Chapter 56
by Gideon“Chairwoman Kang is always coddling President Kang Deok-ho just because he’s her nephew. You think she’d ever actually turn on him?”
“That’s exactly what’s so weird about it. Hey, look at our aunts. Is Chairwoman Kang’s behavior normal?”
Min Se-hun shuddered.
“She’s so desperate to snatch everything from our hands, yet she’s practically handing everything to President Kang Deok-ho. Everyone knows he’s incompetent.”
“She’s probably just letting it slide because he’s her favorite nephew.”
“That’s why I’m saying it’s strange. No sane owner would ever do that, even for their own child. Did our father ever do that for us?”
Min Se-hun had hit the nail on the head. It seemed the normally foolish Min Se-hun was finally using his brain for once.
“Blood really is scary. They act exactly the same. Chairwoman Kang and Kang Deok-ho are both despicable. And they look so much alike, don’t they?”
“People say you and I look alike, too.”
“Don’t say disgusting things like that!”
Min Se-hun snapped, stood up from the sofa, and headed upstairs.
“Why are you going to the second floor? Aren’t you going to work?”
“I’m tired. If Dad asks for me, tell him you don’t know.”
Min Sena sighed. What did my father do in a past life to deserve a daughter like me and a son like him?
By the way, what is Cha Yundo thinking?
Even a blind person could see how much Cha Yundo loved Ko Hyewan. Yet he was getting a divorce while she was still recovering from her accident? Why was the Owner’s Risk Team letting the rumors spread?
The boss was too drunk to show up, but Dong-yeong, who drew his paycheck from Sewon Group, still had to clock in like clockwork. He sank into his chair and let out a sigh he couldn’t hold back.
“Haaaah…”
Lately, sighs came easier than words.
He never imagined things would get this bad. He’d believed that leaving Korea with Hyewan would fix everything, making this whole situation feel like a bolt from the blue.
Then again… I wouldn’t have put up with it either if I found out I’d been used. No matter how good the intentions were, a lie is still a lie.
Damn that Chairwoman Kang!
Dong-yeong cursed her silently, his lips barely moving. This was his daily routine—enduring the day until the clock finally struck five. As he rubbed his throbbing temples, Min Sena’s name flashed on his phone screen.
“What’s her problem now?”
It really was one thing after another.
Dong-yeong stormed into the cafe and immediately let out a huff of annoyance the moment he sat down.
“Why did you call me?”
He couldn’t understand why Min Sena had come all the way to Sewon Group’s headquarters to demand a meeting.
“What if someone sees us? I’ll get fired.”
“Do you think I wanted to come here? I’m here because I have something to say.”
“Then say it and go.”
Min Sena glared at Dong-yeong but still stated her purpose for the meeting.
“Don’t you know the rumors? They say President Kang Deok-ho is trying to take over Sewon.”
“He doesn’t have the guts for that.”
“President Kang Deok-ho has probably heard that a lot. That’s why he’s so venomous.”
Dong-yeong, who had been listening half-heartedly, shot her a sharp look.
“What?”
“Lee Dong-yeong, it’s not just snakes that bite. People bite when they’re venomous, too. Whether they have the guts or not, they’ll bite first.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You want to get bitten and cry about it? Tell Cha Yundo to wake up! Even my brother, Min Se-hun—who’s a complete idiot—said the same thing. He said Chairwoman Kang and President Kang Deok-ho not only look alike but act just as despicably.”
Min Sena stood up.
“The rumors started because President Kang Deok-ho gave them a reason to. Whether he takes over Sewon or not, he’s underestimated Cha Yundo. I’ve said my piece. I’m leaving.”
Dong-yeong watched Min Sena’s retreating figure as she left the cafe, her words echoing in his mind.
Chairwoman Kang and President Kang Deok-ho not only look alike but act just as despicably.
Sometimes, a passing remark from someone else would stick with him. Was it a gut feeling?
A deep frown etched itself onto Dong-yeong’s face. He hoped it wasn’t true, but once a seed of doubt was planted, he had to investigate.
Before he was Yundo’s secretary, Dong-yeong had been his junior for a long time. He was willing to do anything if it could help Yundo, who was struggling.
His mind made up, Dong-yeong scrolled through his phone’s contacts.
“Director Jeong? This is Lee Dong-yeong. How have you been?”
Director Jeong had retired from the Risk Team after a long career and was now working independently. He was a man of few words and swift action, trusted by both Yundo and Dong-yeong.
