Chapter 182: Drawing the Sword (3)

Lim Man-seok spoke while looking back and forth between the two siblings.

"The problem with Do-hyun will not end with dismissal. Seeing how he went into hiding like that, we must also keep in mind the possibility that he is clearly plotting something somewhere."

Kang Cheol-woo nodded his head immediately.

"I am investigating the people who were in close contact with President Lim Do-hyun, and even the figures he met frequently over the past few months. I will also check the lines connected inside and outside of Taeseong."

"Yes. You must properly dig into the tracks of that fellow Do-hyun first."

Lim Man-seok tapped the armrest slowly with his finger while leaving his cane leaning beside him.

"I cannot see the company shaking anymore because of that fellow Do-hyun."

The air inside the office became heavy again.

No one said it, but they were thinking the same thing.

A heart that wanted to believe it was the end with the dismissal.

Nevertheless, between the ominous premonition that this was only the beginning, another storm of the Taeseong family was slowly turning its direction and approaching.

***

A few days later in the morning.

A black SUV stopped slowly in front of the entrance of the Gangnam residence.

In front of the iron gate, a temporary security post had been made, and familiar faces were guarding the spot.

They were the security team deployed by Taeseong Group and the HJ Partners guards personally selected by Advisor Hong.

As the vehicle approached, a guard raised his hand.

"I am sorry. I will verify your identity."

The passenger window went down, and the HJ Partners team leader poked his head out.

"Hello. I am Team Leader Park Jae-woo of the HJ Partners Fund Management Team. I have a meeting at the Representative's house today as well."

The guard checked the pre-access list on a tablet.

Then he asked.

"I will verify your name once more."

"It is Park Jae-woo."

The guard, who was scanning the access list on the screen, nodded.

"It is confirmed. Please also tell me the names of the people sitting in the back seat."

The employees in the back seat gave their names one by one.

After checking each one, the guard guided them.

"All have been verified. You may park over this way. It may be uncomfortable since the situation is what it is lately, but the identity verification will continue to be carried out."

"Yes, I understand. At this level, we also feel relieved."

As the SUV slowly entered inside, this time a taxi stood in front of the gate.

The back door opened, and a young woman carefully got out.

In her hands, she held a briefcase and a laptop bag each.

"Hello. I am Assistant Manager Kim Ju-yeon of the HJ Partners Fund Management Team."

The guard scanned her and smiled with an expression that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Assistant Manager Kim Ju-yeon, I know you usually commute to the office, so why did you come here today?"

At the unexpected question, Kim Ju-yeon was clearly showing signs of tension.

"Ah, that is because today is the regular meeting day."

The guard, who was examining Kim Ju-yeon as if she were suspicious, asked into his radio.

"Assistant Manager Kim Ju-yeon of HJ Partners has arrived. Shall I let her in?"

Soon, an answer came back.

The guard spoke according to the procedure.

"I will check your ID."

"Ah, yes."

When she took her ID out of her wallet and handed it over, the guard compared the face with the photo.

"It is confirmed. You may put this sticker on and go in. There are guards in the hallway as well, so if anyone asks who you are, you can show them the entry sticker."

"Yes, I understand."

Kim Ju-yeon attached the sticker to the collar of her top.

She went inside and looked up at the two-story residence.

'Wow, to think I would come all the way to the Representative's house.'

It had been quite a while since she joined HJ Partners, but she did not know she would visit the Representative's house.

Furthermore, today was also the first day she would see the Representative.

At the thought of facing the face she had only seen on a screen in person, her heart beat fast with a mixture of tension and curiosity.

Meanwhile, beside the iron gate, a delivery driver was standing while holding a large drink carrier.

"Here are the drinks and cakes ordered under the name of HJ Partners."

"Please state the order number and the store name."

Only after meticulously checking the receipt and order details did the guard receive the food that had been delivered.

The guard delivered the food inside.

The food headed straight to the second floor.

There was an empty room next to my room.

That place had recently been transformed into a temporary office for HJ Partners.

It was packed with desks, meeting tables, monitors, and whiteboards.

By the window, employees who had opened their laptops sat in a row.

It was possible because the room was wider than expected.

Even before nine o'clock in the morning, employees came up to the second floor one after another.

"The Fund Management Team will have a meeting in this room. The Representative's room is right next door. Do not go in there."

Park Jae-woo, who arrived first, explained kindly.

Kim Ju-yeon was slightly surprised inwardly as she recalled the shoe rack she saw on the first floor.

It meant that there were as many HJ Partners employees here as that number.

She looked down at her entry sticker and then let out a long breath for a moment.

After that, she moved her steps to the office that had been set up temporarily.

Inside the wide-open room, it was full of voices welcoming her.

"Assistant Manager Kim Ju-yeon, are you here?"

"Yes, hello?"

"Come and sit."

Kim Ju-yeon sat in an empty seat.

She looked at me, the Representative, as I was already sitting in the inner seat and working.

I, a boy with impressive deep eyes that did not feel like nineteen years old, was checking something while looking back and forth between the laptop and documents with my shirt sleeves rolled up halfway.

It was a different atmosphere from the face she had seen only across a screen.

I was taller than she thought, and meeting me in person, I was very handsome compared to the photos.

'Wow, it is really the Representative. He is like an idol....'

Kim Ju-yeon stared blankly at my face without realizing it.

At that time, Park Jae-woo muttered smallly beside her.

"Is this the first time Assistant Manager Kim is seeing the Representative? How is it? Is he a bit different seeing him in person?"

"Ah, yes. He is incredibly handsome."

