It's more human and better
Going back in time, to the day Kim Mu-hyuk visited.
Choi Woo-shik called the head of the legal office without anyone knowing.
"Director Park."
Choi Woo-shik said this while pouring a drink for the Chief of Legal Affairs.
"How many years have you been with me?"
"It's been about ten years. We've been working together ever since the chairman took over the KS Group."
After the head of the legal office received the alcohol with both hands, he took the bottle and poured a drink for Choi Woo-shik as well.
"It's been longer than I thought. Do you have any complaints about me?"
The hand of the legal secretary who was pouring the drink stopped at the sudden question.
"Yes? Are you dissatisfied?"
"Okay. If you have any complaints, don't keep them to yourself and be sure to tell me. Do you understand?"
The head of the legal office smiled kindly and answered while pouring more drinks.
"Haha. I have no complaints, but if anything comes up later, I will definitely let you know."
Choi Woo-shik also smiled at the Chief Legal Officer's answer and held out a glass.
"Let's have a drink first. It's been a long time since we've had a drink together like this."
"That's right, Chairman. It seems like three years have already passed."
The head of the legal office quickly thought about the matter while clinking his glass with Choi Woo-shik.
'What the hell is going on? Why did you call me here without the Chief Secretary?'
The head of the legal office knew about this place. It was a bar that Choi Woo-shik often used to meet people without anyone knowing.
In most cases, the chief secretary would accompany him to such events.
But today, unusually, he called me without even bringing his chief secretary.
'Did I do something wrong?'
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no such thing. That's why I couldn't guess Choi Woo-shik's intentions even more.
"Does Director Park have any friends in the prosecution?"
"······Yes. There is."
"What do you think will happen with this indictment? I don't think it will lead to arrest."
The head of the legal office quickly answered Choi Woo-shik's question.
"The discussion has already ended internally without detention. Our legal team strongly argued that if the chairman is detained, it could cause chaos in the national economy."
"As expected, it's our Director Park. Thanks to him, I was able to avoid arrest. And on top of that, the Sovereign bastards are getting in the way, man. It's frustrating to think about how our country has been dragged around by those financial speculators."
Choi Woo-shik emptied his drink in one go and put his glass down. Then he looked at the head of the legal affairs office and said.
"Now let's get to the point."
The head of the legal office also put down his glass and swallowed.
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"Have you ever met my wife?"
"If you say wife······?"
"Director Yoon Hyun-joo, is there anyone else you can call your wife? Anyway, I'm asking if you've ever met and talked to her separately."
"Why would I ever meet you in person? I swear to heaven that I have never met you, except on official occasions."
Choi Woo-shik already knew this, but he asked just in case.
Choi Woo-shik nodded slowly and asked again.
"Director Park. Are you my person?"
"Of course I am the chairman's man. The chairman appointed me as the head of the legal department, and since then I have done everything for the chairman. Please do not doubt my loyalty."
Choi Woo-shik, who had been staring at the head of the legal office for a long time, opened his mouth.
"My wife said that she was buying the group's stocks in someone else's name without telling me."
"Yes? The manager?"
"Yes. I assume you've already secured a large stake. Please look into it."
"Oh, I understand. I'll get going right away. But why me and not the Chief Secretary······."
Before the attorney general could even respond, there was a knock on the door.
"The guests have arrived."
"I see you've arrived. Let's go in."
The door opened and a gaunt-looking old man came in.
Choi Woo-shik got up from his seat and greeted him.
"Chairman Cho. As rumored, you are still in good health. Nice to meet you. I am Choi Woo-shik."
"Why did you ask to meet this old man? Do I have any reason to meet the chairman separately?"
"Haha. Don't be like that. Just sit down."
The head of the legal office, who was sitting across from Chairman Cho, rolled his eyes.
I wondered who that old man was and why Choi Woo-shik treated him so politely.
The head of the legal office secretly looked at Chairman Cho sitting in front of him to try to figure out who he was, but he couldn't figure out his identity at all.
"Chairman Cho. Would you like a drink first?"
Choi Woo-shik filled a glass with ice for him to drink.
However, Chairman Cho just stared blankly at the glass and did not lift it.
"Let's get to the point. If the young lady finds out that I met the chairman today, I won't be safe."
"What kind of era is this that you still call someone so young a young lady? And you're the one paying the most taxes in Gangnam, so you don't need to lower yourself."
