“…I don’t think this is something to laugh about. This is…”

“His goal is obvious: the chairman’s seat. As Soo-min’s husband and now a major shareholder, he wants to be the next head of the company…”

“Gasp…”

As Soo-min’s husband and a major shareholder, Yuhyeon was no outsider.

“We’ve all been played by him. Hahaha. What a joke. What a mess we’ve become. The bio-industry I so desperately wanted – it was in his hands all the time…”

“It is over. He’s a man Vladimir knows. We never stood a chance against him.

Jin-seong looked completely defeated, as if he had lost everything.

But Chairman Go’s reaction was different.

“With a brain like his, he’ll probably make Jaewon Group the number one conglomerate in Korea. No doubt about it… D*mn, to think we’ve been dragged along without a say in the matter.”

“If we become the number one group… our stock value… would rise beyond imagination…”

The expressions on their once hopeless faces began to change.

“We’ve been completely fooled… by that bastard. But what can we do – how can we even openly hate him? He’ll make us richer. The value of the Jaewon Group was now unimaginable. Its emergence as a major conglomerate was all but guaranteed.”

“Soo-min seems to have fallen in love with a monster. I used to think she was just a naive know-it-all… but to see how completely she’s captured that man’s heart…”

“Looks like I’m going to spend the rest of my life as a forgotten old man in the back room.”

Chairman Go sank into the sofa as if he had given up everything.

He’d clearly been outplayed by his nephew-in-law, but his expression was as calm as a still lake.

***

A sudden shareholders’ meeting was called at Jaewon Group.
“Agenda: Dismissal of Current Chairman and Appointment of Next Chairman.”

The siblings looked at each other.

“Do you know what’s going on?”

“No, not at all.”

“I’m only here because I’m a shareholder, but judging by the look on the chairman’s face, there’s something going on. I overheard people talking in the toilet earlier – they said an incredible businessman was being brought in as the next chairman.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. From the buzz, it definitely seems like something big is happening…”

“We’ll find out soon enough.”

The chairmanship, which had been passed down through several generations, was now in serious jeopardy.

As the shareholders sat down, one of the executives took the microphone and spoke.

“Before we deal with the motion to remove the current chairman, we will introduce the candidate for the next chairman.”

At the mention of “next chairman”, all eyes turned to the front.

Just then the doors opened and someone walked in.

The room erupted in murmurs and whispers.

Soo-min couldn’t believe her eyes.

“B-brother-in-law?!! Why… why is he here…?”

“What… what is going on?!”

The two could only blink in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.

The moment the shareholders saw Yuhyeon, the room erupted in excitement.

“Isn’t that Beom… Beom Yuhyeon, the CEO?”

“You mean CEO Beom? Vladimir’s son… Gasp! They’ve brought in someone like him as the next chairman? I mean, sure, he’s Han Soo-min’s husband, but… Why would someone who is already at the top be interested in our company?”

“Unbelievable! This could be the biggest opportunity in the history of the Jaewon Group!”

“We must vote to remove the chairman. No matter what, we must bring CEO Beom into our group!”

As if they had all agreed beforehand, the shareholders’ faces lit up with hope.

‘Yuhyeon… what is happening right now?’

Their eyes met across the room and he smiled softly, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

“This is for you. I wanted to repay you for all the mistreatment your family has suffered.”

That’s what his expression seemed to say.

She couldn’t hear the words, but she could feel them – clearly.

Soo-min’s chest swelled with emotion.

‘Ah… Yuhyeon… just how much more are you planning to love me…?’

Even if I gave you everything I have, it wouldn’t be enough. That’s how I love you.

Without realizing it, tears began to roll down Soo-min’s cheeks.
There was no other way to express the overwhelming love she felt from him.

The motion to dismiss the chairman passed unanimously.
And naturally, the appointment of Yuhyeon as the next chairman followed without objection.

[Beom Yuhyeon Appointed as New Chairman of Jaewon Group]

The next day, the world’s portals were flooded with traffic – it was absolute chaos.

