Ch 51

<51>

 

The Beginning of a New Time (12)

 

Even though her delicate hands were scratched here and there from trimming the tough flower stalks, Olivia seemed unfazed and focused on the wrapping once more. After neatly arranging the flowers, she rolled them up to check and then chose a decorative lace. Was she planning to go with her dad to where her mom was laid to rest?

 

Do you miss Mom? Do you remember her? Eunho was cautious, afraid of saying something that might hurt the child. He carefully held the flowers so they wouldn’t lose their shape.

 

“Tie it.”

 

Olivia wrapped the area Eunho was holding with wire, then added another layer with purple lace. Her young hands lacked the strength to tie it tightly, so Eunho asked for her understanding and re-tied it tautly. As soon as he created a balanced butterfly ribbon shape, the child clapped her hands and smiled brightly. Eunho was particularly struck by the sight of the child’s small, white teeth between her bright smiles.

 

In the distance, Taeoh walked over carrying something on a tray. Of course, Olivia must have ordered something to eat and gone inside. Eunho smiled contentedly as he watched Olivia run to her dad and grab the ice cream cup and spoon.

 

“Raw fruit sherbet challenge?”

 

“Yes. Challenge.”

 

He still felt nauseous and had heartburn, but the cold ice cream made his mouth water. Eunho took the cup and spoon Taeoh offered and took a small spoonful.

 

“How is it? Are you okay?”

 

The sherbet, made by freezing and grinding bananas and various berries, thankfully went down. It was sweet and tangy, and the nausea seemed to dissipate, making him feel much better.

 

“Ah, this works.”

 

No matter how good the food was in front of him, his stomach wouldn’t accept it, so he could only force it down without even tasting it. His sense of smell and taste had become so sensitive that his quality of life had plummeted. Experiencing this for the first time, Eunho was realizing anew how enjoyable and rewarding it was to be able to put something in his mouth and savor it comfortably.

 

“When did Olivia start drawing?”

 

“Hmm… a little after she turned two?”

 

“Two? Isn’t that when they still have trouble holding a pencil?”

 

Two years old was when they still spilled food even when trying to eat with a spoon, wasn’t it? Imagining children of that age, he asked with a doubtful tone, and Taeoh rummaged through his photo album on his phone as if to show proof. After scrolling for a while and checking the date of a video, he raised his eyebrows proudly and shrugged.

 

“That’s right, 27 months.”

 

“Wow.”

 

In the video, a body smaller than the canvas climbed on top of it, grabbed an oil pastel, and continued to color as if smearing it. Unbelievable. Eunho watched the 3-minute video meticulously from beginning to end, unable to believe it. Olivia wasn’t just scribbling random doodles, but carefully choosing colors and layering them, and Eunho could immediately tell that it wasn’t a game that children of that age played.

 

Taeoh glanced at Eunho, who was staring at Olivia in the video with wonder, and rested his arms on the bench. Wearing dark sunglasses, he shifted his gaze to the distant landscaped forest and continued, as if giving a tip.

 

“Take lots of videos later. Kids grow so fast that they don’t even remember that time when they pass it.”

 

In Taeoh’s case, he spent almost 1/3 of the year in Korea, so he couldn’t fully watch Olivia’s growth process. He always regretted that.

 

“Does she miss her mom a lot?”

 

“She was just a baby then. I’m the one who misses him.”

 

“Ah… I see.”

 

“Time heals… I think about him sporadically now, but it was hard until a few years ago.”

 

Taeoh had experienced his parents’ divorce as a child. After his stepmother entered the family, Taeoh, who had only dreamed of becoming independent, moved to the United States at the age of twenty to begin his studies, and from then on, he traveled back and forth between Korea and the United States, focusing on his business.

 

He had no interest in his father’s company, Seoin Construction, from the beginning. His stepmother, who had come in as a second wife, was a woman who knew her place. She always took care of Taeoh, the eldest son, before her own son, which moved him. In Korea, he deliberately acted like a playboy, giving strength to his half-brother, and he actively participated in his mother’s business in the United States, understanding the trends. Taeoh had enough with just his mother Isabella’s business.

 

Around the time he jumped into Isabella’s business, he met Junseo for the first time. Taeoh, who had gone to a New York gallery sponsored by A Second to fill the numbers, fell in love with Junseo at first sight and decided to live together after a year of courtship. Taeoh wanted a formal marriage, but Junseo didn’t want it. He was always thoughtful, anxious, and didn’t give his heart. Taeoh accepted and acknowledged that it was the unique talent of an artist, but he later realized that he still had Choi Yoonjae in his heart. Taeoh became even more obsessed when he learned that Junseo was holding onto him alone, even though they had broken up a long time ago and had no contact.

