Free Web NovelI studied Philip’s face closely. He was slightly flustered, but quickly changed his expression and spoke with a face that claimed ignorance.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I was completely excluded from this matter. Of course, I get reports, but Alex is the one in full command. But if you suspect that I sold out the boss’s information...”
I cut off Philip’s words, which were about to drag on, by raising my palm.
“An assumption, huh...”
I set down the teacup I had been drinking from and tapped the table with my finger.
Inside the parlor, awkward silence flowed. The only sound was the steady rhythm of my fingers tapping the table.
“I already know that you sold out my information and movements. This isn’t suspicion—it’s certainty. But if you keep feigning ignorance, then I can’t help it.”
“What are you...”
Ignoring Philip’s attempt to say something, I raised two fingers.
“Philip, I’ll give you two choices.”
I folded one finger down.
“First—confess truthfully who, when, and how they approached you, and what information you handed over, then commit suicide.”
Philip’s face turned pale. I folded down the remaining finger.
“Second—if you keep pretending ignorance, you and your entire family die.”
“Crazy bastard!”
Philip shot up from his seat, shouting.
Manager Ma placed his hand on Philip’s shoulder and pressed firmly.
“Urgh, kuh...”
The crushing force on his shoulder made Philip groan helplessly. He had no choice but to sit back down without resistance.
“It’s a simple problem.”
“...I’ve never sold anything.”
“That’s not the answer you should be giving.”
I could see Philip’s eyes trembling. I asked again.
“What will it be?”
“I, I...”
“I’d rather you not say you didn’t sell anything.”
Philip bit his lip hard and swallowed dryly. Soon, his head dropped weakly.
“No matter how I think about it, I can’t understand. For this matter, someone like Alex was more suitable, so you were excluded. I thought you were rational enough to understand that.”
“....”
“Did you harbor resentment? If not, then I don’t see any reason you’d hand over my information to someone else... unless you joined Black Bear from the beginning with this in mind. Looking into your surroundings, I noticed more than one strange thing.”
Philip’s pale ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ hands were trembling.
“Now, Philip. Choose. What will you do?”
I leaned back on the sofa, lifting my teacup again.
Watching Philip stay silent for a long time, I frowned.
I’d given him the chance, yet he failed to take it. I didn’t want to share the same space with such a fool anymore.
“Leave now. Since this is the choice you made, don’t blame me later.”
I signaled to Manager Ma standing behind Philip.
“Boss, but...”
“There’s no second chance. If you’ve got something to say, tell it to Manager Ma.”
Manager Ma took Philip and left the room.
While sipping my tea and sinking into thought, the door opened again, and Han Kyungyeong walked in.
“Why does that guy Philip look like death warmed over?”
At his puzzled question, I answered with a calm face.
“Don’t know. Maybe he’s sick.”
“He should’ve taken better care of himself then.”
Han Kyungyeong clicked his tongue lightly, shaking his head as he sat down.
“Want some tea?”
“No, I already had a cup. By the way, Ellen was supposed to start today—are you really letting her go like that?”
“She’s already starting?”
“She said the club has to be normalized as soon as possible. Yesterday, over dinner, she and Ailee were already talking about how to change up the club.”
Looked like I’d picked the right person. If she had affection for the team, then unlike Taylor, she’d manage it properly.
“Alright. Since we don’t know how Taylor will move right away, send some security personnel. You head to the clubhouse today and give her some backing.”
“Okay, boss. What about you?”
“I have someone else to meet today.”
“Who?”
I let a chilly smile slip.
“Murdoch.”
After discussing what needed to be done, Han Kyungyeong left for the clubhouse.
Left alone at the hotel, I sorted through the tangle in my head. Time passed, the sun set, and darkness thickened.
“Boss, Murdoch is here.”
“Is he? Let’s go.”
I put down the documents I’d been reading and stood up.
Stepping outside with Manager Ma, I found Murdoch waiting with his secretary.
“Chairman Murdoch, it’s been a while.”
I greeted casually. Murdoch turned his head, and upon recognizing my face, his features twisted hideously.
“Why such a scary expression? You came here to talk, didn’t you?”
I smiled and sat in the seat of honor. Murdoch wasted no time opening his mouth.
“We’re not exactly on laughing terms, are we?”
“Is that so? I thought you and I could be friends. Guess that was just my mistake.”
“Ha, you think you have the right to say that? My son is hurt! They don’t even know if he’ll live!”
“Something like that happened?”
“What?”
Murdoch sounded like a thug, either too distracted or too unwilling to keep up appearances.
But I had no need to nitpick that. The one at a disadvantage here wasn’t me—it was him.
“I didn’t know such a thing happened. I sincerely hope your son recovers safely.”
“Hey, Mr. Kim.”
At the murderous glare Murdoch fixed on me, I erased my smile.
Then I slowly leaned forward, locking eyes with him.
“I don’t know what you expect to hear, but don’t come at me half-heartedly. If you came to surrender, then surrender quietly. If you want to flaunt your petty pride, then get up and leave right now. I have nothing to lose.”
“....”
I felt Murdoch’s body stiffen. I couldn’t let him believe he held the upper hand.
“I warned you. I even gave you chances. But you’re the one who kept playing tricks, Chairman. Think of this as heaven punishing you.”
I crooked my mouth in a cold sneer, staring at him.
As the chill of my words sank in, Murdoch swallowed hard.
