Chapter 237
Chapter 237
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: The Bait Bites
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Splash...
The cold water soaking his entire body seemed to somewhat quell his rage.
"Huu."
Hyun Tae-seong let out a deep sigh and tilted his head back. He'd clenched his teeth so hard on the drive home that a dull ache lingered in his jaw.
Creak.
Turning the shower knob with wet hands produced a loud noise.
Click.
Hyun Tae-seong shut off the water, then swept his wet hair back with both hands.
Now he was finally calming down.
"Daring to reject me."
Ha. So full of herself just because she's pretty.
This had never happened before. Hyun Tae-seong always got whatever he wanted with the flick of a finger.
It had been that way since early childhood. His mother lavishly spent money from unknown sources, and whenever his father dropped by occasionally, magical things would happen.
After his mother passed away and he entered the Hyunmu chaebol family under his father's wing, he had even less reason to hold back.
Hyun Tae-seong roamed the world like an emperor, backed by Hyun Jeong-hoo's power.
"It's not even that hard. It's a win-win strategy."
Hyun Tae-seong knew his power wasn't boundless. He was well aware that Hyun Jeong-hoo had brought him in because he needed a son of the right age.
The price for all this comfort was putting in a bit of effort to create accomplishments worth bragging about.
While spoiled chaebol heirs caused trouble and furrowed their parents' brows, Hyun Tae-seong only shone brighter.
"Take Hyun Ye-won, for example. She could've just quietly joined Hyunmu. Why defy Grandpa's orders?"
It was all because they'd been raised pampered. Hyun Tae-seong concluded that Hyun Ye-won was simply too weak.
To him, the world was no different from a game on easy mode.
Yeah.
Until he realized Jae Yoon-jae was a perfect upgrade over himself.
"That annoying bastard!"
It must have been at some party in their childhood. The adults were sipping wine and networking, while the underage kids nursed drinks and barely endured the boredom.
"He brought Jae Yoon-jae back from overseas."
He'd sensed it right away.
"Ah. This is someone I can never defeat."
Superior looks, brilliant mind, calm demeanor, innate poise. And unlike a bastard like him, legitimate heir status to boot.
It was everything Hyun Tae-seong had ever wanted.
That must have been when it started—the worm of inferiority complex burrowing into his gut.
"That guy's always jetting around overseas—when the hell did he even find time for a woman?"
In that sense, Song Woo-yeon was utterly tantalizing bait for Hyun Tae-seong.
Snatching her would land a solid hit on Jae Yoon-jae and let him bask in some lowbrow satisfaction.
"Let's see how long you can keep strutting on Jae Yoon-jae's favor."
Hyun Tae-seong irrationally pinned the blame on Jae Yoon-jae. In his mind, Song Woo-yeon was less a person and more a trophy.
A certificate validating his own prowess.
Hyun Tae-seong shook out his wet hair with a towel as he stepped into the room.
"Hm?"
Pulling out his phone on habit, he saw notifications piled up from his shower demanding attention.
The top one read:
[ Kim Ji-hwan: You coming tonight or what? ]
Hyun Tae-seong swiped it aside. Obviously about the party that night.
"That junkie prick. Took him to one real party, and now he acts all chummy."
The other messages were much the same. Drugs at tonight's party, models showing up, some chaebol daughter supposedly attending—all that petty nonsense.
"Boring, sooo boring~."
He played along for networking's sake, but the scene held zero thrill.
He kept showing up because casual slips during the chatter let him scout rival companies' moves.
"Well, watching them stumble around wasted is kinda hilarious."
Staying completely sober in that mess was asking for trouble, though. Hyun Tae-seong always dosed just enough to blend in without getting caught, then slipped out after cleanup.
"Of course, with the proof shots."
You never knew—these could prove handy when he made chairman someday.
"The chairmen would weep blood if they knew. Their precious kids leaking company weak spots left and right."
Hyun Tae-seong smirked, then powered off the screen. No mood for a party tonight.
If he went out like this and heard those idiots spewing garbage from their loose lips, his fist might not stay put.
"You lot can waste your lives like that. This big bro's got grander dreams."
Hyun Tae-seong clenched his fist tight.
The insatiable thirst for —that elusive mirage—always left him parched.
Bzzz-.
His phone buzzed once more.