 

Then, one day, Junseo started using drugs. As Junseo, who used to live in his studio all day, became so devastated that he gave up painting, Taeoh gave up everything and went all in for him. They traveled together and received psychiatric treatment. He thought that if they had a child, his will to live would become stronger, so he knotted according to his heat cycle, and as a result, they had a child, but unlike Taeoh’s plan, Junseo suffered from severe depression after giving birth to Olivia and eventually died from a drug overdose.

 

After Junseo left, Taeoh finally realized. The child was just his own greed. It was his biggest mistake to think that he could hold onto Junseo, who had nothing but emptiness left. Taeoh suffered from great guilt afterward, but with Isabella’s help, he regained his senses and devoted himself to his business. And he gradually erased the painful time by taking care of Olivia, Junseo’s clone and look-alike.

 

“I’m going back to Korea tomorrow.”

 

“……”

 

“I’m going to visit the cemetery with Isabella before I go.”

 

Taeoh checked the bouquet Olivia had made and stroked her rice cake-like cheeks, saying she had done a good job. Olivia, who had her hair neatly tied in a ponytail, smiled innocently, making the two people next to her smile.

 

“Maybe, I’ll come back with Managing Director Choi, so look forward to it.”

 

“Can I really look forward to it?”

 

Eunho decided to rely on his relaxed attitude, confident that the situation would turn in their favor after the general shareholders meeting.

 

“You’ve been watching from the side, and you still don’t trust Managing Director Choi that much?”

 

“It’s not that, he’s fighting alone. But I feel a little relieved because Managing Director Kang and the CEO are there.”

 

No matter how great Yoonjae was, it would be useless if the people around him didn’t support him. He was like a tall pine tree standing alone on a cliff.

 

“When I meet Managing Director Choi, I’ll check what kind of picture he’s drawing and inject the appropriate funds. That’s all I have to do?”

 

His somewhat arrogant tone, saying that all he had was money, wasn’t unpleasant. Eunho knew that Taeoh’s exaggerated gestures and sly smile were meant to reassure the other person. Eunho put the empty cup on the tray and smiled shyly.

 

“Please come back successful.”

 

***

 

A small noise echoed outside Choi Seryeong’s office. It wasn’t a fight, but after a brief exchange of opinions as if the secretary in charge was struggling, the office door opened without warning.

 

CEO Han, who had roughly opened the door, raised his voice as he nervously loosened the tie that was choking his neck.

 

“Things are getting strangely twisted, are you really okay? The shareholders aren’t being cooperative.”

 

CEO Han realized that he had been greatly mistaken while meeting with shareholders recently. The problem was that he had underestimated Choi Yoonjae because he had deeply imprinted Choi Yoonjae from his rookie days in his mind.

 

The market’s assessment was very different from CEO Han’s expectations. Even 10 years ago, CEO Han himself was the head of Yuseong Venture Capital, and his name was the company’s brand. When he realized that the shareholders and institutional investors who had been crawling all over him when he was leading the company with the late Chairman Choi on his back were now pledging allegiance to Choi Yoonjae, he became impatient. The young and naive Choi Yoonjae was only in CEO Han’s memory.

 

“Why is A Second so quiet? Weren’t you supposed to persuade them?”

 

“I can’t get a response even when I try to contact them.”

 

“Haha, geez.”

 

It was a big mistake to have been arrogant and thought that Choi Yoonjae was nothing compared to the size of Yuseong Group and his own abilities, even though Yuseong Group had lost its power. Choi Yoonjae’s market evaluation was more favorable than he had imagined. In the past 10 years, the trend had changed to the point where people thought of Choi Yoonjae, not CEO Han, when they thought of Yuseong Venture Capital. It was Choi Yoonjae who had sensed the change and continued to run forward, and CEO Han himself had been stuck in the memories of the past heyday.

 

“What about Secretary Yoo? Are you just going to sit there and get beaten without even trying?”

 

The day Yoo Eunho disappeared. Choi Yoonjae’s traffic accident made him happy for a while, but as if nothing had happened, Yoonjae took the lead in the company’s affairs, convened a meeting of executives, and added his resignation to the agenda of the general shareholders meeting, CEO Han’s feet were on fire. Belatedly, Seryeong’s errand boy chased after Eunho, but he disappeared at LAX airport, and after searching, they confirmed his family home, but there was no trace of him. The plan to take Eunho hostage and drive Yoonjae into a panic was instantly shattered.

