Chapter 36
Chapter 36
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Exposing the Spies
-----------------------------------------------------------------
At Lee Dae-hyuk's introduction, Cha Woo-jin was startled.
To run into a new hire from Daehan Construction here, of all places...
'Something feels off.'
Despite the ominous feeling, Cha Woo-jin desperately forced his lips into a smile.
"Yeah, nice to meet you. Have a great time, then."
Not wanting to drag out the conversation, Cha Woo-jin brushed past Lee Dae-hyuk and headed to the sink.
Splash-!
Even as he irritably washed his hands under the faucet, Cha Woo-jin's mind was a whirlwind.
'No big deal. Golf's just golf—who you play with doesn't matter.'
It wasn't like soldiers from North and South Korea teeing off together. What problem could arise from a few swings with someone from Seojin Construction?
'Just keep playing.'
Creak-!
Shaking off the stray thoughts, Cha Woo-jin turned off the faucet and looked up.
Lee Dae-hyuk had approached without a sound and was holding out some tissue.
"Here, dry off."
"...Thanks."
Cha Woo-jin took the tissue and wiped his hands.
"See you at the office, then."
He tossed the damp tissue in the trash, muttered a curt farewell, and left the restroom.
A few seconds later.
Once the sound of footsteps faded, Lee Dae-hyuk, standing alone, murmured to himself.
"He's really been working hard."
In that fleeting moment.
As he handed over the tissue, he deliberately brushed the back of Cha Woo-jin's hand.
And in that instant.
Psychometry activated, just as always.
Trivial past events and stories flashed by.
Finally, the information Lee Dae-hyuk wanted flowed in.
'As expected.'
Just as he'd suspected, Cha Woo-jin was a spy for Seojin Construction.
'After hours, handing over copied documents to Seojin execs he met in gym or sauna locker rooms.'
And then.
Once the deal was done, he'd collect his payment over a round of golf.
On top of that, he learned Park Joo-seung was also a member of the same sauna and gym.
They scheduled their visits in advance to avoid overlapping and raising suspicion, trading info on the move.
'Right. No rule saying there's only one spy.'
Both Cha Woo-jin and Park Joo-seung were spies.
***
"Golf's definitely tough. I had no idea hitting a stationary ball could be this hard."
In the car heading to the next suspect, Park Joo-seung.
Kim Min-gyu, behind the wheel, grumbled.
Yoon Tae-ho, in the back seat, seized the opening for a jab.
"Guess you can hit people but not balls?"
"......"
Kim Min-gyu swallowed his rising anger and clamped his mouth shut.
Yoon Tae-ho still couldn't stand that he was ex-gangster, always poking when he got the chance.
Talking back would just earn him a scolding from Lee Dae-hyuk, so ignoring it was the smart play.
'Revenge when it's just us two.'
Kim Min-gyu ground his teeth silently, venting inwardly. Yoon Tae-ho smirked at the back of his head, basking in victory.
Watching their little mind games, Lee Dae-hyuk took a bitter sip.
'Hah, not kids anymore... Well, they say fights build bonds.'
As long as it didn't interfere with work, Lee Dae-hyuk was willing to let this much slide.
The priority now was meeting the next suspect.
"Did you find out anything?"
Lee Dae-hyuk shook his head at Yoon Tae-ho's question.
"I have solid circumstantial evidence. Just need hard proof to wrap this up."
"You've got a lead, then."
"I'll tell you after meeting Park Joo-seung."
"...Understood."
Yoon Tae-ho fell silent after Lee Dae-hyuk's response.
Lee Dae-hyuk had turned to gaze out the window.
Probably mulling over plans to catch the spy.
It wasn't just Yoon Tae-ho—Kim Min-gyu thought the same.
He hadn't announced they were heading straight to Park Joo-seung after Cha Woo-jin, right?
'No way... both of them spies?'
No law saying industrial spies came solo.
But neither man spoke up again.
They didn't want to disturb Lee Dae-hyuk's thoughts.
As they figured, Lee Dae-hyuk was reviewing Cha Woo-jin's psychometry intel, running calculations.