The head of the legal office once again looked at Chairman Cho after hearing Choi Woo-shik say that even in Gangnam, where the wealthy gather, the elderly pay the most taxes.
'It doesn't look like that at all. Does that old man have that much money?'
The old man with the rat-like face had sharp eyes that gave off a vulgar feeling, but the atmosphere he gave off was simple.
Besides, the clothes and accessories she was wearing didn't look that expensive.
But Choi Woo-shik is not the type of person to talk nonsense, and the saying that old people are rich is true.
"I don't know where I heard it."
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"Hahaha. You're being too humble, Chairman Cho."
Choi Woo-shik, laughing heartily, spoke to the Chief of Legal Affairs.
"Ah, Director Park, you should leave now. Look into what I asked you to do as quickly as possible."
The evacuation order has been issued.
The chief legal officer stood up from his seat without saying a word and bowed his head to Choi Woo-shik.
Before leaving the room, he glanced at Chairman Cho's face once more and then left.
"Now that the uninvited guests are gone, stop being so pretentious, Chairman Cho. How long are you going to live as my wife's warehouse keeper?"
At the same time, Choi Woo-shik, who had been polite until just now, disappeared in an instant.
"what······?"
"Do you know why a servant is a servant? He is a servant because he thinks it is natural. Chairman Cho is already old, so let's say that. Do you plan to make all your children and grandchildren live as servants?"
"······."
Every single word Choi Woo-shik said pierced Chairman Cho's lungs.
"Leave Korea and hide. Then I will dispose of all the real estate in Korea as quickly as possible. I will help Chairman Cho get all the money and guarantee his safety."
"What the... Are you telling me to betray you, young lady?"
When Chairman Cho asked in a bewildered manner, Choi Woo-shik burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Do you really think we're still in the Joseon Dynasty? Chairman Cho. How many people do you think would know that the Yoon family's assets are in someone else's name? I barely managed to figure it out, so others would never know. It's been decades, so it would be quite complicated to find out that it's in someone else's name. And besides, Yoon Hyun-joo would never be able to reveal that it's in someone else's name. I can guarantee that."
Of course, it was not that there was no way for Yoon Hyun-joo to find the assets in another person's name.
It would require lengthy litigation and huge fines and surcharges, but it wasn't difficult to get it back if you could prove it.
However, Yoon Hyun-joo can never choose that method.
Because it was an act that would bring down the honor of my father who was in the grave.
Choi Woo-shik knew very well that this was a choice that Yoon Hyun-joo, who terribly missed her father, could never make.
"So leave Korea and start a new life. Don't make your descendants live as servants for generations to come."
"······."
"I know it's hard to give you an answer right away. I'm always ready, so feel free to contact me anytime. I'll do my best to help you."
Then, Choi Woo-shik stood up from his seat without any hesitation, holding out a gold-plated business card with only his phone number written on it.
"Wait for my call. But remember that opportunities don't come easily. If you reject my offer, I plan to reveal Chairman Cho's secret to the world."
Choi Woo-shik, who threw both the carrot and the stick, left the room first.
Chairman Cho, who was left alone, picked up the glass in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.
As if that wasn't enough, he picked up the bottle of alcohol next to him and started pouring it directly into his mouth.
"Nenjang. The couple is acting up as a pair."
Chairman Cho, whose face quickly turned red, swore and glared at the door through which Choi Woo-shik had exited.
* * *
Yoon Hyun-joo, who slapped Chairman Cho, seemed to be unable to control her emotions.
When you see them stomping their feet or pounding their chest.
It would have been better for her if Chairman Cho had tried to run away because of his greed.
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The worst-case scenario she could ever imagine has become a reality.
"You dirty traitorous bastard! What have I done to you! I sent both Seon-ju and Seon-gyu to study abroad! And I personally selected and chose their spouses and even arranged a grand wedding for them!"
When you are betrayed by someone you trusted, it feels like you've denied everything you've ever lived.
I know Yoon Hyun-joo's feelings better than anyone else.
Because that's how I died and this is how I came back.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you and your children too!!"
"Ah, Miss······."
"Shut your mouth! Who are you, Miss?"
All the sophistication of the wife of a wealthy family had disappeared, and the raw Yoon Hyun-joo was in front of me.
Yoon Jae-ha, who was reviewing the documents, was so angry that he opened his eyes wide and looked at Yoon Hyun-joo.
"I just have a greedy money?"
A desperate anger leaked out from his tearing voice.
