The Chairman's Verdict
The father who always greeted her with a bright smile was different this time. Stealing cautious glances at her expressionless dad's face, Myeong-seon finally spoke.
“Uh... Dad... I'm home...”
He gazed at Myeong-seon with a face utterly devoid of emotion.
Chairman Kang's heart was a tangled mess. She was his youngest daughter, precious as gold and jade, raised with the utmost care lest she suffer even the tiniest scratch—yet it had all come back to bite him.
Regret crashed over him like a tidal wave, but there was no fixing it now. With a decision made, he let out a heavy sigh and trudged toward Myeong-seon.
Dad fixed his eyes on his daughter; she couldn't even meet his gaze.
“Lift your head.”
“Uh... Dad...”
“Is it true?”
“No, let me explain it step by step. See, what happened was...”
“Just say yes or no—truthfully...”
Her only hope to fix this was Dad's help. Tears brimming, Myeong-seon nodded.
“Uh... It's true... I invested 15 billion in Gwak Hee-do's CDs...”
He'd prayed she wouldn't say it. Against his hopes, Myeong-seon confessed plainly.
His faint hope crumbled into despair, disappointment... and rage.
Before her words even finished...
Chairman Kang raised his hand.
“There's a limit to blackening your father's name... You thought I wouldn't find out?”
Tears poured endlessly from her puffy eyes.
His words didn't register. The sting of the slap paled next to the shock that Dad had struck her.
This was all her greed's fault. No one to blame, no one to resent.
It was natural for a royal family member to harbor ambitions. But her methods were vile—and her target was none other than Min-ho, whom Chairman Kang treasured above all.
As a father, it tore his heart; as chairman, he had to act. No more indulging her wild whims.
“Born into such a small vessel, I warned you against recklessness time and again—how can you stay so foolish after all these years?”
“No, that's not... Dad, it's not like that...”
“Did you think I'd hand your share to the others...? Or have I wronged you somehow? Speak.”
Myeong-seon shook her head.
“No. I have no grudges. Nothing against you at all, Dad.”
“Then why! Did you let it spiral this far!”
No matter how he turned it over, Myeong-seon's judgment defied comprehension.
Chairman Kang's roar filled the chairman's office once more.
“Why did you make such a idiotic call?”
“I actually...”
His fury rising, Chairman Kang raised his hand again. In the powder-keg moment, the butler stepped in and seized it.
“What is this?”
“Chairman, forgive me. Any more agitation, and you could collapse.”
The butler had judged wisely. The chairman's rage and dismay were beyond control. As his doctor had warned, prolonged excitement threatened his health.
“Beat me till your anger fades. But please—just recall the doctor's words once more. I'm sorry.”
The fired-up chairman seemed ready to strike even the butler. A foolish daughter he could cast aside, but not Moon Sang-oh.
His hand shook long moments before slowly dropping, followed by a deep sigh.
If he collapsed now, his eldest son Du-seong would likely spark a full rebellion.
Chairman Kang steadied his breath, eyeing his chair. In the worst case, successor wouldn't be Min-ho, but another child.
He couldn't step away over mere temper. Thinking of his cherished grandson Min-ho, he composed himself.
“Yes... Sang-oh, you're wiser than I...'
Acknowledging the butler's right call, Chairman Kang sat with assistance.
Water steadied his trembling hands; then he addressed Myeong-seon.
“That slap... was from the chairman, not your father.”
“Uh... Dad, I know... I messed up...”
Setting aside his beloved pipe, Chairman Kang lit a cigarette and probed.
“I want to know why you judged so poorly. Seo Gwang-hun egged you on, didn't he?”
“Yes... It was a deal he brought...”
“No excuses, no blame. As president, you make the final call.”
“I must've lost my mind for a bit...”
“Let's hear what happened.”
Her fate upended overnight. The wretchedness defied words. Regret changed nothing.
After long tears, Myeong-seon spoke.
“Seo Executive came saying the CD yielded 20%. From Gwak Hee-do. Doubting it would've been weirder...”
“You think others are fools settling for 12%?”
“Didn't seem risky... So I dumped everything in for 20%.”
“Payroll?”
“Held back 50 sheets just in case. Salaries and bonuses are covered short-term.”
The tale grew more pathetic with each detail.
Long sigh from Chairman Kang.
“You know someone's snapping up your company's stock via proxies?”
“Yeah, report came yesterday...”
“Your counterplan?”
Cash reserves ample? Hardly—Min-ho had drained them. No options.
Squeezing her last plea: “Dad... I'm truly sorry... Just this once, can't you...?”
