Chapter 31
“So what if I threw a cup at your fiancé? Got a problem with that?”
“A problem? Of course there’s a prob—!”
“I’m fine. Sit down.” Baek Do-gyeong grabbed her hand and stopped her.
Se-rang turned to him with fury blazing to the top of her head.
Bright red blood was running down Baek Do-gyeong’s forehead. It looked like he had taken the hit directly.
She was truly sick and tired of everything about this family. It wasn’t because Baek Do-gyeong had been struck by a glass. It was because she was once again reminded how Chairman Yeon treated everyone outside the Yeon family.
“What do you mean you’re fine? You’re bleeding.”
“It’s my fault this happened, so it’s fine. So please calm down and sit.”
Se-rang bit her lip and stared at him. Your fault?
The one who fought was Yeon Si-ho and me, so how is this your fault?
What kind of absurd treatment was this? Yeon Se-rang turned again to glare at Chairman Yeon, but she felt Baek Do-gyeong tighten his grip around her hand.
Damn it. Se-rang muttered under her breath and sat down.
“Good. Since it’s something you brought on yourself.”
“I apologize, Chairman. I’ll make sure this never happens again.”
“Grandfather!”
“Se-rang, if you want to stay on the program, keep your mouth shut.”
“!”
“That’s enough. Si-ho probably understands now too.”
That bastard understands? Se-rang let out a hollow laugh filled with anger before looking at Yeon Si-ho. That bastard smiling so smugly right now really understands? If that’s what you think, Chairman Yeon, then you’re completely mistaken.
“I’ll deal with Si-ho separately, so don’t worry about that part.”
“What? Grandfather!”
“You stop pushing it too far too. I told you before. I can tolerate you brats fighting among yourselves, but the moment you cause damage to my company, I’ll consider you an enemy.”
“!”
“Se-rang’s response wasn’t perfect either, but at least she acted in a way that protected the company. You, however, did not. I will never forget that part. Through this incident, you clearly showed me which one you would choose between the company and your personal interests. And you should know without me saying it that this is an extremely important factor when deciding who will inherit my company.”
“……”
Yeon Si-ho lowered his head without saying a word.
Se-rang instinctively realized she also had to stop here and kept her mouth shut. In the end, the only winner was Yeon Sae-byeok.
As expected, a faint victorious smile was visible on Yeon Sae-byeok’s face.
Rage surged through her, but there was nothing she could do.
“Everyone leave now. Se-rang, take Baek Seobang upstairs. The family doctor is waiting.”
This house even keeps a family doctor on standby?
Did he throw that cup because he trusted that?
Feeling bitter regret settle heavily inside her, Se-rang simply bowed instead of answering, then helped Baek Do-gyeong up by the arm.
“Let’s go.”
“I apologize for today, Chairman. I’ll make sure not to cause you concern again.”
“You did well.”
“Thank you.”
“You did well”? That was all he had to say?
And Baek Do-gyeong was even thanking him for it. Watching that, Se-rang felt utterly disgusted by this family.
She had already been disgusted before, but now she truly hated them to the core.
Because this was the kind of family and these were the kind of people who had driven her and her artists all the way to the edge of a cliff.
Se-rang clenched her fists again.
She absolutely did not want people like them controlling the lifeline of this industry.
No matter what, she wanted to take it away from them.
“It’s all finished. You may go now, Director.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
Seeing white gauze stuck to that handsome face almost made her feel pity she didn’t even know she had.
It would’ve been better if he were uglier. Why did he have to be so damn handsome...?
The two greeted the doctor and stepped outside.
“I’ll drive. You sit in the passenger seat.”
No matter what, he had gotten injured because of her. There was no way Se-rang could feel comfortable.
“That won’t be necessary. Besides, you’re not even insured on my car.”
“You’re seriously worrying about insurance right now? If there’s an accident, I’ll just buy you a new car.”
“You may be wealthy enough not to care about insurance, but I’m still at the stage where I do.”