Her anger was justified, as she had been betrayed by two people she trusted at the same time.
"Director, please calm down for now. Let's catch our breath and then listen to the rest of the story. Then, can't we decide whether to kill him or let him live?"
When I calmly stopped Yoon Hyun-joo, she looked at me for a moment, then nodded while wiping away her tears.
As she sat down on the sofa as if collapsing, Director Ma's subordinate brought her some ice water.
She finally calmed down after drinking a bowl of cold water and forced a smile as she spoke.
"······I'm embarrassed. I looked bad."
"No. It's more humane and better. You don't have to worry about it. Right, Jaeha?"
"Huh? I meet all sorts of people while working, so this doesn't really interest me."
Yoon Jae-ha, who answered my question, gave advice to Yoon Hyun-joo.
"Director. The conglomerates and politicians are all human beings. They cry, get angry, and get hurt. So there is absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed about something like this. At least Moo-hyuk and I are not the kind of people who would laugh at such things."
Yoon Hyun-joo smiled faintly at Yoon Jae-ha's words. It wasn't a fake smile with the corners of her lips raised forcibly, but a real smile.
"Thank you. It's comforting."
Leaving Yoon Hyun-joo behind, who had calmed down, I snickered at Chairman Cho, who still hadn't come to his senses.
"I told you not to lie, but you ended up lying, Chairman Cho. Did I seem like such a nice person······."
When I looked at Yoon Hyun-joo with my mouth hanging open, she nodded her head with difficulty.
This time I asked Yoon Jae-ha.
"How about the documents? Can we do it without Chairman Cho?"
"Oh. I think this will be fine."
After confirming Yoon Jae-ha's positive response, he spoke to Director Ma.
"Take her. I don't think we need to talk anymore."
"Yes, boss."
At my command, my men dragged him away. Chairman Cho, with one cheek red and swollen, struggled.
"Oh, Miss! Please. Please spare me. Everything! I will tell you everything!"
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But Yoon Hyun-joo ignored Chairman Cho.
The subordinates covered his mouth as he continued to babble and left the office.
"If you wait, the experts will find out everything. Even what Chairman Cho is hiding. So don't think about it and just wait. Shall we make a deal now?"
"······Yes. In addition to the real estate in Gangnam, take all the land and buildings that are in Chairman Cho's name."
All I wanted was real estate in the Gangnam area.
When there was no immediate answer, Yoon Hyun-joo continued speaking.
"In return, I'll give you a big discount. It's not as much as the real estate in Gangnam, but there are lands in good areas not only in Seoul and the metropolitan area but also all over the country. Please take them all. I can't take them anyway."
It didn't seem like a bad deal. I thought about it for a moment and then nodded.
"Okay, let's do that. Do you know all the assets that Chairman Cho owns?"
"Yes, of course. If there is a warehouse keeper, wouldn't the owner have the keys? But he doesn't remember everything, and he has to go to the safe."
"Then, let's just trade Gangnam today and trade the rest next time."
She nodded slightly, perhaps struggling to express her emotions, and added a clue.
"Instead, please pay in cash for today's transaction, and for the next transaction, please pay in KS stocks instead of cash."
"Stocks? Do you mean all the stocks of KS Group?"
"Yes. It's probably worth about the same as the stocks held by investment companies related to Mr. Kim. No, I guarantee that the real estate I own will be worth more."
Since they only have a lot of prime land, I can understand why they are so confident.
But instead of immediately accepting it, I shrugged my shoulders.
"I haven't fully figured out the value of the property yet, so let's talk about that later."
"Okay, I'll send you the documents first. Please review them and then talk to me."
The story seems to be coming to an end. I said to Yoon Jae-ha, who was organizing the documents.
"Jae-ha. Take the manager to the law firm and finalize the sales contract. Contact me when you're done. I need to pay the deposit."
"okay."
Yoon Hyun-joo got up following Yoon Jae-ha and asked me a favor.
"And, Mr. Kim······. Please tell me everything you found out from that kid. Please."
"Of course. We will share the information. But, what do you plan to do, Chairman Cho?"
Yoon Hyun-joo hesitated at my question and then spoke in a small voice.
"······Let's just live for now."
With those words, Yoon Jae-ha and Yoon Hyun-joo left the office.
"This is a real mess, isn't it?"
It was total chaos, with the couple using every card they had to kill each other.
< More humane and better > End
< Money is truly a scary thing >