Beom Yuhyeon, the financial heavyweight behind Vladimir’s fortune, had extended his reach into a new business, and as expected, the Jaewon Group’s share price skyrocketed.

As the group’s shares doubled in a single day, former chairman Go, now relegated to the position of honorary chairman, kept his mouth shut.

It had been a game with a predetermined winner from the start.

Yuhyeon wasn’t even surprised anymore.

“He really is something else. How much did he score this time? He had a lot of Jaewon shares too, didn’t he?”

“Still not even half of what my wife has.”

“And you lie with such a straight face. Do you think I don’t know that you’ve been secretly buying up Jaewon shares?”

Madam Yoon clicked her tongue in disbelief.

“Knowing is enough.”

“Now that you’re chairman, I guess it’s only a matter of time before the Jaewon Group expands globally?”

“Looks like I’ll be busy.”

Yuhyeon barely had time to catch her breath.

“You haven’t even finished handing things over to Ivan yet. Are you really going to juggle both sides?”

“I was born with good stamina, so I don’t have to worry about that.”

“Lucky you. Really. Soo-min must be the luckiest woman in the world. The smartest man in the world turns into a puppy in front of her.”

Madam Yoon joked, comparing him to her pet dog, but the comment actually made Yuhyeon smile.

After all, if Soo-min had his way, he would always be wagging his non-existent tail.

Yuhyeon looked at Madam Yoon as she took a cigarette out of her pocket and put it between her lips.

“Madam Yoon, it’s time for you to close up shop.”

“What? Hey, that’s not fair. Are you saying I’m useless now and you’re just going to toss me aside?”

“I mean stop selling alcohol. If there’s something you really want to do, tell me. I’ll arrange it for you.”

“Oh my, is my nephew finally going to start treating me like family?”

Madam Yoon’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You have a debt to repay.”

“You’re the one who’s been supporting me behind the scenes all this time. I’ve also made a lot of money thanks to you.”

“Then it’s time you found happiness as a woman. Get married. Have children.”

“At my age? Come on, that ship has sailed.”

“You’re still young. You haven’t changed at all.”

Yuhyeon’s mother and Mrs Yoon were like sisters.

Although they had met in a bar, they had become close – probably because they were both orphans without parents.

Even now, in her middle age, Madam Yoon had the kind of skin and figure that could rival a woman in her twenties. She could easily have passed for a model.

“I mean, I have the looks. I used to get more commissions than anyone else.”

“Wouldn’t it be a waste to let those looks go to waste? You sing too, don’t you? And acting – well, that speaks for itself. Wasn’t it your dream to be a musical actress?”

“How did you know that…?”

Her eyes lit up with emotion.

“I heard it so many times when I was little, I practically had calluses in my ears. Mom always used to say it.”

“Your mom… said that…?”

“If that jerk hadn’t run off with the money you saved to pay off your debts, you probably would’ve achieved that dream long ago…”

“……”

Madam Yoon, who usually spoke in a half-mocking tone, was unusually quiet.

Part of the reason her life had taken such a hard turn was because of Yuhyeon’s own family.

“I’ve always felt guilty… for keeping you close out of my own selfishness, Madam Yoon-no, I mean… Aunt.”

“I shouldn’t cry, but… you touched me.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Despite all she had endured in the world of nightlife, it seemed she still had tears left to shed.

“Go ahead and chase that dream. I’ve got your back.”

“Thank you… my dear nephew.”

“There is no need to thank me.”

Madam Yoon soon rose from her seat and walked towards the door.

But then, as if she had remembered something, she turned back.

“Oh, and by the way – did you hear? That man became a pastor.”

“So even murderers are welcome in churches, eh? God is really unfair.”

“Still… he paid the price for what he did.”

“That was society’s punishment. I’ll never forgive him. So please… don’t bring him up in front of me again.”

“Okay. It’s too early.”

Yuhyeon turned his attention back to the documents on his desk.