Chapter 155 ·Rational Thinking (思考)

Rational Thinking (思考)

Choi Tae-eun's scream, which sounded almost like a desperate cry, was directed at In-hyuk, who was standing beside Tae Ju-ha.

She immediately strode up to In-hyuk and even slapped his cheek.

Slaaap—

"It's because of you that he ended up like this! If you hadn't brought those guys in, this wouldn't have happened!"

She blamed him for being the cause of the close connection between the Taeshin Group and AMK Partners.

In-hyuk stood silently without a word. But Tae Ju-ha did not remain still.

"Auntie!"

"Who's your auntie?! If your father's family hadn't brought you in! If they hadn't been so worried about losing their place at the table that they married you off to that man! My husband wouldn't have ended up like this!"

As soon as Choi Tae-eun found out Tae Seok-ho had died during the temporary shareholders' meeting, she fainted. When she came to, she was immediately interrogated by the police, and the initial conclusion had been that it was suicide.

Now, blaming In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha, she poured out all her resentment, believing them to be the cause.

"That's enough!"

At that moment, Tae Gun-seung, who had been sitting on a nearby sofa, burst out in a loud voice.

Immediately, silence spread through the funeral room.

Letting out a long sigh through his nose, Tae Gun-seung looked at the photo of Tae Seok-ho set up at the front of the room.

Bzzz— bzzz—

At that moment, Song Tae-ho, Tae Gun-seung's secretary, felt his phone vibrate and stepped outside. He returned not long after, looking extremely serious.

"Chairman. It seems there has been a problem in Vice President Tae Seok-ho's case."

With those words, Song Tae-ho handed over the phone he was holding.

The screen was filled with just-published articles.

【T Group Executive A, Evidence Points to Murder, Not Suicide! Video of Suspects Fleeing Secure...】

【T Group's Second Son A, Once Thought to Have Committed Suicide, Murder Video Reported. Main Offender Is Secretary B, Accomplices Are Security Guards...】

【Anonymous Tip Overturns the Case! Truth of T Group Executive A's Case Confirmed by Anonymous Tip from Press Illegally Filming Site!】

...

There were videos included with the news.

The footage looked to have been shot from a building across from Taeshin Trading. It captured through the window what had happened in Tae Seok-ho's office that day.

Tae Seok-ho, while being strangled by Reina Blackwood, his secretary, had been forced to swallow something and then collapsed.

Afterward, she left the room, and though the security guards lingered, they all exited shortly after.

Upon seeing this, a deep crease formed between Tae Gun-seung's brow.

"So this was all the work of that secretary woman?"

"At least, from the video it seems so."

Tae Gun-seung also found it odd. His secretary and security guards suddenly changed, and then vanished with the news of death.

He had checked with the prosecution and police multiple times through Song Tae-ho, but only received the answer that the investigation was ongoing.

"Set up a meeting with the Prosecutor General as soon as possible. Of course, check what the prosecution will say about this incident before then!"

"I'll inform them right away."

Meanwhile, the others present were checking the same articles Tae Gun-seung had seen.

They were all shocked by the video evidence showing Tae Seok-ho's death was a murder, not a suicide.

Tae Gun-seung shifted his gaze to In-hyuk, who was standing with Tae Ju-ha, as he remained calm, unlike the rest of the family.

...

...

A few hours later.

Police and the National Forensic Service arrived and reclaimed Tae Seok-ho's remains for re-examination.

It was a different team from before. Since there was evidence that prosecution and police tried to cover up the incident, they were replaced immediately.

Naturally, the funeral could not continue.

The Taeshin family members watched this quietly from the funeral room, and Tae Gun-seung muttered softly.

"To think his life ended by the hands of someone he brought in himself... In the end, it is Seok-ho's karma."

With the situation as it was, Tae Seok-ho had no one to blame but himself, unless he had been murdered.

However, Choi Tae-eun's anger toward In-hyuk had not subsided. She believed AMK Partners had been involved in Tae Seok-ho's decision, regardless of how things had unfolded.

Tae Gun-seung also sensed this and let out another sigh.

"Everyone, don't cause a fuss until the funeral resumes. Especially the second family, stop any wild thoughts."

"Isn't that too much?"

Choi Tae-eun answered back.

Tae Gun-seung stared at her with a hard expression.

"What do you mean?"

"I know my husband did wrong to you, Father! But that's not a sin worthy of death! Shouldn't you at least consider what drove him to it?!"

She was referring to stripping Tae Gun-seung of his CEO position during the temporary shareholders' meeting.

"Do you think I'm acting this way because of that?"

"Isn't it?"

"If I still cared about that position, I wouldn't have given up my shares!"

"You shouldn't have just stood by—you should've helped him! We're not strangers, are we? He's still your son! Isn't it the least you could have done for your own son?"

Now she began blaming Tae Gun-seung as well.

At that point, Tae Seok-hyun, who had stayed silent all along, stepped forward.

"As his older brother, I'm also saddened that Seok-ho ended up like this. But how is that Father's fault? In the end, wasn't it Seok-ho's own greed that led to this?"

"Greed?! So are you saying you ended up the way you did because you didn't have greed, Hyung?"

"What did you say?"

"Sister-in-law! You shouldn't talk that way!"