"Keep pestering me."
He was about to chuck it when—
"Eh?"
An unexpected name lit up the screen.
[ Song Woo-yeon: Hello, Tae-seong. Hope you got home safe. Sorry about earlier. Didn't want to tip off Baek Team Leader that we know each other, so I... ]
Of course.
Hyun Tae-seong chuckled.
"Money right in front of you. Think you can resist grabbing it?"
Even with Jae Yoon-jae in the picture, instincts were instincts. Hell, Jae Yoon-jae was too busy gallivanting overseas to drop by and splash cash anytime soon.
As he gazed fondly, another message arrived.
[ Song Woo-yeon: Bet you're pretty pissed. Could you give me one more shot? ]
[ Song Woo-yeon: If there's a social party you like, we could go together. ]
Well, well?
"Jae Yoon-jae, putting on all those airs, but how much fun did he have with this girl for 'social party' to be the first thing out of her mouth?"
His earlier fury had washed away clean. New delight filled the void.
What was a 'social party,' after all?
It was code for the drug-laced club bashes Hyun Tae-seong orchestrated.
Looks like word had reached her ears, given her toe-dip into that world.
"Running low on drugs and coming to me?"
That would explain the sudden about-face. Junkies were fickle as boiling water, after all.
She'd probably gotten hooked sampling some with Jae Yoon-jae but had no solo hookup, leaving her desperate.
"That makes this way easier."
Hyun Tae-seong curled his lip.
He wasn't generous enough to forget that humiliation easily. But he was strategic enough to bide his time for revenge.
Get her hooked, and keeping her firmly in his grasp wouldn't be hard.
"Then I'll repay today's shame ten—no, a hundredfold. Heh heh heh...!"
The mere thought sent thrills down his spine.
Grinning ear to ear, Hyun Tae-seong snatched up his phone.
[ Didn't know you were into social parties. We'll call today a wash, no hard feelings. I'll pick you up at 10 tonight. Sound good? ]
The reply came instantly.
[ Song Woo-yeon: Sounds good. ]
Glancing at the address she sent, Hyun Tae-seong burst out laughing.
"Pfft, pfuhuhu... Uhahahahaha!"
Imagining that haughty bitch groveling at his feet—he just couldn't hold it in.
Drunk on sweet fantasies, Hyun Tae-seong's lips twisted into a chilling grin.
"......Sis?"
"Yeah."
"What message has you grinning like that? Quarterly sales report?"
"Nah, nothing like that."
I brushed it off with a smile.
"Just a thing."
"What? Sis ignoring food for her phone. That's rare."
"Pfft. And why 'sis' again?"
"Work and personal time are separate, President. This is off the clock."
"Fair point."
"Gonna keep dodging?"
Sharp as ever.
I grabbed my chopsticks to dodge Baek Jae-ha's suspicious stare.
Sizzle—perfectly grilled pork belly welcomed me.
I popped a piece in my mouth, and its signature nutty savor burst across my tongue.
"Ku. Now that's the stuff."
Nothing beats this primal bliss. Fine dining had its charm, but this was a whole different beast.
"How's school these days?"
"Same old."
"No one rags on you for being older?"
"It's college, not high school. Plenty of guys two or three years ahead."
You'd know if you'd gone. I swallowed the retort rising in my throat.
"Gonna head to new menu dev after eating?"
Baek Jae-ha asked casually. I'd been beelining there after work lately, so it tracked.
We were slammed day and night prepping the new franchise launch.
"Nope. Straight home tonight. No need to drive me."
"......?"
The words barely left my mouth before Baek Jae-ha looked up with a grave expression. He stared for a beat, then pressed the back of his hand to my forehead.
"What're you doing?"
"No fever. Weird."
"Told you, what—"
"You're not dying or anything, but calling it a night? Suspicious."
Joy Look was one thing, but Baek Jae-ha too? What, did they see me as some rain-or-shine iron robot?
"I can go home without plotting world domination, y'know. Chill."
"......"
He fixed me with a steady gaze.
"Not scheming something shady, right?"
"Shady? Please."
I snorted in disbelief, replying inwardly.
'This plan's pure genius.'
I flashed a grin at his cocked head.
No need to wonder—he'd find out soon enough.
It'd hit the morning news flash tomorrow.