CHAPTER 73

The operation had been carried out covertly from the United States through under-the-radar contacts, but the limitations were evident. Although Director Gong Jihoon’s joining temporarily provided some strength, obtaining satisfactory evidence required tremendous patience. Jinhoo was actually skeptical.

He was skeptical of the idea of using the media to tear down GK Group’s image and then using SH’s capital to gobble up GK’s major affiliates at a time when the stock price was faltering. This was what Jinwoo had been advocating all along.

‘Hey, Taegyeom. I know you’re a perfectionist, but we’re well-prepared even now. With just a click of my mouse, it’s only a matter of time before GK’s stock plummets. Are you sure we’re not ready?’

‘The incidents we expose in the media ultimately amount to minor crimes. It might destroy GK’s image, but to have the level of destructive power we want, we have to strike at the heart. When the stock hits rock bottom, if we publicly purchase GK shares, once it’s known that the evidence came from us, we won’t be able to avoid suspicions of stock manipulation.’

Taegyeom, hoping for the synergy effect of all events converging toward Chairman Kwon simultaneously, had carefully coordinated that moment. The fact that Taegyeom was moving meant that the data on Chairman Kwon, to be handed over to the prosecution, was complete.

“After the lunch meeting, send the result via text.”

– Taegyeom.

Sensing Jinhoo about to hang up, Taegyeom called out in a relaxed tone.

“Why.”

Taegyeom, with the precision of a surgeon, had been meticulously coordinating the timing for all incidents to explode simultaneously, all aimed at Chairman Kwon. The fact that Taegyeom was moving now meant that the evidence on Chairman Kwon, to be handed over to the prosecution, was complete.

“Send the results of the lunch meeting by text.”

– Taegyeom.

Sending the intention to end the call, Jinwoo called out to Taegyeom in a lowered voice.

“Why?”

– Did you get any sleep?

“Why do you ask about sleep?”

– It’s going to be a long day today, and I’m worried about you.

Taegyeom chuckled.

“No worries.”

– Waking up someone at dawn, makes their heart race.

“I’m hanging up.”

Taegyeom pressed the end call button and slipped his phone into the inside pocket of his suit, calmly gazing at the shimmering black surface of the river. After that, he left the hotel room.

* * *

“Do you just say what you want and hang up? You mean bastard.”

After the call ended, Jinwoo muttered with pursed lips, throwing his phone onto the bed. Leaning against the bed’s headboard with his arms folded, he contemplated the recent conversation.

Since yesterday afternoon when Director Gong informed him of Taegyeom’s plan to meet with Hyun Gyucheol, Jinwoo felt a sense of urgency. The day before, he had deliberately disrupted Chairman Kwon’s planned meeting with Songwoon, stirring up trouble by messing up some of the preparations.

It was an attempt to divert Chairman Kwon’s attention from Taegyeom’s woman, Hyun Leeseo. Although such a clumsy deception was unlikely to work, Jinwoo preferred doing something rather than sitting idle and biting his nails in a corner.

Taegyeom wasn’t the type to act impulsively, so from the moment he overturned the engagement ceremony, he must have already had the execution of the plan in mind.

Jinwoo sighed deeply, feeling an unknown emotion constricting his heart. His chest swelled. How many tears had he swallowed, and how much pain had he endured for this moment?

Ever since the disappearance of SH Holdings’ predecessor, Shinhae Financial, from the pages of history, Jinwoo had consistently envisioned the downfall of GK. Jinwoo’s uncle, who had been the chairman of Shinhae Financial, couldn’t overcome the shock and took his own life shortly after the bankruptcy. Jinwoo’s family was plunged into despair.

Jinwoo’s mother, and the vice chairman of Shinhae Financial, Go Jinhee, struggled tirelessly to find Yeonhee, who had been forcibly sent to the United States in the midst of mourning for her brother after the bankruptcy and she couldn’t afford to lose her sister. 

At a time when it was hard enough to deal with the aftermath of the bankruptcy, she traveled back and forth to the U.S. to track down Yeonhee but was repeatedly thwarted by the power of GK’s scheming and sabotage. 

After a year-long pursuit and a wavering race against time, Go Jinhee finally managed to meet Yeonhee. However, what awaited her was the cold, lifeless body of her little sister.

Jinwoo vividly remembered his mother’s cries, which resembled the howls of a beast, echoing in the air.

The company’s bankruptcy, her brother’s suicide, and the subsequent tragedy of her younger sister’s death had left Jinwoo’s mother frail. The successive tragedies drained the vitality from her once sharp eyes, and she spent nearly a decade lying in a hospital bed before finally closing her eyes.

Jinwoo first met Taegyeom when he was twenty. To avoid the gaze of Chairman Kwon and out of necessity, Taegyeom changed his name and even created a new identity in the United States. In this lonely struggle, Taegyeom became Jinwoo’s only friend and a powerful ally.