“I have a favor to ask.”
Dong-yeong just wanted Yundo to snap out of it, whatever it took.
Two days later, Dong-yeong forced his way into the hotel room. Yundo sat in the middle of a sea of empty liquor bottles. Dong-yeong walked past him and yanked open the curtains. The harsh winter sunlight flooded the room.
Yundo groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. His head felt like it was splitting open.
“Close the curtains.”
“Are you finally awake?”
“You little shit, close them.”
“And then what? You’re just going to keep drinking? How long has it been since you collapsed from shock? Are you trying to follow Haetsal into the grave?”
Dong-yeong spat the words out, deliberately using the forbidden name. He braced himself, fully expecting Yundo to strike him. But Yundo only let out a soft, bitter chuckle.
“Not bad.”
“What?”
“I really wanted to see who Haetsal took after.”
Dong-yeong’s heart shattered. Does he even know what’s happening? How can he be so fucking cruel?
“Ah, fuck! Cha Yundo, wake the hell up!”
“You little shit… so disrespectful.”
Yundo reached for the whiskey bottle with a languid movement, but Dong-yeong snatched it away before he could touch it.
“What sin did your sister-in-law commit? Is it not enough she lost her child? Does she have to watch her ex-husband die too? If you die, the Chairwoman won’t just let it go. She’ll hunt your sister-in-law down, claiming she was right all along. Do you really want to cause that much trouble for her?”
Yundo stiffened. A murderous glint flickered in his eyes as he slowly looked up at Dong-yeong.
“Fuck it, fine! Let’s survive on pure spite, okay? President Kang Deok-ho is trying to swallow the company whole, and this is how you’re acting?”
“It doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
“I ran into Min Sena the other day. She told me that the Chairwoman and President Kang Deok-ho are not only identical in looks but also equally despicable in their actions.”
Isn’t it natural for an aunt and nephew to resemble each other? Yundo retorted curtly.
“So what?”
“Even to me, President Kang Deok-ho looks just like the Chairwoman. That’s why I was curious—how much he resembles his biological mother.”
Yundo’s brow furrowed. He had to process Dong-yeong’s abrupt statement. The words that followed were completely unexpected.
“But his mother died eleven years ago, so I couldn’t see her. Only his father, Kang Ok-tae, is still alive, but he’s been in a psychiatric hospital for over twenty years due to alcoholism.”
It wasn’t the kind of news Yundo wanted to hear, but his mind was gradually clearing.
“Right, I think I’ve heard that before.”
“But Kang Ok-tae kept saying that President Kang Deok-ho isn’t his son. He repeated it over and over.”
A deep crease formed between Yundo’s brows.
“He has dementia.”
“Who doesn’t know that? It’s true that Kang Ok-tae started with alcohol-induced dementia and now has severe dementia. But don’t you find it strange that he singled out President Kang Deok-ho, leaving out all his other children?”
Dong-yeong continued.
“The Chairwoman paid for Kang Deok-ho’s tuition alone, so his other siblings have all been struggling. From Kang Ok-tae’s perspective, he should be proud of the child who succeeded thanks to his sister. So why is he saying he’s not his biological father?”
Yundo rubbed his throbbing forehead.
“We’ll know once we run a DNA test on the two of them.”
“You’re as smart as I am, senior.”
Dong-yeong pulled an envelope with the research institute’s name on it from inside his jacket. Yundo glanced at him, took the envelope, and pulled out the test results.
Partial DNA Match.
Staring at the unexpected result, Yundo froze. The black fog that had clouded his mind for weeks finally cleared.
“…What is this? It’s either a match or it isn’t, right?”
“It means they’re related.”
“You think I’m asking because I don’t know that?”
A strange glint appeared in Yundo’s eyes as he stared at Dong-yeong.
“…Don’t tell me…”
“Exactly what you’re thinking, Senior. That’s why we need a DNA test. But I left that part for you to handle.”
Dong-yeong, who had finally snapped Yundo back to his senses, drove the final nail into the coffin.
After receiving the divorce petition, Yundo accepted Hyewan’s terms and proceeded with a mediated divorce, bypassing the mandatory cooling-off period.
He had thought he’d lost everything, but he was wrong. He didn’t care what happened to the company—but that was only if Kang Deok-ho was Kang Ok-tae’s son.
If he could strike a blow against Chairwoman Kang and humiliate her, Yundo would sell his soul to the devil. He wanted to seize this unexpected opportunity and pay her back in full.
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