Chapter 4

So-yeon pulled out a chair. Neither of them touched the cups between them. Several seconds passed before Han Mi-sook finally pushed a folder toward the center of the table.

"Investors from Singapore."

So-yeon opened it. Inside were letters terminating business partnerships, one followed by a second, then a third. The names she had spent months pursuing had now chosen to wait until Hanseong's situation stabilized.

"All of them this morning?" she asked.

Han Mi-sook nodded. "The media moves faster than your marketing team."

So-yeon closed the folder. "I'll meet with them."

"They don't want to meet with you."

"Then I'll fly to Singapore."

"You're too late." Her mother's voice remained flat. "One week too late."

Silence filled the room once more. Han Mi-sook rose from her seat and walked toward the window.

"Your grandfather once said that a major corporation doesn't collapse because of a single scandal," she remarked, pausing briefly. "It collapses because people begin to lose faith in it."

So-yeon said nothing.

"Are you still refusing the marriage?"

"I don't want business to be conducted through a charade."

Han Mi-sook turned around. "Then what do you think the media is doing right now?"

The question hung in the air for a long moment. A knock sounded at the door, and a secretary entered carrying a tablet.

"President Han, the stock price has fallen again."

Han Mi-sook merely glanced at the screen. "Thank you."

The door closed once more.

"You have until five this afternoon."

"What if I still refuse?"

"Starting next week, the merger project will be transferred to Vice President Lee."

So-yeon slowly raised her head. "That's my project."

"Starting today, it may no longer be." Han Mi-sook picked up her teacup. "Prove that you can protect the family name."

Her words were cold, but So-yeon had known her mother long enough to recognize that the decision was final. She stood without saying another word and quietly closed the door behind her.

---

At the Mirain Hotel, the atmosphere was no different.

The main conference room was filled with branch directors. The presentation on the hotel's expansion into Tokyo had been underway for barely thirty minutes when Kang Dong-hyun entered without prior notice.

Every attendee immediately rose to their feet, except Ji-hoon, who remained seated.

"Grandfather."

"Continue."

The presentation resumed. A few minutes later, Kang Dong-hyun struck his cane against the floor.

"Enough."

The room fell silent once more.

"I want to speak with my grandson."

No one dared to ask questions. The directors filed out one by one, and as soon as the door closed, Kang Dong-hyun threw a folder onto the table.

Ji-hoon opened it.

The document appointing Kang Tae-min as interim CEO was there again, but this time, it bore the signatures of the board of directors.

"So you're serious."

"I don't joke about the company."

Ji-hoon closed the folder. "Neither do I."

"Do you think they'll wait for you forever?"

"I can build a new company."

Kang Dong-hyun let out a short laugh. "If it's only about money, then of course you can." He walked around the conference table. "But the Kang name wasn't built overnight."

Ji-hoon remained silent.

"You may hate the idea of marriage," the older man said, stopping directly in front of his grandson. "But don't force your beliefs on the entire family."

Secretary Kim appeared in the doorway.

"The next meeting is about to begin, Director."

"Postpone it."

"Understood."

The door closed again.

Kang Dong-hyun took out a white envelope.

"Do you know what this is?"

Ji-hoon took it from him. It was an invitation to a shareholders' meeting scheduled for two days later.

"If you haven't given me an answer before that meeting," the old man's cane struck the floor once, "I will announce Tae-min as my successor."

There was no threat in his voice. The decision had already been made.

---

As evening approached, thin clouds once again blanketed the Seoul sky.

Han So-yeon left the office later than usual. Her car had barely left the Hanseong premises when her phone rang. Oh Na-ri's name appeared on the screen.

"I'm outside your apartment!"

"I'm still on my way home."

"Hurry up and get back."

"Why?"

"There's a guest."

So-yeon frowned. "Who?"

"If I tell you now, it'll ruin the surprise."

The call ended.

Twenty minutes later, the elevator stopped on her apartment floor. The moment the doors opened, the aroma of coffee greeted her.

Na-ri was lounging on the sofa, eating biscuits, while a man in a dark blue suit sat across from her.

Cha Min-jae.

The man rose when he saw So-yeon enter.

"It's been a long time."

So-yeon didn't break her stride. She set her bag on the table, took off her shoes, and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water before returning to the living room.

"You still remember that my address hasn't changed."

"I'm sorry."

"For which part?"

Min-jae opened his mouth but didn't answer immediately. Na-ri, who had been sitting comfortably just moments earlier, slowly got to her feet.

"I'll wait on the balcony." Without waiting for a response, she disappeared.

Now, only the two of them remained.

Min-jae took a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it. Inside lay the engagement ring he had once given her.

"I came here to make things right. I made a mistake."

So-yeon stared at the ring for a few moments before pushing it back toward Min-jae with the tip of her finger.

"You're at the wrong address."

"Give me another chance."

"There's nothing left to fix."

"I still love you."

So-yeon offered a faint smile.

"That's something you should have said before the reporters photographed you with another woman."

Silence settled over the room again.

Min-jae drew a deep breath.

"Then..." He lifted his gaze. "...don't marry Kang Ji-hoon."

So-yeon's hand froze for a moment as she reached for her glass.

She had never told anyone about that dinner meeting. Even Na-ri knew only part of the story.

"Who told you?"

Min-jae didn't answer. He simply stood up, straightened his suit, and headed for the door. Before leaving, he glanced back at her one last time.

"Your family isn't the only one that knows how to keep secrets."

The apartment door closed quietly.

In the living room, So-yeon remained standing, staring at the ring left behind on the table.

Meanwhile, inside the car pulling away from the apartment complex, Min-jae received a phone call. The name on the screen made him immediately put on his headset.

"Yes?"

The voice on the other end was quiet.

"Have they met yet?"

"They have."

"Good." Min-jae glanced out the window. "What's the next step?"

"Make sure that marriage never happens."

The call disconnected.

The car continued through Seoul's traffic as the city lights began to flicker on, one by one.