Jinwoo felt the pounding heartbeat around his chest as he pressed his palm against it, keenly feeling the tumultuous rhythm. Taking a deep breath, he ran his hands through his disheveled hair, getting up from the bed. Today, there could be no room for mistakes.

Reviewing the tasks in his mind, Jinwoo operated the remote control, opening the curtains to reveal the dawn’s blue light. From the far end of the sky, a red haze was rising as the world was bathed in the tranquil glow of the early morning.

* * *

His brown, age-spotted cheeks were roughened. His pupils, dilated with anger, were glued to the television, which was broadcasting the news.

[GK Group Chairman Kwon Kyungrok is facing allegations of covering up his son’s drunk driving with a driver switch, and an investigation into the matter has begun. Mr. Hyun Gyucheol, who is currently on trial for causing a fatal drunk driving incident in January, claims that he was promised a large sum of money by Chairman Kwon and gave false testimony. The alleged culprit is said to be Chairman Kwon’s second son, Mr. Kwon Jingyeom.]

“Why hasn’t the legal team taken action yet!”

Kyungrok shouted, slamming his fist down hard on the desk, his blood pressure rising from the intense anger, making the back of his neck tingle.

He had dispatched the legal and communications teams to the detention center, police, and media outlets, respectively, immediately after receiving the shocking information that Hyun Gyucheol turned against him. However, before he could take any action, the internet news pages were flooded with related articles.

“I’ll check right away.”

Director Gong, who had been standing beside the desk, took out his phone from his suit pocket and turned away from the chairman. It seemed like he was attempting to call the legal team, but either the call didn’t connect, or there was no response. Instead, the voice of the announcer from the TV screen echoed in the chairman’s office.

[Mr. Hyun Gyucheol, who used to be the exclusive driver for the Kwon family, is reported to have revealed this information through the inspection officer, and his claims are bolstered by a casino employee in Incheon who saw Chairman Kwon’s second son, Kwon Jingyeom, at the casino on the day of the incident, where the car involved in the drunk-driving accident was identified].

Kyungrok ran a hand down the back of his stiffened neck and stared at the blacked-out silhouette on the screen, and recalled Jingyeom’s appearance from last winter, when he came to the study led by Joo-ah, with a pale face.

Avoiding his tiger-like father’s gaze, Jingyeom had subtly stolen the company car and frequented bars every night. Kyoungrok knew about Jingyeom’s doing but thought it was just a phase. He had left it alone, thinking it was a much healthier hobby than getting involved with some aimless woman and unexpectedly impregnating her during his lively years.

But not realizing the severity of the situation, Jingyeom had been roaming around day and night like a dog with a loosened leash and eventually ended up causing an accident.

The reputation that Kyoungrok had built up over the years for GK Group was a great and sublime legacy created at great cost and with bone-deep effort. Allowing the whimsical mistake of his son, who was nothing more than a puppy, to tarnish that immaculate reputation was an unavoidable situation.

Moreover, he was supposed to be the future successor of GK Group. Kyungrok tried to calm his mind, recalling the trembling joy at the moment Jingyeom was born.

Jingyeom was like a newfound seed of hope that had miraculously appeared when the main family’s household was in crisis. If he hadn’t been born with two balls between his legs, the fates of many would have been reversed.

The lad, born into the belly of a young and beautiful second wife, was undoubtedly someone with an unbelievably fortunate destiny. The offspring acquired at the age of thirty-six was proof and pride of his powerful virility, known to all.

Some criticized Kyungrok for casting aside his first wife and bringing in a second wife. However, his decision to endure all that humiliation and choose Joo-ah was undoubtedly a pitiful act of love and sincerity.

So, no matter how displeasing his son might be, it was an unavoidable decision to protect his own bloodline. Kyoungrok didn’t regret his past choices.

However, the traitor who dared to stab him in the back without fear would inevitably pay a heavy price for his betrayal. Chairman Kwon clenched his fist, grinding his teeth with strength. His stiffened cheek trembled with anger.

Kyungrok had been so troubled by Jingyeom’s accident that he had ended up in the hospital. His blood pressure, which he had been carefully managing, couldn’t cope with the stress and he had a stroke.

The health problems of the group’s head inevitably had a negative impact on the company’s stock price. The damages from the momentary mistake committed by the inexperienced son were considerable.

More than half a year after the incident, Kyoungrok had finally recovered his health and the company had gotten back on track. But now, such an astonishing situation was unfolding.

It was the kind of betrayal that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Kyoungrok glared at the TV screen with bloodshot eyes.

[However, since Mr. Hyun Gyucheol has already been convicted in the first trial, there is attention on whether he possesses decisive evidence that could overturn the trial results.]

A reddish stain pulsed on the back of Kyoungrok’s clenched hand. This was by no means a personal betrayal by Hyun Gyucheol.

Until he rose to this position, many had been categorized as Kyoungrok’s enemies, but there had never been such a foolish person who directly aimed the blade at him. 

What kind of lunatic could possibly…