Free Web NovelWhat Chairman Song Youngjoo wanted was simple.
Even after his death, he wished all the projects he had pushed forward to continue without hindrance, and for the three syllables of his name to remain intact in history.
The puppet he chose for that was Song Chanu.
Of course, if one dug deeper, there was probably also some guilt about Chanu being the son of a concubine. But more than that, he simply could not bear to see Daehyeon scattered into pieces, even after death.
“Chairman Song Chanu.”
I called his name, and all eyes in the room shifted toward him.
“The one Chairman Wang chose is you, Chairman Chanu. That does not change. And all the shares of Daehyeon I hold will remain aligned with yours.”
“...”
Even after hearing such favorable words, Chanu still glanced around at his siblings’ faces.
“Don’t look around. The owner of Daehyeon never needs to look at others’ eyes. That is the weight of the crown. If you do not change that weakness, someday it will strangle you.”
Chairman Song Youngjoo must have said the same thing to him. He had always insisted the Chairman of Daehyeon had to be unyielding.
All the more because I knew Chanu’s future—I knew his weakness would be his poison.
Because of his fragile nature, he could not endure Daehyeon’s crown and strangled himself with his own hands.
Since I had intervened, I could never let such a thing happen.
“And Chairman Song Chanseong.”
I turned my eyes from Chanu to Chanseong. His face was so full of barely contained rage it looked grotesque.
“Do not be greedy. You would do well to keep your position under Chairman Chanu.”
“Why should I? Why should I not be the owner of Daehyeon? I do not know what you’ve been promised by Father, but I will give you more than that.”
To boast about giving me something that was not even his to give—how laughable. It reminded me of someone.
Perhaps because a smile crossed my lips, his voice turned sharp with anger.
“Why are you laughing? Am I that funny to you?”
“I acknowledge your ability. You seized the chance when Chairman Wang collapsed, and you turned not only Daehyeon’s founding retainers but also his brothers to your side. People believe in your ability—that’s why they followed you.”
Indeed, I believed in Song Chanseong’s ability. He was the downgraded version of Song Youngjoo, a pale copy.
But there was something he overlooked.
“Yet, if the halo of being Song Youngjoo’s second son were gone, would they still have made the same choice?”
“...”
“Abandon the thought that your ability is unmatched. There are countless people in Korea more capable than you.”
“I... I raised Daehyeon Motors. My father may have founded it, but I learned every step from mechanic up and built it up piece by piece! And now you tell me to give it up?”
Song Chanseong firmly believed Daehyeon Motors belonged to him.
Clinging obsessively to something that was never his to begin with—it was a pitiful sight.
“If the one who raised it is the owner, then your owner is Chairman Song Youngjoo.”
“...How can a man and a company be the same?”
“To Chairman Song, Daehyeon was no different from a living being. All of you here as his family know that better than anyone.”
I looked around the room before continuing. None spoke except Chanseong.
“Other than my grandfather, the only elder I recognize is Chairman Song. I will not stand by and let his final days be sullied with chaos.”
“...”
“So go ahead and try. Do everything you can. The more you thrash, the more you’ll realize how worthless the things you cling to are—and that what you thought a fortress was nothing more than a sandcastle, crumbling in the slightest wind.”
Song Youngjoo was my grandfather’s friend, my mentor. I intended to honor his will.
“Let me summarize. Chairman Chanu is the owner of Daehyeon, and Chairman Chanseong will remain as Chairman of Daehyeon Motors to support him.”
Unable to accept it, Chanseong gnashed his teeth.
“If I cannot follow...”
“Then you must step down from that seat as well.”
“No matter how much stock you and Father hold, you cannot remove me from the chairmanship of Daehyeon Motors.”
“Do you really believe that?”
I answered his stubbornness with a cold smile. Our gazes clashed in the air—then noise erupted outside.
“Chairman Wang!”
I looked to Song Youngjoo. He gave a slight nod.
“Let them in.”
At his order, the secretary allowed in those who had been calling desperately outside.
“Directors?”
Chairman Song Chanseong shot to his feet, calling to them in a trembling voice.
He had clearly not expected their arrival.
But they ignored him completely and rushed to Chairman Song, prostrating themselves on the floor.
“Chairman Wang, we lost our minds for a moment. Please, forgive us just this once.”
“...”
Song Youngjoo kept his lips tightly sealed, only gazing down coldly at the backs of their heads.
“Chairman Wang, how could we ever betray you? You misunderstand. We only meant to act for your sake...”
“For my sake, you say?”
“Yes, yes, all for your sake.”
Unlike the trembling directors, Song Youngjoo’s voice was cold and steady.
“You claim to act for me, yet you defy my will? And call that loyalty?”
“...”
None of them could answer.
“Why can you not speak? Did you not say it was for me? Have you ever once defied my will before? Only now, when I falter, do you reveal your true colors.”
“No, Chairman Wang.”
“Then tell me. Why did you defy me? Why try to make me a useless old man pushed to the back room?”
At his calm rebuke, the directors pressed their foreheads to the floor.
