Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: A Shared Vendetta
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Jin Soo-young's eyes twitched faintly.
It felt like Lee Dae-hyuk had seen right through her innermost thoughts.
Pride.
Wasn't that damned three-letter word the very reason she wanted revenge on Lee Dae-hwan?
Was it because she thought of Lee Dae-hwan?
Lee Dae-hyuk continued speaking toward Jin Soo-young, who was lightly biting her lip.
"Doing meaningless revenge and satisfying yourself alone won't heal that wounded pride of yours."
At Lee Dae-hyuk's response, Kim Seung-hyuk and Joo Hyo-min's eyes widened in surprise.
What on earth was he saying?
It was such an out-of-place, random answer for the situation.
The two couldn't understand Lee Dae-hyuk's intentions, but Jin Soo-young was different.
"You're really an interesting person."
Though she spoke in a calm tone on the surface, she was convinced.
'He knows about my relationship with Lee Dae-hwan.'
Lee Dae-hwan's illegitimate half-brother, the man 'Lee Dae-hyuk' who was playing the role of a new employee, was trying to use her connection to Lee Dae-hwan.
But another question reared its head once more.
'What is he after?'
Playing new employee could be seen as one of the chaebol training courses that heirs sometimes did.
But to come directly like this and broach the subject?
She couldn't understand it at all.
In the end, Jin Soo-young surrendered to her own curiosity.
"Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk. Could we talk alone for a moment?"
"......?"
At Jin Soo-young's suggestion, Joo Hyo-min's eyes went wide.
What could the two of them possibly discuss alone?
Kim Seung-hyuk felt the same.
"Soo-young, don't stir up trouble for no reason."
"I'm trying not to make unnecessary trouble. Sorry, Ms. Joo Hyo-min."
At her apology, Joo Hyo-min exchanged glances with Lee Dae-hyuk.
"You okay with that?"
"I won't cause any accidents, so don't worry."
At Lee Dae-hyuk's joke, Joo Hyo-min stood up from her seat.
She had brought him here anyway to give him some field experience.
Even if things dragged on parallel without closing the deal, it wouldn't be much of a loss.
'As long as he doesn't cause a big scene.'
As long as Lee Dae-hyuk didn't curse at Jin Soo-young or grab her by the hair, there shouldn't be any real problems.
Letting out a silent sigh inside, Joo Hyo-min said.
"Then, see you in a bit."
"Yes. I'll be quick."
After hearing Lee Dae-hyuk's reply, Joo Hyo-min left the seat.
And once Kim Seung-hyuk followed her out as well.
Jin Soo-young opened her heavily closed mouth.
"Now that it's just the two of us, let's be honest with each other from now on."
"Honest... I've been honest the whole time."
At Lee Dae-hyuk's drawl, a wrinkle formed between Jin Soo-young's brows.
"Get to the point."
At Jin Soo-young's words, Lee Dae-hyuk interlaced his fingers.
"The point is simple. We have the same enemy."
"...No way? Lee Dae-hwan...."
Flinch-!
Jin Soo-young flinched and lowered her eyes after mentioning Lee Dae-hwan's name.
Her relationship with Lee Dae-hwan was something even her agency president didn't know.
She had slipped up, caught in Lee Dae-hyuk's pace.
Sigh-!
Jin Soo-young let out a sigh.
She was an outstanding actress.
Actors who exchange emotionally charged lines and actions become skilled at reading their opponent's feelings.
Was that why?
For some reason, it was easy to read Lee Dae-hyuk's emotions.
From his gaze, speech, and gestures, she could feel the hostility toward Lee Dae-hwan.
Just like her own.
'A sense of kinship... scary.'
Jin Soo-young barely suppressed the laughter bubbling up.
She felt an inexplicable fondness just because they shared the same enemy.
"......"
Jin Soo-young kept silent, gathering her emotions.
On the other hand, Lee Dae-hyuk didn't miss the gap where Jin Soo-young was shaken.
He caught the moment her gaze changed.
'Looks like it's getting through.'
Normally, Lee Dae-hyuk would have hidden his emotions.
But to seal the deal with Jin Soo-young, he needed to show his true feelings.
'...Hostility?'
Jin Soo-young instantly read the enmity in Lee Dae-hyuk's eyes.
