A Genius Speaks with Money

Chapter 125: The Truth of the Rumor (8)

Jo Tae-ho nodded with a dazed expression.

“Yes, I will relay it like that.”

Choi Seo-jun, who had been listening quietly from the side, spoke.

“It is important to ensure Manager Bae Jeong-su does not feel anxious. Please refrain from saying anything that might reach someone’s ears. We will take on all the burden.”

Senior Managing Director Jeong Seong-pil also nodded.

“Manager Jo just needs to think of it as protecting Manager Bae. Do not try to do more than that, and there is no need to.”

Jo Tae-ho felt a sense of relief at Jeong Seong-pil’s words.

It was a matter that was actually overwhelming for him to handle, so he had been in a difficult position.

Still, hearing that they would help made him feel relieved on one hand.

I leaned my back comfortably against the chair and admired the scenery outside the window for a moment before opening my mouth.“From today, we will lead this matter. Manager Jo, you just need to do as you originally did. Just convey to Manager Bae that he is absolutely not alone.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.”

Manager Jo Tae-ho felt reassured by the words spoken by a boy who was much younger.

He made a resolution once more and hoped that this matter would go well.

***

A few days later, at the Taeseong Department Store president’s office.

Hye-seon confirmed the file I had handed over alone.

In there, there was the cash flow of Taeseong Department Store's overseas subsidiaries and the recording of Executive Director Lee Tae-jun giving instructions to Manager Bae Jeong-su.

After I handed this over and returned, Hye-seon checked it alone and fell into thought.

She recalled what I had said before leaving the president’s office.

“With this, you will be able to overcome this crisis well enough.”

Hye-seon closed and opened her eyes for a moment and leaned her body against the chair.

Do-hyun would not know that the trap he set to drag her down would return like this.

And the fact that the person who brought the weapon to demolish that trap was none other than Hyunjun made her heart even more complex.

However, what was important now was not private emotions.

The task of cleanly clearing away the suspicions related to Jeong Tae-jun and solidifying her own position on this occasion.

That was the most important thing.

Hye-seon placed her hands on the desk and held them together while making a resolution.

“I must see the end of it this time.”

The evening sunlight shone through the window, dyeing her face red.

Only a firm determination resided within that light.

***

President Lim Do-hyun came out of the Taeseong Electronics conference room and headed straight to Taeseong Construction.

Because he had forcibly suppressed his emotions until entering his own office, his eyes were bloodshot to a severe degree.

Behind him, Executive Director Lee Tae-jun followed without being able to raise his head.

As soon as Lim Do-hyun entered the office, he flopped down into his chair.

Even his breathing was very rough, and his hands, which were clenched into fists, had already turned white.

Inside the office, cold air already flowed, as cold as a frozen warehouse.

“…Lee Tae-jun!”

Lim Do-hyun’s voice, filled with anger, was enough to be eerie.

He glared sharply at Executive Director Lee Tae-jun, who was standing there while being extremely tense.

Then, Lee Tae-jun felt a chill down his spine.

Lee Tae-jun felt his throat choking up and hastily bent his waist.

“President, I… I….”

BAM!

Lim Do-hyun’s fist struck the top of the table.

The surface glass shattered, and blood flowed from his hand.

As if he did not even know it was painful, he glared at Lee Tae-jun as if he would kill him while gnashing his teeth.

Lee Tae-jun’s shoulders flinched and trembled little by little.

“What on earth were you doing while Bae Jeong-su was stabbing us in the back!”

Lim Do-hyun’s sharp voice made Lee Tae-jun shrink back to the fullest.

His eyes were already bloodshot and congested, making him feel scared.

“Why do you think I put you in that position? Is your head a decoration? Haah….”

He sneered to his heart's content, but that laugh made Lee Tae-jun feel eerie.

“I was truly blind. To think I have been keeping something like this around until now.”

Lee Tae-jun felt cold sweat flowing down his back.

His lips were dry and his throat was parched.

Nevertheless, he had to make some kind of excuse.

“President, it was truly an unexpected event for me. I did not know at all that Bae Jeong-su would act in this way….”

“What, unexpected! You call that an excuse!”

Lim Do-hyun’s eyes flashed.

“Fine, let us say it was unexpected. But you should have noticed it. Why? If you are my person, you naturally should. That is exactly your role, but if you cannot even do that, is there a need for you to be by my side?”

He stood up abruptly from his seat and approached Lee Tae-jun closely.

Lim Do-hyun, whose breathing had even become rough, stood right in front of his nose.

Lim Do-hyun’s finger poked Lee Tae-jun’s forehead violently.

Once, twice.

As if driving a nail into the forehead.

“Seeing nothing! Blocking nothing! In the end, all of this was ruined because of you.”

His voice was now almost close to a shout.

It was a sound loud enough to be heard outside the office, but no one paid any mind to it.

“You ruined everything in this case.”

“P, President….”

Lee Tae-jun trembled as if he had been struck by lightning.

But he could not say anything.

No, rather than not being able to, his voice did not come out well as he was submerged in fear.

“You take responsibility for this matter. I mean you should take responsibility for all of it alone. Do not ever let my name come out. Do you understand?”

Lim Do-hyun gnashed his teeth.

The hand that was clenched into a fist became drenched with blood due to the injury.

Lee Tae-jun merely nodded his head while trembling like an aspen tree.

Fear and anger were mixed together, burning inside his chest.

But he ultimately could not pull any words out of his mouth.

However, something was slowly boiling up deep inside his chest.

***

At the time President Lim Do-hyun was shaking the office with anger, I was quietly leaving the Taeseong Electronics building with Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo.

