang-won and Deputy Manager Yang Ji-ah after lunch."
"...!"
Hyun Ye-won's face filled with shock. Like she wanted to ask how I knew all that.
"Honestly, I kinda wanted to discourage those lunch dates with those two, but anyway."
She probably didn't want to advertise the office romance outright. And Hyun Ye-won seemed to enjoy hanging out with them.
"If you quit, all that's gone. You know that, right?"
"...I know."
"You said you hated Hyunmu's way of doing things. Said you wanted to learn [The Song]'s ways. Where'd that go? Quitting already?"
"It's not like I to quit!"
"How would I know? Maybe you're just using this as an excuse to run."
"Ugh."
Hyun Ye-won looked indignant. She knew I was being harsh on purpose, but it still hurt.
"You know exactly what happens if you quit and go back to Hyunmu. You'd have no choice but to join them."
No more excuses, no more shields. And I'd already seen, before my regression, how Hyun Ye-won fell apart after that.
"You'd just be a puppet, doing whatever the company demands, killing off your feelings and thoughts. Wasting away in meaningless time."
Dry, lifeless eyes. A face devoid of any spark—nothing like the current Hyun Ye-won.
Just ashes left behind, an empty shell moving on autopilot.
"You think you can live like that for years? Decades?"
"...Then what am I supposed to do!"
Hyun Ye-won suddenly raised her voice.
"If I cling on here desperately, does anything change? Not just me—everyone gets ruined!"
"..."
"If I just leave, it's all solved. You know that, so why keep shaking me up!"
Her ragged breathing filled the president's office. Her shoulders heaved roughly.
"...I'm just going back to where I belong. So... it won't be sad, or hard. I've always been 'Hyun' Ye-won."
"If you're gonna lie, at least stop crying first."
"!"
Hyun Ye-won flushed and hurriedly covered her face.
I slowly rose from my seat.
Step, step.
I knelt on one knee in front of her, meeting her eyes. She startled and lifted her head.
Sure enough. Her face was a tear-streaked mess.
I reached out, wiping the moisture from her cheek, and said.
"That's weird. Since when was Hyun Ye-won the president of [The Song]?"
"...Pardon?"
"No, it's just... the way you talk, it sounds like [The Song] going to Hyunmu is a done deal. Since when did you get the authority to decide that? Makes me wonder."
"W-What are you saying? That's not what I meant!"
"Oh? I thought maybe you'd decided to side with Hyunmu and swallow up [The Song]."
"President!"
Hyun Ye-won called out to me in a protesting tone. Had I said anything wrong? I shrugged, and she sighed.
"Hyun Tae-seong's stubborn and petty. Even if we refuse, he'll cling on relentlessly."
Yeah, figures. That's the kind of guy he is.
"He's definitely going to hit us with some retaliatory attack."
"So?"
"So...? It's not something you can just brush off like that!"
Really.
She still didn't get me. I chuckled and pulled a tissue from the box on the table, handing it to Hyun Ye-won.
"Don't worry."
I flashed a relaxed smile and brushed my hair behind my ear.
"I'll make them pay dearly for bringing tears to our new hire's eyes."
Hyun Ye-won looked up at me with a dazed expression.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Team Leader Jo. He was probably on the rooftop smoking to nurse a headache.
"Team Leader Jo. Yeah, it's me. That acquisition merger email. Send a reply."
Hyun Ye-won snapped to attention, her face shocked. Looking her straight in the eye, I continued.
"Say we're positively reviewing it and want to discuss specifics. As soon as possible."
"...!"
"Yeah. Do that."
Click. I hung up and said to Hyun Ye-won, whose mouth hung wide open.
"Oh, right. Want to come along, Ye-won?"
Her face twisted in disbelief, as expected.
***
Hyunmu must've been itching for it bad. Hwang Tae-in Director replied immediately.
'Exactly one week from now, at a high-end private club in Cheongdam-dong.'
It wasn't unusual for big business talks between companies to happen at private clubs like this. But acquiring a small outfit like [The Song] didn't warrant that level of venue.
So why had Hwang Tae-in chosen it? Simple.
'To seize the initiative.'
In negotiations, control is everything. Normal people lose their edge just being in unfamiliar territory.
Hwang had played nice while picking a spot that favored him.
And that's how I ended up here.
"Welcome. Allow me to escort you to the VIP room you reserved for today."
The moment I entered, a staff member greeted me like he knew me, a faint smile on his face as he led me inside.
"This way, please."
As we passed the lobby, he briefly explained the club's facilities and services.
Monochrome artworks lined the hallway at precise intervals, potted plants that looked like slices of nature but were meticulously manicured.
Everything screamed luxury from one to ten.
At the end of the hall, the staff paused.
"This is the room you reserved for today. Prepared for guests who value their privacy. Call if you need anything."
He bowed politely and carefully opened the door.
Inside was a familiar face.
"You've arrived. President Song."
A man with a rat-like vibe sat there in a sharp suit. Hwang Tae-in Director.
Click. The door shut behind me.
I smiled at him.
"Nice to meet you, Director Hwang."
Now it was my time.