Free Web NovelAt the mention of a divorce lawsuit, Yoon Jaehan furrowed his brows and asked back,
“Divorce lawsuit? You know we don’t take divorce cases.”
“Of course I know. Do you think I wouldn’t? But just this once, make an exception. And since we’ve greeted each other, let’s sit down first. You too, Director.”
I gestured for the two of them to sit. Still looking somewhat stunned, they exchanged glances before taking their seats.
Yoon Hyunju looked at me with a surprised expression and asked,
“You seem to be close with the crown prince of Yoon & Jang?”
“Jaehan and I were classmates at Korea University. You didn’t know?”
Yoon Hyunju nodded blankly.
I thought she would’ve at least known that much before coming to see me. She’s more careless than I expected.
“It may sound like bragging, but I got a perfect score on the College Scholastic Ability Test and even did interviews with the media. I also entered Korea University’s law school as the top student. I passed the first stage of the bar exam too, but I gave up on the second. Being a lawyer didn’t suit me. More importantly...”
After preemptively answering what Yoon Hyunju might be curious about, I turned back to Yoon Jaehan.
He looked like he was deep in thought. To ease him, I decided to explain the situation.
“I know why you don’t take divorce cases. But this one needs to be an exception. It’s... complicated. And don’t worry about getting on Chairman Choi Woosik’s bad side. He’ll be kicked out of KS Group anyway.”
At the words kicked out, Yoon Jaehan snapped his head toward me.
“What? Chairman Choi Woosik is getting kicked out?”
“Yeah. If you combine Director Yoon Hyunju’s shares with mine, he’ll be pushed out. Without even taking a single affiliate company.”
Hearing that, Yoon Jaehan looked back and forth between me and Yoon Hyunju.
“In exchange for supporting Director Yoon Hyunju, I’m buying real estate in Gangnam. And...”
Should I mention the private matters too? I glanced briefly at Yoon Hyunju.
As if she understood my thoughts, she spoke first.
“If you agree to represent me in the lawsuit, you can tell him everything.”
I nodded and looked at Yoon Jaehan.
“If we’re going to go deeper, I need your answer first. If you can’t do it, another lawyer is fine. What matters is the name Yoon & Jang anyway.”
“Ha... If you put it like that, what does that make me? My father’s the type who’d sell even me if it’s your request.”
Yoon Jaehan let out a deep sigh and complained.
His expression reminded me of our university days, and I couldn’t help but smile before asking again,
“So? Are you doing it or not?”
“I’ll do it. It’s your request, and I’ve been wanting to go to court myself instead of just staying in the office. But you handle the Federation of Korean Industries side.” ƒreewebɳovel.com
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that.”
With Yoon Jaehan’s agreement secured, he immediately turned to Yoon Hyunju.
Unlike how he spoke to me, his tone became composed and serious.
“Director Yoon Hyunju. Please come directly to Yoon & Jang later and tell us everything in detail. I’ll personally take charge of your case, so you don’t need to worry. My father will also pay close attention.”
“If your father is involved, I’d be grateful.”
Her face visibly brightened. Yoon Jaehan pointed at me and joked,
“Of course. If it’s Muhyuk’s request, my father would walk straight into hell. He likes Kim Muhyuk more than his own son.”
“Cut the nonsense. Let’s talk about the real estate now.”
The divorce lawsuit wasn’t urgent, nor was it something I needed to be deeply involved in.
Connecting her with Yoon & Jang and later handing over the evidence of infidelity I had—that would be enough.
“Director, did you call Chairman Jo here?”
“Yes. I told him to come here with the seal certificate, seal, and all necessary documents.”
“You were on the phone quite a while.”
“After organizing the real estate, I decided to give him some retirement funds. He’s worked hard for our family all this time—I should at least make sure he can live comfortably after retiring.”
Careless, but more warm-hearted than expected. I nodded.
“That’s a good decision. You have to take care of your people properly, or it’ll cause problems later.”
While waiting for Chairman Jo, we continued talking.