 

“Vice President, you have nothing to lose, but I do.”

 

“Nothing to lose?”

 

“To be honest, Yuseong Venture Capital doesn’t belong to Chairman Choi, does it?”

 

“CEO Han!”

 

Choi Seryeong flared up and stood up from her seat at CEO Han’s excessive remarks. The damply spreading pheromone wavelengths filled the office and collided fiercely. CEO Han didn’t back down and released his energy, and Choi Seryeong expressed her angry rage, but CEO Han didn’t back down until the end.

 

“If you keep doing this, I’ll move independently.”

 

CEO Han left a warning message and disappeared, leaving behind a sharp poison. Seryeong, who mixed vulgar curses between her clenched teeth, pressed her fingers to her temples and pressed down as the throbbing pain recurred.

 

Seryeong, who thought she was going to have some fun because of Yoonjae, who had an accident by chance, was dizzy because she had to worry about the inheritance tax and the preparation of the second bill, as well as the Yuseong Venture Capital general shareholders meeting due to Chairman Choi’s death.

 

The most urgent issues were the second bill and the Yuseong Venture Capital general shareholders meeting.

 

If she won at the general shareholders meeting and Choi Yoonjae stepped down, she could divert some of the funds to be executed by Yuseong Venture Capital in the second half of the year in the form of investment in Yuseong Group to prevent the second bill, but the possibility was gradually becoming slim.

 

Choi Seryeong invested an additional 10 billion won in Hanseong Pharmaceutical out of the remaining 30 billion won after paying the first bill and part of the inheritance tax. It was a time when the results of Phase 3 were about to be announced, so she could expect a return of at least three times and up to five times or more. Seryeong had made the first investment of 20 billion won in Hanseong Pharmaceutical with funds from Yuseong Group last time, and recently invested an additional 10 billion won to make the second investment. A total of 30 billion won. Seryeong made a bet on Hanseong Pharmaceutical.

 

***

 

It rained heavily, reminiscent of the rainy season in the tropics. Taeoh’s eyes sharpened as he checked the rear view mirror while the security door opened and the manager ran out. As he stopped the car in front of Yoonjae’s house, a man with a long umbrella came out of a car parked in the alley and approached quite boldly. It seemed that he was coming to check in person because it was difficult to identify the number in the car due to the heavy rain. As the front door opened, Taeoh entered as if to show off and shook off the person approaching from behind. If you’re going to plant someone, put a decent human being there. A sarcastic tone leaked from Taeoh’s mouth.

 

Taeoh, who had been hit by the heavy rain in the middle of parking the car in the garden parking lot, patted his wet shoulders to shake off the beaded raindrops. It was a thin summer suit, but the stuffiness was doubled in the humid weather because he was wearing layers.

 

“It’s raining, thank you for coming all the way.”

 

Yoonjae slowly approached Taeoh, who was taking off his jacket in front of the front door and hanging it on one arm, and greeted him with a smile. Yoonjae, who had been suffering from hospital life, had lost weight in the meantime.

 

“I don’t know if it’s Choi Seryeong’s side or CEO Han’s side, but they’ve planted people outside. Just in case, I drove a car under someone else’s name, but it was worth bringing it.”

 

“They must be desperate. They must be curious about who I’m contacting.”

 

Yoonjae’s range of arm movement was limited and unnatural. His body was stiff like a log due to the cast, but Yoonjae seemed to be quite used to this pattern.

 

“How’s your body? Can you go to the general shareholders meeting?”

 

“Yes, I’ll be fine by then. I’ll take off the cast next week and replace it with a protector.”

 

“Is there anyone here?”

 

“I’ve asked them to leave for a while.”

 

He was worried about someone with a physical disability being alone, but it was a waste of time. Taeoh looked at the tea set with steaming steam on the living room table and shook his head, then sat down.

 

“Thank you for taking good care of Eunho.”

 

“I’ll be compensated for that. You know that, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

His body was heavy, but his expression was much lighter than the previous meeting. It seemed that Yoonjae’s command range had become more free as Eunho’s safety, which he was most worried about, was secured.

 

Yoonjae, who was sitting upright, picked up all the piles of documents on the table and picked out what he needed on his lap.