If that gaze was acting?
'He'd win a Blue Dragon Award, no, an Academy Award.'
"So what? We have the same enemy, so what do you propose?"
At Jin Soo-young's response, Lee Dae-hyuk leaned forward slightly, bowing his waist.
And then.
Hesitate-!!
'Eh, me...?'
Jin Soo-young recoiled back just as much.
Unknowingly.
It was due to the overwhelming pressure emanating from Lee Dae-hyuk.
An intimidation impossible to imagine from the rookie he'd been moments ago.
In this instant, Lee Dae-hyuk revealed his true self from his Kim Gun-woo days.
A chilling gaze paired with the wolf's instinct that never lets go once it bites the target's throat.
That wolf opened its mouth.
"Let's seize the chance to tear into Lee Dae-hwan up close."
***
In the car heading back to the company.
Joo Hyo-min in the passenger seat stared fixedly at Lee Dae-hyuk, who was driving, and asked.
"What on earth did you do? Money? Or some compensation from the company?"
"What do you mean?"
Lee Dae-hyuk feigned ignorance and asked back.
At that, Joo Hyo-min said with a grumpy expression.
"Jin Soo-young. Jin Soo-young. Why pretend you don't know? You don't want to share the secret or something?"
After the conversation with Lee Dae-hyuk.
Jin Soo-young called Joo Hyo-min back and said she would sign with Daehan Construction.
If it had just been words, Joo Hyo-min wouldn't have trusted it at all.
But astonishingly, right in front of Joo Hyo-min, Jin Soo-young called her agency president and the Seojin Construction rep in succession, rejecting the ad appearance.
She clearly conveyed her intent to appear in Daehan Construction's ad.
From Joo Hyo-min's perspective, she couldn't help but be shocked.
She had thought the contract was as good as dead, but Lee Dae-hyuk had successfully closed the deal with Jin Soo-young spectacularly.
That's why she kept asking for the secret.
But Lee Dae-hyuk stuck to playing dumb.
"I don't really know either. Ask Jin Soo-young yourself next time you meet her."
At Joo Hyo-min's reaction, Lee Dae-hyuk slyly smiled.
It was a short conversation, but she had read the most crucial emotion that made up the person Jin Soo-young.
That emotion was pride.
Lee Dae-hwan had treated such a Jin Soo-young like an insect.
And then, Lee Dae-hyuk appeared before the Jin Soo-young who had been grinding her teeth over her wounded pride.
The youngest son of Daehan Group's Chairman Lee Myung-guk, who harbored resentment toward Lee Dae-hwan just like her.
.
.
.
"You're really good at talking nonsense convincingly."
Lee Dae-hyuk responded to Jin Soo-young's sharp voice with a laugh.
But.
If she truly thought it was nonsense, she would have stormed out right then.
"From the looks of you playing new employee, you don't seem to have much power either.... If you're thinking of dragging me into some succession fight, give it up. Even if you expose my relationship with Lee Dae-hwan, there's no real evidence anyway."
They had rolled around in a hotel, but there were no CCTVs in the VIP floor corridors that Lee Dae-hwan favored.
In other words, no official evidence that Lee Dae-hwan had committed adultery.
However, Lee Dae-hyuk thought differently.
"No need for evidence. Just pretending to have it in front of Lee Dae-hwan is enough."
"Pretending to have it?"
"Candid photos, wiretapping, or recording calls, etc.... Plenty of ways."
Bluffing.
No evidence, but stoke anxiety to shake Lee Dae-hwan.
It might be a bit dirty, but as the weaker party right now, it was his only means of attack.
On the other hand, Jin Soo-young bit her lip.
Wasn't he telling her to play gold digger?
Before being an actress, she was a woman.
It was humiliating.
"Hey, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk! I don't know what grudge you have with Lee Dae-hwan, but using people like..."
"How much do you know about me?"
At Lee Dae-hyuk's question, Jin Soo-young couldn't answer readily.
While investigating Lee Dae-hwan, she had learned that Lee Dae-hyuk was his illegitimate son.
Actually, illegitimate sons in chaebol families were practically trendy, so she hadn't paid much attention.
"I'm not interested in your family drama. But if you're thinking of toying with me, forget it. I'm not an easy woman."