Now, even Lee Sun-hye, who had been standing quietly by Tae Seok-hyun's side, stepped in.

Their quarrel quickly escalated into an argument among the three, making the funeral room even more chaotic.

Tae Gun-seung pressed his temple as if a headache was coming on.

Meanwhile, In-hyuk walked over to Tae Gun-seung.

"I don't think there's any reason to stay here any longer. I'll be going first."

"I was going to leave anyway. There are things I've been putting off, too."

"I'll go as well."

Tae Ju-ha apparently decided she could not stay in this atmosphere either.

Thus, In-hyuk left the funeral hall together with them.

When they reached the parking lot, they saw Baek Si-hwan, who had left earlier, standing in front of their car.

"Why did you come back?"

"I saw the article. The funeral probably won't continue, so I returned."

To others, he seemed like a quick-witted and efficient secretary.

But to In-hyuk, he was nothing but a rat, always ready to sneak in at the slightest opening.

"I was debating whether to call a taxi in front of reporters. Good timing."

In-hyuk watched as Tae Gun-seung's car pulled out, then he and Tae Ju-ha got into their own car. Tae Ju-ha, too, had to wait for her ride, having already sent Heo Yu-rim ahead.

* * *

Leaving the funeral home, Tae Gun-seung headed not to his residence but to an apartment complex in Cheongdam neighborhood. Soon, a middle-aged man came out and got into the car.

"What brings you all the way here?"

The man was Jung Min-seop, Executive Director of Taeshin Trading.

"Didn't you see the articles as well? Because of that, the police reclaimed Seok-ho's body. The funeral was suspended, so I came right over."

"Then you should have called me."

"The thirsty man digs the well, after all. Besides, I figured you might have things to say as well."

This was about the agenda that AMK Partners had requested for the temporary shareholders' meeting at Taeshin Trading.

Replacement of executives and the board, and nomination of a new CEO. Since Jung Min-seop's name had come up, it was only natural for Tae Gun-seung to be curious.

"I apologize for not telling you sooner."

"I'm not asking for an apology. Knowing your character, you wouldn't have initiated something like this yourself."

After all, it was about being appointed CEO of Taeshin Trading, the holding company of Taeshin Group, backed by nothing less than AMK Partners.

What's more, if the executives and board were replaced, most of the internal confusion would be reduced.

"Hmm... I received a proposal from CEO Gordon Grimes. He asked me if I'd like to become the CEO of Taeshin Trading."

"You met him in person?"

It was rumored that Gordon Grimes first appeared at SGA in Hong Kong. Since his identity had always been unclear, countless entrepreneurs were curious about him.

Tae Gun-seung was one of them, so naturally, he was more interested in the meeting than the proposal itself.

"At first, I received the proposal anonymously, so I didn't even know it was him."

"Heh... So, what made you accept?"

"I just couldn't bear to watch Taeshin Group collapse like this. So I made my decision on the day of the shareholders' meeting..."

"So AMK Partners, or rather Gordon Grimes, had anticipated even that."

You can't add agenda items in the middle of a temporary shareholders' meeting—that means it had to be registered in advance.

Even putting the proposal to appoint Jung Min-seop as CEO in the agenda.

"In the end, we were just dancing in the palm of his hand."

Tae Gun-seung made a faint smile.

"If I get the chance, he's someone I definitely want to meet. What was your impression?"

Even though they were about to lose control of Taeshin Group, it was genuine curiosity that preceded everything else.

"He looked, at most, perhaps early 50s, and spoke Korean more fluently than I expected. He wasn't impulsive, but made every move after careful calculation."

"So he's meticulous, huh. Well, that's the only way he could have hidden his identity while moving such a large company."

It was an honest expression of admiration, just as before.

"... I truly apologize. Even after receiving the offer, since I didn't know how the shareholders' meeting would go, I couldn't inform you."

"It was an unpredictable situation for anyone. Besides, since I threw my shares up in the air, it inevitably looked like I was supporting Seok-ho."

"Maybe that, too, was part of AMK Partners' plan."

Referring to the fact that they had been controlling the shares since the agenda to dismiss Chairman Tae Gun-seung as CEO. Without that, it would have been difficult for Tae Seok-ho's side to confidently proceed with the temporary shareholders' meeting.

In the end, they had all been played by AMK Partners.

"And yet, after all that, they decided not to take over Taeshin Group directly, which is even more baffling."

"I have no idea what they're thinking."

"Still, you're a hundred times better than someone who doesn't care for Taeshin. But you do need to be tougher than before. Of course, with all you've been through to reach that position, I'm sure you know that already."

He was emphasizing that what's needed in running a business isn't reckless attachment or greed, but rational thinking.

Of course, Jung Min-seop understood this well, just as Tae Gun-seung said.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Sorry for calling you over so late."

"Not at all."

"Take care of yourself, and when things settle down, let's have a meal."

With those parting words, Jung Min-seop got out of the car.

Simultaneously, Song Tae-ho and the driver, who had been waiting nearby, got back into the car.

"Drive safe, Chairman."

"You know, you never do call me comfortably, do you."

The car soon drove off.

Jung Min-seop, silently watching the departing car, bowed deeply in its direction, holding the posture for a long time.

Under the faint glow of the streetlights in the darkness, hot tears streamed down his cheeks and dropped to the ground.