 

“Vice President Choi has invested an additional 10 billion won in Hanseong Pharmaceutical. I’m getting calls from all over the place, and they say that the investment in Hanseong Pharmaceutical is 30 billion won.”

 

“A high-risk investment tendency. If you have the money, it’s okay, but isn’t it almost gambling now?”

 

The inheritance tax and the second bill were waiting, so what was she thinking? Taeoh let out a silly laugh at Choi Seryeong’s hard-to-understand actions.

 

“I think she has something to believe in, but I don’t know. I got a call from the institutional investment side yesterday. The CEO of Hanseong Pharmaceutical is going to sell his holdings.”

 

“How many percent?”

 

“From 24% to 18%, so 6%. It’s scheduled to be traded as a block deal, so the official announcement will be made soon…”

 

The CEO of Hanseong Pharmaceutical, which Yoonjae had been reluctant to invest in, was reducing his shareholding ahead of the interim results of Phase 3 clinical trials. If the results of Phase 3 were good, there would be no reason to reduce it.

 

“6% is too much to sell… Does Managing Director Choi see it as profit taking?”

 

“It looks like profit taking, but the timing looks bad.”

 

Yoonjae smiled bitterly and handed Taeoh a few documents that he had organized separately. Taeoh turned the pages and smiled as he slowly pushed the flesh inside his cheek up with his tongue.

 

“Yuseong Group’s accounting books.”

 

“I’m going to file a complaint with the prosecution, and I’m going to detonate it in conjunction with the general shareholders meeting, and I’m going to distribute it to the media first. So that they can’t do anything about it.”

 

It was noticeable that they were collecting fine art or buying real estate for personal use by double-laundering money, such as putting part of the company’s profits into a social foundation owned by the group and returning it for personal use.

 

“They’ve been eating a lot.”

 

They had been embezzling steadily for a long time, but it was hard to believe that they had been able to continue until now without being caught once, as if there was a politician backing them.

 

Yoonjae slowly rubbed his eyebrow bone and organized the remaining documents.

 

“If the indictment goes in, the stock price will plummet, of course, and it will probably coincide with the time when they have to prevent the second bill, so they’ll have to put out easy-to-sell, high-quality assets while crying and eating mustard.”

 

As Yoonjae was about to hand over another bundle of documents, Taeoh, who was quick to notice, reached out and took them first. The report was quite thick, so he roughly flipped the edges with his fingertips, and there were images such as maps and indoor blueprints attached.

 

“What is this?”

 

“I’ve picked out the best tangible assets that Yuseong Group has.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Buy the good ones at a bargain price. I’ll let you know the timing.”

 

Taeoh, who was looking at the expected amount, pressed his philtrum with his fingertips and pondered for a moment. The opportunity was definitely good, but he was hesitant to execute additional funds because he had already bought 10% of the Yuseong Venture Capital shares held by the Choi family.

 

“I’ll pass the data on to my mother.”

 

“No. Do it with your father’s company, Seoin Construction.”

 

Taeoh’s eyes narrowed slightly. In fact, Seoin Construction’s liquid assets were not as good as his mother’s company, A Second. Just as he was wondering how much of the budget for the second half of the year had been executed, Yoonjae smiled leisurely and cut off Taeoh’s thoughts.

 

“After the general shareholders meeting, Yuseong Venture Capital will invest in Seoin Construction. Use that investment to buy Yuseong Group’s high-quality assets.”

 

Investing in A Second, where Yuseong Venture Capital was the second-largest shareholder, could potentially violate the law and appear as money laundering, which wasn’t a good look. As he signaled to funnel the money to Seoin Construction, Taeoh crossed his arms and leaned back against the chair.

 

“Do you believe in Seoin Construction’s investment value?”

 

“I’m investing because I believe we can sufficiently profit from it. Like Managing Director Kang, I don’t make investments that would lead to losses.”

 

Yoonjae’s trustworthy gaze shook Taeoh. Choi Yoonjae was now in his mid-thirties, and his sophistication, which belied his age of being four years younger than him, made Taeoh’s cheekbones rise.

 

“Is Eunho adjusting well?”

 

“His morning sickness is severe, so it seems you’ll need to come over as soon as the general shareholders meeting is over.”

 

If a pregnant omega is separated from their alpha for an extended period, it can affect the fetus’s growth, so they should stay together as much as possible, or if the situation doesn’t allow, they should at least be prescribed artificial alpha pheromones. Yoonjae was also sensitively aware of this fact.