The black suits that had swarmed to prevent Jaeha from escaping parted to both sides.
Two carts arrived. One had Kyungwoo and Jungok, and the following one had Kyungrok and Dohyun. Jungok, wearing high heels instead of golf shoes, walked quickly toward the startled Taeho.
“What do you think you’re doing right now?”
“Why are you all the way here?”
“You said on the phone earlier you were playing a night game? Where are the people doing the round with you?”
Jungok interrogated Taeho while looking around at the obvious scene.
“Don’t interfere with my business.”
“How is this only your business?”
Saying that, Jungok stared directly at the equally surprised Jaeha. Jaeha bowed his head in greeting without realizing it. He felt like he should, though he didn’t know why.
“How do you do, I’m Seo Jaeha.”
“Ah, Prosecutor Seo Jaeha. I heard about you from Kyungwoo. You must be busy with the case, but you worked hard coming all the way here at night. Kyungwoo will take you home, so please go ahead.”
“Ah, yes.”
“No! Where are you going!”
Taeho shouted at Jaeha. At that sound, the staff flinched as if to grab Jaeha. In turn, Jaeha also stopped.
“Don’t worry about the Chairman and go. Director Yoo, from now on, whatever happens, don’t touch Prosecutor Seo.”
“No, what are you doing interfering in company business?”
“Company business? How is this company business? It’s family business!”
Jungok shouted sharply. Everyone had bewildered expressions due to the argument between the Chairman and the Chairman’s wife. The middle-aged man called Director Yoo didn’t particularly restrain Jaeha.
“Dad.”
“Father.”
Kyungrok and Kyungwoo approached. Meanwhile, Dohyun stood by Jaeha’s side.
“A car is waiting in front of the clubhouse. Let’s go.”
“Where! Director Yoo, catch that bastard!”
As Dohyun tried to take Jaeha away, the secretarial office staff who received the order blocked the two.
“If you all don’t want to lose your heads here, don’t even think about touching my kids!”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“That’s right. I’m crazy.”
Taeho froze at the sudden outburst. His face turned white, then turned bright red again. He shouted at Jungok.
“Where do you think you are, making such a scene embarrassingly?”
“You had nothing better to do than bring my son’s friend here to threaten him? You should be the one who’s embarrassed!”
“Friend?”
Kyungwoo stepped forward in front of the bellowing Taeho.
“He’s my one and only friend. Let him go.”
“You bastard… I knew it. This is all your doing, isn’t it? You black-hearted bastard. Stabbing your father in the back?”
“A father should act like a father. You can’t gently soothe him, you always threaten and yell, so how could the child have affection for his father? And who stabbed who in the back? Why are you blaming my son for what that crazy murderer bastard did?”
Jungok raised her voice as if she would devour Taeho.
“No… this person… really, what’s wrong with you?”
Taeho, overwhelmed by her spirit, stuttered. Kyungwoo also froze watching Jungok jumping up and down. Kyungrok, who had quietly approached toward Jaeha, opened her mouth quietly.
“It’s my first time seeing Mom like this. Prosecutor Seo, what did you do?”
“I also… I only met that mother for the first time today.”
“You must have had Kyungwoo do something.”
“Ah… I only asked him to pass on my thanks for the food she gave me.”
“That’s it. That’s it.”
“What do you mean?”
Jaeha asked, but Kyungrok gave him a look as if to stay quiet.
“If you committed a crime, you should pay for it. What great wrong did Prosecutor Seo commit that you kidnap and threaten him at night? He deserves an award, not this!”
“Do you know how much damage there is to the company image?”
“If you were worried about image damage, you shouldn’t have entrusted the company to your younger brother and nephew! When you had a perfectly capable daughter, you pushed her into marriage, and when your son came back wanting to work, you nitpicked at everything and passed him the food and distribution that’s worse than a corner store when you should have thought about passing him Chemical! And now whose fault is it!”
“No… that’s…”
“It’s partly your fault for pushing my child to this state. You know? Whenever things go even slightly wrong, it’s Kyungwoo’s fault! What did your child do wrong to be treated worse than a murderer! Wake up! Jung Taeho!”
Jungok, whose face was flushed enough that even makeup couldn’t hide it, approached Taeho, snatched away his golf club, and threw it far toward the field. Then, staggering with her delicate body, she approached her husband who was standing there in a daze.
“When you were like this, Prosecutor Seo looked after your son. You know? It was Prosecutor Seo who pulled our Kyungwoo out into the world. Instead of being grateful enough to bow to such a friend, you go on about some company image or whatever?”
Jungok, who had been fuming, glanced around at the people standing nearby, then smoothed her disheveled hair. Then she glared at Taeho as if to kill him and spoke clearly.
