CHAPTER 1: Wedding Anniversary Gifts (Part 7)

Moon-kyeong turned her gaze towards Hye-ran. She shivered at the inscrutable woman who was impossible to read.

But there was something about Hye-ran that Moon-kyeong took after her: she was a woman of few words. There was no need to inquire about the reasons for obtaining what was needed. Just delivering the necessary words at the moment would be enough.

“Okay.”

Hye-ran sipped her tea leisurely, then set it down.

“Do you know Kim Seojun?”

“Wh-who?”

“The youngest son of Chairman Kim and Shin Joo-eun. Ah no. He’s the adopted son of Director Nam Leehyeon now.”

Except for the familiar name ‘Kim Seojun’, Moon-kyeong couldn’t comprehend Hye-ran’s words at all, and her eyes fluttered unfiltered.

“What are you talking about?”

“I heard you two were together in Moscow, or something like that.”

“…”

Hye-ran let out an odd laugh.

“More impressive than I thought. You met Kim Seojun while avoiding my watchful eyes?”

“Mom.”

“I got a call from him this morning. He wants you. It’s a bit of an awkward situation. Two sons from the same family both want my daughter. It’s like a comedy.”

“The same family?”

Hye-ran calmly added more explanation.

Kim Seok-young’s second wife, essentially a concubine, Shin Joo-eun’s third son was originally Kim Seojun. However, last fall, for some reason, Chairman Kim Seok-young personally accepted him as the son of his legal wife, Director Nam Leehyeon.

At that time, rumors about the chairman’s health spread throughout the industry.

Because of the chairman’s deteriorating health, there were rumors that the group had begun extensive preparations for the succession process.

“Have you heard about the curse associated with that family?”

Moonkyeong nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

“Director Nam Leehyeon had two sons, but both died at a young age. Now, she only has two daughters left. But what can they do? In the Lee Han Group, the eldest son’s succession has always been the principle. There are no sons under the main wife now.”

The Lee Han Group also must have struggled with this issue.

To put the child of the concubine Shin Joo-eun as a candidate for the position of head of state was met with opposition from various sides. Moreover, there was a risk of breaking the principle of the succession of the eldest son, passed down through generations.

The biggest problem was that the Lee Han family was short on heirs. There weren’t enough sons to lead the group.

Eventually, a family meeting was held and the suggestion came up to admit Shin Joo-eun’s second son, Kim Seo-wook, as the adopted son of Director Nam Leehyeon.

Many relatives opposed the decision, but there was no better alternative than appointing another professional executive in charge.

However, at a decisive moment, Chairman Kim Seok-young chose not the second son Kim Seo-wook but the third son, Kim Seojun.

There were testimonies that Chairman Kim Seok-young personally flew to Moscow to bring him back. Kim Seojun turned out to be a son hidden by the Lee Han family all this time. He had never been exposed to the media, always shrouded in mystery.

Rumors had circulated that he spent his childhood in Russia, but there had been no news about him until last year when he appeared in the group and gradually received management lessons.

Listening to the story, Moon-kyeong shook her head. It was an incomprehensible tale.

When did the Kim Seojun I knew become a chaebol? Was he deceiving me?

Even if that were the case, it didn’t matter. 

Kim Seojun and her were not in such a relationship. It wasn’t the commonly spoken of romance, let alone love. It was just a fling, a momentary escapade.

“Wait a moment. I don’t understand. Kim Seojun, or rather, the Executive Director Kim Seojun from the Lee Han Group, called directly to propose marriage to me?”

“Yeah, isn’t it really amusing? The brothers are going to fight over you.”

Despite the awkwardness in her speech, Hye-ran’s face showed a triumphant expression. Ultimately, this was what she wanted.

“Marry Kim Seojun. It doesn’t matter where he was born. Just remember that the positions of a concubine and a legal wife are distinctly different. Especially in that family. So, Chairman Kim wouldn’t have presented him as the son under the main wife, right?”

It meant that he wasn’t just any son of the Lee Han Group. It was a request to catch Kim Seojun, who had entered the line of power.

“He’s coming in a little while.”

Moon-kyeong felt dizzy.

“Who?”

“Who else?”

Hye-ran got up from her seat and pressed her hand firmly on Moon-kyeong’s shoulder. Her full weight was on Moon-kyeong. She whispered.

“You have to repay the favor.”

“…”

“Make sure this marriage happens.”

Leaving the barely started tea time behind, Hye-ran left the room.

Moon-kyeong had to swallow a bitter smile.