"Hahaha. Our Representative is indeed very handsome."

As Park Jae-woo chuckled, Advisor Hong looked at them.

He had been guarding my side while eating and sleeping here for several days.

Even if I told him to sleep in a room, he sought sleep while covered with a blanket on the sofa placed in front of the room where I slept.

At that time, she slinked toward Advisor Hong and asked.

"Advisor Hong, did you sleep here today as well?"

"I must be where the Representative is. Who else would guard him?"

Even if his way of speaking was rough, it was a fact that I had become safer thanks to that.

Because I knew that, I was also very grateful.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen on the first floor, Kang Ji-yeon moved busily without rest.

Of course, she was not doing it alone, but since her son was working at home, there were many things to take care of.

She was so busy that she was even making the food to be eaten at lunch in advance.

She was preoccupied with taking care of me and the employees while preparing side dishes, soup, and even snacks in between.

Actually, Kang Ji-yeon was very excited.

It was not like she was alone in the large house, but after her husband and son left for work, there were many times when she was lonely staying in this big house by herself.

However, since there were people who would eat deliciously and people she had to take care of, the day was not boring.

Thanks to that, the number of ladies who recently came also increased by a few more.

For those who came without even having breakfast, Kang Ji-yeon headed to the second floor with the ladies, carrying plenty of sandwiches and drinks that could be eaten simply.

Advisor Hong opened the half-open door for her.

"Did everyone eat? Those who could not have breakfast, have at least a simple snack."

At Kang Ji-yeon's voice, the gazes in the room turned toward her at the same time.

"Mother, I will take it."

I hurriedly got up and took the tray.

"Mom, you do not have to do things like this."

"What are you saying? I like it so much because you are staying at home like this."

Kang Ji-yeon smiled and slowly scanned the inside of the room.

The second floor was now completely occupied by HJ Partners.

They bit into the sandwiches one by one while working.

There was a warmth that could not be felt at the company.

As the employees gave words of thanks toward Kang Ji-yeon, she even waved her hand and went out while quietly closing the door.

The scene unfolding at home was unfamiliar, but one thing was certain.

'Yes, it is better to be by his side even like this.'

No matter what happened outside, or how Taeseong fluctuated, it did not matter to her.

At least for this moment, the fact that her son was before her eyes relieved her.

"I should feed everyone heartily. I wonder what would be good to make for lunch today?"

Her footsteps going down to the first floor were light.

***

While I was working hard.

The living room where the sea stretched out beyond the wide floor-to-ceiling glass.

Lim Do-hyun leaned his body obliquely against a luxurious leather sofa and slowly looked into a tablet.

[Taeseong Group, President Lim Do-hyun abruptly dismissed]

[Iraq project disaster, responsibility theory finally becomes a reality]

['All-out war' in Taeseong succession structure, Nuna line vs. Younger brother line]

Headline titles of articles that had heated up Korea since a few days ago poured out one after another.

Do-hyun gave a snort while slightly raising the corners of his mouth.

"...Abruptly dismissed, indeed."

He tapped the screen a couple of times with his finger.

The bottom was packed with analysis full of speculation and interviews with anonymous officials.

"President Lim Do-hyun was in a state of having lost power internally as well since the incident at that time, and the unreasonable decision-making in the overseas project...."

He let out a chortle while reading the sentence spoken by the anonymous official.

"Everyone wrote a novel quite interestingly."

It was different even when the dismissal articles first poured out.

His blood surged backward.

His chest felt hot as if it were burning, so he wanted to throw the tablet and immediately kick open the door of the Chairman's office where his Nuna was and go in.

'Nuna... dared to cut me off?'

What came up was only anger and a sense of insult.

Would there be anyone who did not know how much weight the name Lim Do-hyun carried in the family called Taeseong?

He hated her to death for making him like this.

However, two days, three days.

As time passed, the texture of his emotions also changed.

Looking down at the articles on the screen, at some point, he laughed enough to shake his shoulders.

"Yes. Until when do you think Nuna will be able to hold and shake Taeseong?"

He dropped the tablet onto the table and leaned his head back while looking up at the ceiling.

"I have no interest in a company that will soon fail!"

A sneer brushed his mouth.

"You must be happy. Whether you are the Acting Chairperson or whatever, now you will probably mistake it all for yours. Yes, enjoy yourself to your heart's content, thinking it is Nuna's world for a while. Because it will not last long."

A strange certainty was mixed in those words.

If Taeseong were to falter, it would give a huge blow to the person who held the management rights in their hands.

That was also the reason why Lim Do-hyun vanished.

He cut off his card usage and threw away his cell phone.

He avoided all traces that could be tracked from Taeseong's side.

"Try looking for me hard. See if I can be found."

He took a sip of the alcohol placed on the table next to the sofa.

The scent of whiskey lingered at the tip of his nose.

His gaze naturally moved to the scenery outside the window.

This was a villa near the coast, not the outskirts of Seoul.

Unless someone told them on purpose, it was a place where one could not come recklessly.

Do-hyun muttered as if talking to himself.

"It is good to rest after a long time."

It was then.

The sound of a door opening was heard from the entrance side.

Without even turning his head, Do-hyun placed the glass he was holding on the table as if he knew who was coming in.

"It seems it is more bearable to stay here than I thought."

A familiar husky low voice echoed in the living room.

Lim Do-hyun slowly turned his head.

At the entrance of the living room, a man of advanced age was standing.

A face with deep wrinkles created by time, wearing a neat coat.

However, his gaze still shone sharply.

The Chairman of Daehan Group, Nam Kun-ho.