Time to switch approaches.
'Revealing them as spies is easy. But I need to make the situation work in my favor, not just expose them.'
He could go straight to Daehan Construction President Nam Seong-il or tell his father, and it'd be done.
But timing was everything.
He needed the most dramatic reveal of the spies' existence—while grabbing the perfect moment for his own gain.
'Have to deal with Park Joo-seung too.'
Memories of 'Park Joo-seung' began surfacing in Lee Dae-hyuk's mind.
Back in elementary school.
Every time Park Joo-seung saw him, it was the same insult.
"You parasite brat, where you looking?"
And then.
Slap-!
The moment their eyes met, he'd smack young Lee Dae-hyuk across the cheek.
"......"
For Kim Geon-woo, inhabiting this young body, it wasn't a personal memory.
Yet the boiling rage was impossible to contain.
Tremble-!!
His clenched fist shook violently without him realizing.
This body belonged not to him, but to 'that young Lee Dae-hyuk.'
That's why he vowed it.
He'd deliver revenge so satisfying, the kid version would approve.
'Just wait. I'll make Park Joo-seung kneel and beg in front of you.'
***
Even on a Sunday afternoon, the coffee shop was quiet.
Bad for business, but perfect for pregnant Kim Joo-ran, craving some alone time in peace.
She couldn't enjoy her usual strawberry juice, though.
Bitterness and sorrow had stolen her appetite.
"Strawberry, isn't it nice going out with Mommy today?"
Kim Joo-ran loved strawberries most of all fruits.
Simple reason.
They were delicious and pretty.
That's why she'd nicknamed the baby in her belly 'Strawberry.'
She hoped her child would be loved by many, just like one.
But the baby's fate was veering far from that hopeful name.
"...Mommy's sorry."
Kim Joo-ran apologized to the life inside her.
Sorry to a child denied blessings from everyone, even her own father.
Still, she felt grateful in a way.
Without this baby, she never would have seen Park Joo-seung for the trash he truly was.
'Falling for a man like that? I must've been insane.'
More anger than resentment, more fury than regret welled up.
Yet her love had been real.
'It was... a mistake.'
But what could she do now?
No turning back time, no matter the regrets.
Now was the time to live as a mother.
'Right. Forget the past. Just focus on protecting the baby.'
As Kim Joo-ran steeled herself as a mother, not a woman, and reached for her strawberry juice.
A tall, handsome man approached her table.
"Kim Joo-ran?"
She took a sip through the straw and looked up at the man beside her.
"Who are you?"
At her question, the man smiled softly and began introducing himself.
"Officially, from Daehan Construction. Unofficially..."
Her eyes trembled at 'Daehan Construction.'
Sunday afternoon, 4 p.m.
Reason for a Daehan employee seeking her out? Obviously Park Joo-seung.
'Apologies team? HR? Even so, they can't touch the chairman's brother-in-law directly.'
She figured it'd be the group headquarters, not an affiliate like Daehan.
But the man who'd declared himself from Daehan smiled warmly.
"I'm Park Joo-seung's maternal nephew."
"...Did he send you?"
"Something like that. Mind if I sit?"
The rudeness of not giving his name made Kim Joo-ran shake her head.
"No thanks? Things are already settled with your uncle. Nothing special to say."
"You need to protect your baby."
Kim Joo-ran's hand jerked at Lee Dae-hyuk's words.
"What do you mean?"
Even her usual composure cracked when the child was mentioned.
'I'm a real jerk for this.'
Lee Dae-hyuk felt a twinge of conscience watching her.
But what choice did he have?
To protect Kim Joo-ran and her baby, this was the way.
"My uncle's a weakling. But his sister—your baby's grandmother—is sharp as a blade. She cuts out anything threatening her life or family. And she has the power to do it."
"Are you threatening me right now?"
Kim Joo-ran's response was edged with steel.
Lee Dae-hyuk met the fierce, mother-bear gaze steadily and continued calmly.
"My name is Lee Dae-hyuk. You've probably heard of me."
Gasp-!
Kim Joo-ran's mouth fell open.