“You’ve spent your life swinging the pen as a weapon, harassing and oppressing others. And I told you clearly—I don’t like my name on other people’s lips.”
“People have the right to kn—”
Hearing him spew nonsense to the very end made me chuckle bitterly.
“Chairman Murdoch, don’t play word games. Right to know? Why the hell should people know about me? Am I a politician? A celebrity? What impact do I have on their lives that you dare bring up their ‘right to know’?”
That damned ‘right to know’—the universal excuse of newspapers everywhere.
Go Eungsu of Koryeo Daily came to mind. He too moved public opinion for his own gain.
And in the end, he bowed beneath my feet as well.
“If you’re going to spout rubbish, then get out.”
His pathetic attempts at justification made my irritation surge.
Murdoch couldn’t even meet the contempt in my eyes.
“Friend or foe—that’s all I need to hear.”
I adjusted my posture and waited for his reply.
“...Alright. I’ll delete every single report about Mr. Kim. And I’ll never cover you again.”
At long last, Murdoch spoke after his long silence.
I broke into a bright smile at that answer.
“Wouldn’t it have been so much better if you had done that from the start? I never wanted to be your enemy, Chairman Murdoch.”
“....”
I lifted the warm teapot and filled both teacups to the brim.
Handing him one, I spoke.
“Then, to commemorate our new friendship, let me give you a gift. Will you accept it?”
“A gift?”
“You currently own the New York Post in America, right?”
“Yes, but...”
Murdoch accepted the cup reluctantly. I smiled warmly at him.
“I’ll help you acquire the Wall Street Journal. If you need money, I’ll give you money. If you need power, I’ll give you power. If you need politicians, I’ll give you politicians.”
“...Is that true?”
Murdoch owned the New York Post, one of America’s dailies.
But it wasn’t a paper of prestige—it was a tabloid. People joked that if Britain had The Sun, then New York had the New York Post.
His only weakness was not owning a proper newspaper.
But the Wall Street Journal was different.
Alongside the New York Times and Washington Post, it was one of America’s three most influential dailies. Its image and reach were incomparable.
Murdoch eventually acquired it in 2007 after long effort, but I intended to move that date forward.
“Of course. Why would I bluff to you? If you need capital, Dreamhigh will provide it. We have no interest in running media, so the management will be entirely up to you.”
Judging by Murdoch’s face, his son’s safety had already slipped from his mind. Urgency instead burned there.
“How do you plan to acquire it? You think the Wall Street Journal’s owner will just hand it over?”
His tone shifted back—polite, cautious.
“Right now, the big three media are your News Corporation, Time Warner, and Walt Disney Company, correct?”
“That’s right. And it’s also true that of the three, News Corporation is the smallest.”
Bitterness tinged Murdoch’s face. Hardly fitting for someone called the emperor of media.
And soon, he’d lose even the title of “big three.”
“Even if Walt Disney is tough, you should at least grab Time Warner, shouldn’t you?”
I tugged at his greed, and sure enough, Murdoch’s eyes gleamed.
“Exactly. I need to at least capture Time Warner.”
“No matter how much money it takes, expand as aggressively as you can. Of course, for every investment we make, we’ll take equity. But if you remain my friend, that equity will remain your permanent ally.”
This wasn’t some rash decision. It was one I had weighed carefully after meeting Murdoch.
The power of media only grows with time.
Even as print influence dwindles and countless internet outlets rise, the names of leading dailies never disappear.
So if I could move Murdoch freely, there was no need for me to bother acquiring a paper myself.
“If you truly do this, I’ll be your eternal friend.”
Murdoch’s voice was firm. I rose and extended my hand.
“Will you take my hand?”
Murdoch stared, then stood and grasped it. His hand was clammy.
“Alright, Mr. Kim.” freewёbnoνel.com
“Call me Charlie now.”
“Alright, Charlie.”
Still holding his hand, I leaned closer. Just like last time, I whispered into his ear.
“Once you’ve taken my hand, there is no betrayal. If you fail my expectations, you’ll learn this incident was nothing. My creed is to inflict pain worse than death on traitors.”
Murdoch’s face hardened at my emotionless words, his hand trembling.
I gripped it tightly, then let go, smiling warmly.
“We’re friends now, aren’t we? How about a drink as we talk about the future?”
I turned to Manager Ma.
“Bring the most expensive, finest liquor in this hotel.”
“Yes, boss.”
Manager Ma sent a look to the waiting staff.
“Please, sit again.”
“Y-yes.”
Murdoch’s body was stiff, probably replaying my warning in his head.
How had such a small-hearted old man ever thought to cross me?
“You don’t look well. Smile. Isn’t this a good day?”
Soon the hotel manager entered with the wine.
“This is the best wine in our possession.”
“This is the most expensive one, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m not really a fan of wine, but since Chairman Murdoch likes it, let’s go with this today. Is that alright?”
Forcing a smile, Murdoch barely nodded.
“Set it up and leave.”
The staff placed the appetizers and the sommelier opened the bottle, filling both glasses.
Once they were gone, I lifted mine first.
“The aroma is nice. I don’t know much about wine, but this really seems like fine stuff.”
Following my lead, Murdoch raised his glass.
“It is fine wine. Fewer than a hundred bottles remain worldwide.”
“Then if Chairman Murdoch says so, it must be true. To our future.”
Our glasses clinked lightly with a clear sound.