Choi Seo-jun, who was following behind them, approached and asked.

“Representative, are you going straight to the company?”

I stopped my steps and looked at Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo once before answering.

“No, I think I should stop by for a moment to see my grandfather.”

Choi Seo-jun looked at me, as I was going to meet Chairman Lim Man-seok, with a pitiful expression.

However, I did not mind much and rather had a calm expression.

“I will stop by the hospital and then return to the company. I will go with the Chief Secretary.”

As I was about to move my steps with Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo, Choi Seo-jun spoke.

“I will go with you as well, Representative.”

I stopped him while feeling somewhat troubled.

“There is no need for that. You are also busy, Director Choi. Go to the company first.”

At my firm answer, Choi Seo-jun nodded quietly and replied.

“Then, have a safe trip. I will go to the company first.”

“Yes, I will see you at the company.”

I followed Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo toward the parking lot.

I placed my body in the passenger seat of a luxurious black sedan.

As the car door closed, silence flowed.

“Haah….”

I let out a long sigh and leaned my back comfortably against the chair.

It felt as if some of the tension was being released from my shoulders.

Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo sat in the driver’s seat and started the engine.

At that time, I murmured as if talking to myself.

“It is not as easy as I thought to shake off Director Choi every time I stop by the hospital.”

The corner of Kang Cheol-woo’s mouth rose slightly.

The figure, who usually had almost no change in expression, had smiled.

“It is probably because his heart worrying for you is great, Representative.”

“I always think of that with gratitude.”

I looked at the darkened scenery outside the window.

I thought that tonight was truly long.

The car moved quietly toward the hospital.

The lights passing beyond the car window flickered calmly.

For a moment, only the engine sound and the vibration of the road filled the space.

I leaned my elbow on the armrest and kept my eyes on the scenery outside the window before slightly shifting my gaze.

“Chief Secretary, I have something I am curious about.”

Kang Cheol-woo, who was looking ahead, glanced at me sitting next to him.

“Yes, Representative.”

“I have been curious about this since a long time ago, but why did you try to help my aunt?”

At the sudden question, Kang Cheol-woo’s hand stiffened minutely for a moment.

A somewhat unfamiliar sign brushed past him, as he was usually unshakable.

He soon composed his expression calmly, but I never missed such things.

“That is….”

Kang Cheol-woo paused for a moment while choosing his words.

I tilted my head slightly while holding back the laughter that was trying to burst out.

“There are times when even a person like Chief Secretary Kang Cheol-woo gets flustered.”

Kang Cheol-woo cleared his throat for no reason.

“Ahem. As you know, Representative, she is a person I have seen for a long time, so I owe her a lot.”

Rather than the answer, my eyes sparkled as if the rare change in expression shown by the Chief Secretary was more interesting.

“My aunt is very considerate and treats people very well, right?”

“Yes, that is right.”

In an instant, Kang Cheol-woo ended up answering while smiling brightly without realizing it.

Seeing that appearance, I bit my lip to the point of holding back my laughter.

Who was it that said this?

That love and a cough cannot be hidden.

I thought to myself.

‘It must be a very good time.’

Meanwhile, the car they were riding in arrived leisurely at the hospital.

Since it was late at night, the hospital corridor was deserted.

Unlike other floors, the path toward the VIP floor exuded a more silent atmosphere.

They passed through the glass door that controlled access as if they were familiar with it.

I and Kang Cheol-woo reached the vicinity of the hospital room door.

Two bodyguards were guarding in front of the door.

They bowed their heads and greeted each other.

“You are working hard today as well.”

The bodyguard also bowed his head and quietly opened the door.

The moment I stepped into the hospital room, I stopped my steps unintentionally.

This was a dedicated space for the Taeseong Group.

Inside the room, which was imbued with a restrained luxury rather than flashiness, calm music was flowing out along with dim lighting.

However, only one thing caught my gaze.

Chairman Lim Man-seok, who was known to have not yet regained consciousness, was sitting leaned back against the bed and turning the pages of a book.

His complexion was much better than usual.

His gaze was also still sharp.

Far from appearing completely sick, he looked healthy enough to appear healthier than a young person.

He folded the book he was reading and raised his head.

“You came, my puppy.”

“Grandfather, what book were you reading today?”

“It is Hyunjun. You have come well.”

Beside him, Mrs. Yoon Myeong-sook was sitting gracefully, and on the other side, my mother, Mrs. Kang Ji-yeon, stood up from her seat and welcomed her son.

Yoon Myeong-sook kept her side by her husband and sent a tender gaze.

She held my hand with both of her hands and was very glad to see her grandson.

“I heard there was an executive meeting today? You must have gone through a lot of trouble. Hyunjun, did it end well?”

“Yes, of course.”

When Yoon Myeong-sook showed a hint of being happy, Lim Man-seok spoke with a displeased expression.

“What kind of scheme did that fellow Do-hyun cook up again?”

The ones surprised by those words were Yoon Myeong-sook and Kang Ji-yeon.

Because of that, I cleared my throat and opened my mouth.

“Nothing much happened. Grandmother, do not worry too much.”

“I, is that so? Then that is a relief.”

As she showed a hint of being relieved, I spoke while forcing a smile.

“I have something to say to grandfather for a moment.”

At those words, Kang Ji-yeon realized at once and picked up her outer garment.

“Mother, let us go in and rest now. The night is deep. You must rest to come out again tomorrow.”

“I, is that so. I should.”

Kang Ji-yeon helped her mother-in-law wear her outer garment comfortably.

As the two people went outside like that, the full-scale story began.