She didn't know the face, but Lee Dae-hyuk's name was familiar.
Over three years as Park Joo-seung's mistress, she'd heard plenty about Chairman Lee Myung-guk's family.
Including stories of his illegitimate son, Lee Dae-hyuk.
"I hear you two aren't close. So why come to me?"
"My uncle's a lost cause, but I think you and I could get along. And your baby and I are in similar boats... Couldn't just stand by."
"......"
After a hesitant pause at his teasing tone, Kim Joo-ran spoke.
"If you have something to say... sit down."
.
.
.
Kim Joo-ran and Lee Dae-hyuk sat in silence for a while.
Her mind was too tangled to speak first, and he waited patiently for her reaction.
But silence couldn't last forever.
In the end, Lee Dae-hyuk broke it.
"Right now, Uncle Park Joo-seung is married to the second daughter of Gosan Group's chairman. Arranged marriage, as you know."
Gosan Group ranked in the top 20 chaebols.
They occasionally hit big with electronics or cosmetics, but stayed unremarkable through the '90s.
True to chaebol form, they got tangled in industrial accidents or patent fights now and then.
Gosan Chairman Yoo Sun-woong, needing solid legal backing, married his second daughter to the son of Jinsan—the nation's top megafirm and former Supreme Court justice.
But unlike his powerhouse lawyer father, the firm's managing partner, Park Joo-seung was incompetent.
And now, he'd gotten the woman sitting before Lee Dae-hyuk pregnant—then gone radio silent.
"Utterly irresponsible. In marriage and at work."
"I know. But..."
Kim Joo-ran cut him off.
Not defending Park Joo-seung.
Just that she hadn't been a mere plaything.
"He was lonely too. And so was I..."
Kim Joo-ran was divorced.
Unable to take her husband's violence and cheating, she'd left him.
She thought that was the end, but he stalked her relentlessly.
Even followed her to work, trying to assault her—until Park Joo-seung and his entourage happened by and intervened.
"Felt like a movie heroine back then. Except it wasn't romance or melodrama—it was a sleazy affair flick."
Kim Joo-ran let out a wry chuckle.
She'd heard the rumors about Park Joo-seung but never dreamed he was this vile.
"I'll file for paternity. But..."
"You'll win if you give birth. The issue is..."
Lee Dae-hyuk trailed off.
Even he couldn't bluntly tell a pregnant woman her baby might not make it to birth.
'Still, gotta say it.'
"Do you know what Park Joo-seung's planning right now?"
"......?"
***
Rewind to last night.
Park Joo-seung was the type who couldn't drink without a woman.
After cutting things off with Kim Joo-ran on a whim.
Drowning his gloom at a room salon.
The food hadn't even arrived, but thirsty Park Joo-seung filled his glass to the brim with whiskey.
Glug-!
"What a pathetic life."
He muttered bitterly, glass full.
Alone, maybe?
His existence felt utterly futile.
Could've been heir to a top law firm, but flunked out—treated like dead weight at home.
Thanks to Dad, he married into chaebol royalty, but incompetence meant no affiliate company of his own.
Only scraping by on sister's pity, earning pocket money at brother-in-law's subsidiary.
Luckily, 'Seojin Construction' was a generous sponsor—his allowance dwarfed any salary.
But now, an affair partner threatened his hard-won spot.
"Plenty of women to enjoy."
With his money and position, side chicks were endless.
And problems? Solvable.
'Just make sure she doesn't have the kid.'
Simple fix.
Send his sister's off-the-books thugs to stage an 'accident'—end the pregnancy.
A light bump from a bike or car would do.
Even minor shocks make fetuses drop for expecting moms.
Problem solved, mood lifted?
Heh-!
Grinning, Park Joo-seung raised his glass.
Knock knock-!
A knock at the door.
"Come in."
Probably the waiter with hostesses.
His smile deepened.
Creak-!
But the door opened to a familiar face—not waiter or hostess.
"......?!"
Step step-!
"Uncle, long time no see."
His nephew, Lee Dae-hyuk, entered and extended a hand for a shake.
Boss, Become a Chaebol