"If you were an easy person, I wouldn't even think of pulling you into my revenge."
"Your revenge... Fine. If I help you, can you succeed in your revenge, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk?"
"Yes. It's possible."
"If you fail, Mr. Lee Dae-hyuk, what's in it for me? If there's no gain for me, I'll go straight to Lee Dae-hwan. Tell him, 'Your brother came to me saying he wants revenge.'"
Jin Soo-young knew Lee Dae-hwan's personality perfectly.
She was using that to threaten Lee Dae-hyuk.
Yet, far from feeling bad, Lee Dae-hyuk actually pitied Jin Soo-young.
'She really can't discern properly.'
To Lee Dae-hwan, Jin Soo-young was an ex-mistress.
Even if she had helped him momentarily, she was just a nuisance.
And now entangled with his hated younger brother?
He'd 'deal' with her one way or another.
But worrying about her here would only be seen as provocation.
Right now, it was time to quietly talk gifts and stroke Jin Soo-young's ego.
"I'll protect you, Ms. Jin Soo-young."
"Protect me? I can protect myself just fine."
"......"
After hearing Jin Soo-young, Lee Dae-hyuk held his tongue.
She probably didn't know Lee Dae-hwan's true power.
If Lee Dae-hwan, connected through Park Cheon-ho to all sorts of filthy people, truly decided to crush Jin Soo-young?
She'd have no way to stop him.
"Lee Dae-hwan's power is more than that."
Flinch-!
Jin Soo-young shuddered unknowingly.
"Fine. I'll accept the protection. Up to here, that's intangible gain. So what's the tangible gain?"
Tangible gain.
At Jin Soo-young's materialistic side, Lee Dae-hyuk suppressed a chuckle.
Instead, he pulled out the most certain way to convince her.
"I heard Ms. Jin Soo-young's dream is to be a writer and director."
"......?"
Jin Soo-young's eyes widened.
It was her dream.
But she hadn't told anyone, writing her scenario alone and studying bit by bit....
"How did you know? Did you see my... sto...?"
"You mentioned it in an interview at your debut. That someday, like back when you were happily filming with your art college classmates, you wanted to direct your own story."
After hearing Lee Dae-hyuk, Jin Soo-young couldn't open her mouth for a while.
"......"
Honestly, she didn't remember the interview details precisely.
But since it was her dream, Lee Dae-hyuk's proposal tempted her.
She needed production funds to make a movie anyway.
"I'll invest the full production cost for that movie."
"You got money? It'll cost at least tens of billions."
"Even if I look like this, as you know, I'm a chaebol son. Tens of billions is something I can spend anytime."
Lee Dae-hyuk didn't specify an amount.
But his gaze said it all.
No matter how much, I'll make your dream come true.
In the end.
'I lost.'
Completely convinced by Lee Dae-hyuk, Jin Soo-young grumbled.
"Do you always seduce people this well?"
"It's a skill."
"You're annoying."
After giving her honest impression(?) to Lee Dae-hyuk, Jin Soo-young's expression turned serious.
"Then, time for the main point. How are you going to get revenge on Lee Dae-hwan? Do you have a solid plan?"
Lee Dae-hyuk already had a plan in place.
However, he had no intention of trusting Jin Soo-young with it yet.
Even if Psycho Metry confirmed her as a reliable ally, he wouldn't share the plan.
His plan would inevitably take a long time.
And in the meantime, she was someone who could switch sides anytime for gain.
"If you're really going to do revenge my way... First, sign the contract with Daehan Construction."
With those words, Lee Dae-hyuk took a step back.
It was his own technique to stoke Jin Soo-young's curiosity and impatience.
At his teasing, the corners of Jin Soo-young's mouth twisted.
She felt slightly offended.
But she knew it too.
She had already lost the psychological battle with Lee Dae-hyuk.
It was absurd for Lee Dae-hyuk to get revenge on Daehan Group's official heir.
It was madness.
But.
'...Not the time to blame others.'
Wasn't she the same, seeking revenge on Lee Dae-hwan?
"Fine. Let's tear into him together."
.
.
.
And so, Jin Soo-young joined forces with Lee Dae-hyuk.
But Lee Dae-hyuk wasn't particularly pleased.
Why?
'Because it's only just beginning.'