They looked no different than criminals begging forgiveness, but still Song Youngjoo showed no reaction.
“Chairman Wang.”
I spoke, my voice cutting through. Even I shivered under the chill in his eyes.
“Give them a choice.” frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
“Those who betray once will betray again.”
“Even so, they are founding retainers.”
“Tsk...”
Clicking his tongue in displeasure, he looked down at them.
“Executive Director Jang.”
“Yes?”
Jang jerked his head up when his name was called.
“Will you do as I say?”
“Yes, yes, of course. I have always followed your will.”
“Is that so? And the rest of you as well?”
“Yes!”
All the others replied without hesitation.
“Then immediately hand over all your Daehyeon-related shares to President Kim Muhyuk.”
“What? That’s...”
“What, do you refuse? It has not even been a minute since you swore obedience. Was that lie as well?”
As his voice grew cold again, Jang hastily bowed.
“N-no. We will do so.”
“You’ll be paid the proper price. Isn’t that so, President Kim?”
“Of course. I’ll even add a premium.”
“You hear him.”
The farce playing out before their eyes left Song Chanseong’s face pale as death.
“You were the men who built Daehyeon Motors with me. Jang, you once lived breathing oil fumes, and thanks to me, you sit as an executive director today.”
“Yes, I know. I ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) will never forget that grace.”
“And you too, Executive Director Hong.”
He called out their names, reminding them of old stories—an unmistakable form of pressure.
“I am Daehyeon, and Daehyeon is me. Never forget that. My successor is Chanu. That will not change.”
“Yes, Chairman Wang.”
“You may leave.”
The directors rose, bowed deeply, and left.
But it did not end there. One after another, all those who had backed Chanseong arrived at the mansion.
The same scene repeated again and again, until at last, Chanseong’s face turned ghostly white.
Thanks to Chairman Wang, all the shares they held were now in my hands.
With this, I had enough stake to even replace Chanu if I wished.
“Now do you see reality?”
“...”
I asked mockingly, but he only glared at me, his eyes full of rage.
“If you still wish, then go ahead. Do whatever you can.”
At last, Chanseong hung his head, unable to answer.
I turned away from his broken figure and issued a warning to the rest.
“The rest of you should heed this as well. Even after Chairman Wang passes, anyone who opposes Chairman Chanu will not be forgiven.”
“...”
A suffocating silence filled the vast living room. Perhaps this was the very scene Song Youngjoo had wished for.
As it stood now, the true master of Daehyeon was not Chanu—but me.
Even in this pitiful state, I wondered if Song Youngjoo was content, so long as his name remained tied to Daehyeon.
“I will support whatever Chairman Chanu does, as long as he upholds Chairman Song’s will. I expect the rest of you to do the same in your places. Then you will keep everything you have now.”
It was time to conclude things. And that was Chairman Song’s role, not mine.
“Chairman Wang, I’ll take my leave. Please finish this yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.”
With a small bow, I left his house.
As soon as I got into the car, I pulled loose my tie with a sigh.
“This isn’t something a person should have to do.”
Chief Ma naturally took the tie from me.
“You did well.”
“You really think so, Chief? Was this truly the right thing?”
“Yes, you did well.”
The car slowly pulled away until Chairman Song’s mansion was out of sight.
Through the stained car window, the reddening sunset seemed to mirror the turmoil in my chest.
A few days passed after the Daehyeon family meeting.
News that Song Chanseong’s rebellion had failed spread quickly through the business world.
Though he still kept the title of Chairman of Daehyeon Motors, he now sat powerless, stripped of any real influence.
“Keep watching his movements at all times. He might still try something.”
“Yes, we will maintain surveillance.”
After the family meeting, Song Youngjoo returned to the hospital.
I did not know what else he said after I left. Perhaps I was not meant to know.
“By the way, did you look into The Sun’s feature piece?”
To me, that was more important than Daehyeon itself.
So even while handling Daehyeon, I ordered the Black Bear branch in London to investigate how far The Sun had dug into me.
“Indeed, they are investigating you.”
“You tracked the reporters who came to Korea?”
“Yes. One is in Busan digging into your childhood, another in Seoul.”
If not for Jessica’s warning, I might never have checked, and my identity could already have been exposed to the world.
“How far have they reached?”
“They are targeting Dreamhigh Investment’s ownership, your ties with Putin in Russia, and black connections with the American Mafia. Dreamhigh is already widely known, so that part is not much of an issue.”
“That’s only because my name has not yet been printed. Anyone who read Fomos already knows.”
I could not hide forever. But having everything exposed would only hinder my moves.
“Did you make contact with The Sun’s executives?”
“They flatly refused any conversation, as if they’ve been through this countless times before.”
“Hm...”
The Sun was a tabloid full of gossip. They would go after anyone, even the British royal family, if it could be spun into a story.
“Then I will have to go to England myself.”
If they were so curious, I would show them directly who I was.
And I would kindly teach them that the reckless tricks they had always gotten away with would not work on me.