“Your mess. Won't lift a finger. Tie it off yourself.”
Worse: opponent unknown. Stock volume? Control grab? Unclear.
Sheer hopelessness crashed in. To survive, Myeong-seon dropped to her knees—then groveled, hands clasped like a beggar, sobbing.
“I really screwed up. Huh? Just this once... Help, and I'll be perfect forever.”
Min-ho had proxies locked in. Even Chairman Kang was powerless. Wait for his verdict...
“Breathe quiet and hole up in your office. No blabbing.”
“Really? Got it. Whatever you say.”
“Ditch media, interviews—everything. Not a peep to Du-seong, Beom-seong, or your brothers. Clear?”
“Will do. Lips sealed to all.”
“No visits here or Seongbuk-dong awhile. No calls. Stay hidden.”
***
Chairman Kang watched his weeping daughter's retreating back, heart heavy with conflict.
Hands clasped behind, he stared out the window long before murmuring.
“Seeing Min-ho... anything strike you?”
“Delicate matter. Apologies, but no comment.”
“Can't be helped... Me? That boy reminds me of a foul-tempered hippo.”
“Not a fox—a hippo?”
“Surface-cute, body submerged—true bulk hidden.”
Chairman Kang nodded, continuing.
“But when that hippo rages? Territory breached. Huge jaws shred crocs or lions. Min-ho's the same. Kin or not, touch him—he finishes it.”
“You admire Young Master's traits, Chairman?”
Conflicted over Myeong-seon, yet proud of Min-ho.
“Every entrepreneur needs that fire. Why I hold him high.”
“Plans for JK Credit Info?”
“Control's slipped my grasp. Min-ho handles it. Let's see his aunt's sentence.”
“Understood. Seo Gwang-hun awaits on the roof. Bring him here if you're weary?”
“Don't drag ill omens indoors. I'll go.”
“Yes, Chairman. To the roof.”
Pipe gripped tight, Chairman Kang ascended.
Roof-center: Seo Gwang-hun knelt, head bowed like a traitor.
Unreal scene drew a sigh—no recourse now. Hard-won executive post, gone in a flash.
Spotting Chairman Kang, he bawled contrition.
“Forgive me! Sorry, Chairman!”
Silent stare; then:
“True you pitched this bond?”
Min-ho'd foreseen the query, pre-warned him. Seo trapped, no escape.
Confess Min-ho's strings? Death, buried in filth. Deny, own it? Death. Choices converged on doom.
Lamenting Min-ho's trap—irrevocable.
No swift reply; pipe-hand tensed.
“Mingdong's Kang Jin-gwang? I'd have pummeled you merciless with this.”
“Yes... I... Actually...”
“Age weakens patience like a piss-trickle... No answer? Brace.”
Seo? Vanishable speck. Terror seized him.
Chin quivering, he forced it out:
“Long ties with Gwak Hee-do... Told him tip good deals.”
“Myeong-seon'd eyed his bonds ages. You linked this one?”
Fate on this. Eyes squeezed shut:
“All me. Never dreamed disaster. Truly sorry.”
“You alone? My affiliate crumbles.”
“Deepest apologies. Gwak's treachery unimaginable.”
“Sure. No one foresees death. I get it.”
Long smoke exhale; then:
“Wronged, eh? Fair. But life? Results tell all—you know.”
“Sorry, Chairman.”
“15 billion... Years to repay?”
“Pardon? Unclear...”
Hand out; butler handed calculator.
“Court-drag, win, grease Seocho lawyers—claim most back.”
“I'll own it, time be damned.”
“Three years minimum, 70% tops. Factor time? Half.”
“Any road—I'll die trying.”
“Lifetime debt anyway. Can't saddle you forever. Right?”
Calculator taps done; verdict:
“Know you can't cover full. Half loss—your burden. Deal?”
“Pardon...?”
“No sudden croak, assets plus slave-till-death? Covers some... 2 billion. Fine.”
Executive-scale impossible. Pointless. No mercy meant.
“Chairman... Beyond my means.”
“Know... But overlook? No.”
“Seo... Not Pocheon...?”
“Work till death. Haul him.”
Till-death labor: Pocheon bound.
Horrified, Seo thrashed, begged:
“Chairman! Mercy! Chairman!”
Eyeing the dragged man, Chairman Kang smiled faintly.
“This far, could spill on Min-ho... Lips locked. How'd he break you?”
“One blaze lingers. Truly wait?”
“Shares locked? Call comes.”
“Grant all Young Master's terms?”
“Mud flung—but he'll tidy unseen. Give what he wants.”