“The corporate image you thought was so important that you hushed up and hid even your son being kidnapped—I’ll destroy it for you. Let’s see if we can have a messy divorce lawsuit in our old age. ‘Taeryoung Chairman’s Wife Finally Opens Her Mouth.’ Very nice. Daughter!”
Kyungrok, suddenly called, was startled and approached Jungok.
“Women’s magazines, fashion magazines, cooking magazines. Don’t discriminate among women’s magazines, book all the interviews. Say that Taeryoung’s wife is opening her mouth. Say that she’s revealing decades of Taeryoung’s secret history.”
“There are also travel and hotel magazines. Should I book noblesse magazines first considering Mom’s dignity?”
“Whatever, tell them to come starting tomorrow morning.”
At those words, Taeho stepped forward in horror.
“Jung Kyungrok! Won’t you put down that phone?”
“Dad, I’m sorry. You know I’m always on Mom’s side.”
Taeho looked around in confusion. Director Yoo had no power to stop the Chairman’s wife. Then his gaze naturally turned to Kyungwoo.
“I think Seo Jaeha should just be left alone.”
“The company!”
Then Jaeha opened his mouth.
“It’s already happened. Jung Taesu’s family aside, you should protect your household, Chairman.”
“This… loose mouth!”
“You’re the one who should shut your loose mouth. It’s been a full 25 years. Living like a ghost with my mouth shut because of your petty Taeryoung image—I can’t stand it anymore. The resentment of not being able to tear that cripple bastard to death with my own hands for touching my child, I’ll settle it now. Go ahead and try.”
Jungok stood blocking Kyungwoo. She was truly ready to charge ahead without regard for anything.
“How… could… you… to me… do this…”
Taeho stuttered, seemingly shocked that his whole family had turned against him. It was Director Yoo and Kyungrok who supported him as he stumbled.
“Dad, you lost this time. Do as Mom says.”
“Even you… how could you?”
“But Mom, if Dad backs down this time, you’ll reconsider the divorce, right?”
“Why should I…”
It seemed like she was going to say “Why should I?” but Jungok closed her mouth. Kyungwoo held his mother’s hand, then looked at his mother and father in turn.
“Fine. I’m willing to reconsider.”
“Divorce is unacceptable. The Chairman getting divorced! How shameful!”
Taeho hammered the point home again as if that was absolutely unacceptable.
“Then leave our son and Prosecutor Seo alone. That’s my condition.”
“Chairman.”
Even Director Yoo cast a look toward Taeho indicating it wouldn’t work.
As the situation became unfavorable, Taeho finally conceded, shaking off Director Yoo and his daughter and standing up straight.
“Fine. I’ll let it go this time. But if you get caught again next time!”
“That won’t happen.”
Jaeha stepped forward.
“When the Chairman is guiding me, I wouldn’t fail to distinguish between audacity I should and shouldn’t display. I have that much sense.”
“Then what about Jung Kyunghyun’s case?”
This time Kyungwoo stepped forward.
“He should pay for his crimes. The image has already fallen to the ground. Preventing further damage is the only way.”
Taeho made a groaning sound, then finally looked at his daughter and asked.
“Do you think so too?”
“Kyunghyun caused the accident. If we don’t cut it out now, the whole group might collapse later. Are you really confident about making Chemical independent and separate?”
“It’s a company I devoted my entire youth to.”
“Then leave it to Prosecutor Seo for now. He’s quite capable. He knows how to catch people off guard too.”
Saying that, Kyungrok added toward Taeho.
“You can put aside worries about betrayal. Kyungwoo will handle controlling Prosecutor Seo.”
Meaningful glances were exchanged between Kyungrok, Kyungwoo, and Jaeha.
Dohyun lowered her head and only looked at Seo Jaeha’s feet. They were very familiar shoes.
Jung Taeho, who had been fuming, took off the golf glove he was wearing and slammed it on the ground. Then, without a word, he strode toward the cart.
Director Yoo bowed his head to Jungok and followed Taeho. The secretarial office staff also bowed their heads and followed in a rush.
“Secretary Choi.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“I’m going home with Kyungrok. Secretary Choi will drive. Give the car Secretary Choi came in to Kyungwoo.”
“Yes.”
Dohyun took out a smart key from her pocket. As she tried to hand it to Kyungwoo, Jaeha snatched it mid-air.
“I’ll drive.”
Saying that, Jaeha looked at Kyungwoo. He looked calm, but his complexion was unusual.
“He has a habit of speeding when he’s angry. That bastard.”
“Do I look angry?”
“Yeah. It looks like your fuse has turned 360 degrees.”
The smile that appeared on his pale face looked dangerous. It sent a chill down his spine.
“Are you going down right away?”
The tone of the question was eerie. It was the first time he was worried about what he might do to him tonight.