That was the funniest thing she had heard all day. Just the watch hanging on Baek Do-gyeong’s wrist could buy five luxury sedans.
“You’re the CEO of Imperial Entertainment. Is Imperial doing badly these days? That doesn’t sound right.”
“So we’ve reached the stage where you worry about my company’s profits too? I’m touched.”
Baek Do-gyeong shook his head as though tears were clouding his eyes, then opened the rear passenger door for Se-rang.
Se-rang glared at him, slammed the door shut, then opened the driver’s seat door herself and got in.
She thought she heard Baek Do-gyeong laughing as the door closed, but ignored it.
Soon, he climbed into the passenger seat.
“If someone’s worrying about you, just accept it gratefully. I might not do it again.”
“Then I should probably create more situations that make you worry.”
“Are you planning to stay silent again next time you get hit like today?”
“He’s your grandfather. It’s not like I stay silent when it’s other people.”
“What would you’ve done if it had been someone else? Throw a cup back at them too?”
“No. I’d hire a lawyer.”
“I like that answer.”
That was a proper mature adult response. Se-rang nodded.
The car smoothly left Chairman Yeon’s residence.
“…I’m sorry about my grandfather. I never thought he’d throw something at you. If anyone was getting hit, I thought it’d be me.”
“It’s not like this only happened once or twice. Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”
Not once or twice?
Se-rang’s already stiff expression hardened further.
So this man had been living while constantly treated like this?
“And you don’t have to get angry for my sake every single time. The more you do, the harsher Chairman will become toward me. Honestly, I’d rather you just stop creating situations where I get hit.”
“Then just don’t come to these gatherings anymore. Why should you get hit over something I did wrong?”
“That’s even less possible.”
As he said that, Baek Do-gyeong looked colder than ever, yet at the same time fiercely burning.
That was why Se-rang didn’t want to ask him why. She was afraid that if she heard the reason, she might end up understanding this devil-like man.
“Why?”
But in the end, Se-rang couldn’t suppress her curiosity. The moment she asked, regret flooded in and she turned her head away, but no answer came from Baek Do-gyeong.
Only the sound of passing cars filled the silence between them.
Just when she thought they were almost there, Baek Do-gyeong finally spoke.
“Because then it would mean I’m not part of this family. And I hate that even more.”
The unexpected answer left Se-rang speechless.
Was this person really… insane?
What were money and ambition worth that he had to endure even this?
“You still want to become part of a family where people hit you like this?”
“That’s why I endure it.”
“Have you never thought about finding another chaebol family? If you look around, there are probably more normal chaebol families out there.”
With talent like his, at least one family would surely accept him.
Even if not a chaebol family, some wealthy household would.
“No.”
“Why? This family’s business ranking honestly isn’t even that high.”
“It has to be you.”
“This lunatic really keeps lying without even wetting his lips first.” Se-rang snapped back immediately.
“You’re dropping honorifics now? Nice. Keep doing that.”
“You keep saying ridiculous things.”
“I’m serious. It has to be you.”
“Stop joking. There’s something in this company, isn’t there? What, is there gold buried underneath our company building? Or maybe grandfather’s house is sitting on an oil field?”
“I really like it when you ramble nonsense like this. Back then, you only babbled after drinking, but now you say nonsense even while sober, so this is fun.”
Se-rang. Just how much alcohol did you drink and how much trouble did you cause…? The present-day Yeon Se-rang silently mourned for the past Yeon Se-rang and narrowed her eyes.
“Every time you say nonsense, I want to break off the engagement.”
“That won’t do. We’re here. Don’t get out yet.”
“Huh? Why—” The moment she spoke, Se-rang immediately understood why.
Baek Do-gyeong had quickly gotten out first and opened her car door for her.
“What is wrong with you, seriously? Are you dying or something?”
“You like this kind of thing.”
Se-rang clenched her fists tightly.
No. The one nearing death wasn’t this man.
It was her.