“The real estate won’t be purchased by me personally, but by the Korean branch of Dream High Investment. The moment the contract is signed, 10% will be paid immediately today as the deposit, and the rest will be transferred within three days.”
She nodded without hesitation.
“Alright. But KS Group matters more to me. Just keep your promise.”
“As I said earlier, I value trust more than anyone. Don’t worry about that. If I were someone who broke promises easily, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“I believe you. Then will you request an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting right away?”
“I will. And...”
I planned to use the prosecution and the court to apply for an arrest warrant for Choi Woosik as justification to convene the shareholders’ meeting.
Choi Woosik was currently standing trial without detention for accounting fraud and embezzlement.
Once I had him detained and sent to a detention center, I would call the shareholders’ meeting.
“The prosecution will likely request an arrest warrant for Chairman Choi soon. And the court will probably accept it.”
“What? But it was already decided to proceed without detention...”
“Circumstances have changed, haven’t they? In Korea, once you strip away the title of conglomerate owner, you’re just a wealthy man—nothing more, nothing less. He was able to stand trial without detention because he was a chaebol chairman. Otherwise, he would’ve been arrested long ago.”
The scale of Choi Woosik’s accounting fraud and embezzlement was the largest since the Joongwoo Group case.
That scandal had shaken Joongwoo Group to its core. It had only happened a few years ago, so people still remembered it clearly.
Of course, unlike back then, the economic situation wasn’t bad, and there had already been internal discussions to proceed without detention.
Well... I was going to overturn that.
“In Korea, a chaebol isn’t just a rich person. You could say they’re a new power class. That’s why you’re aiming for control of KS Group, aren’t you? To pass it on to your son.”
“That’s right. I plan to pass the group to my son. But I don’t intend to send him to prison. If I can just take away management rights...”
Is she naïve, or just living in a fantasy? I cut her off, dumbfounded.
“Director. Pick one—just one. Fighting over control of a conglomerate isn’t some half-hearted dispute. It’s practically a small war. Once a major shareholder loses control, they become nothing more than someone with a lot of stock and no power. That’s why Choi Woosik submitted to Sovereign.”
The power of conglomerate owners in Korea was immense. If you left them half-defeated, you never knew how they might retaliate.
When you push someone into the abyss, you don’t hesitate—you shove them off a cliff so deep there’s no bottom and crush them completely.
“So don’t say weak things. If you waver, passing control to your son will become impossible.”
“...You said you’d help with the divorce lawsuit.”
She still hadn’t let go of her feelings for Choi Woosik.
They fought constantly, both cheated, and yet she still clung to him?
A deep sigh escaped me.
“Helping with the divorce lawsuit doesn’t mean the goal is to prevent the divorce. Your relationship is already over. The lawsuit is meant to drag things out and expose Choi Woosik’s true face to the public. If you don’t want a divorce, discuss it with your legal representative.”
I turned to Yoon Jaehan. Catching my gaze, he shrugged and spoke,
“I haven’t heard all the details yet, so I can’t say much, but we’ll do our best according to what the client wants. Don’t worry about that. But if Muhyuk is saying this much, I recommend you reconsider. He’s not someone who talks nonsense.”
Yoon Jaehan naturally said he would follow the client’s wishes.
It was reassuring, but hearing both of us push her, Yoon Hyunju seemed shaken.
She bit her lip and lowered her head.
“...I’ll think about it.”
At that moment, there was a knock, and Manager Ma entered the office.
“Boss. There’s something to report.”
I nodded, and Manager Ma approached and whispered,
“Chairman Jo stopped by Taesan Bank headquarters and is now heading toward Incheon instead of Myeongdong.”
When I turned my head to look at him, he spoke quietly enough that only I could hear,
“It looks like he’s heading to Incheon Airport.”
“As expected.”
Noticing Yoon Hyunju watching me curiously, I relayed the information.
“Chairman Jo is heading to Incheon Airport instead of here.”
“What? What do you mean...?”
“It seems your trusted servant is having second thoughts.”
“......”
It seemed she had never even considered the possibility that Chairman Jo might flee. She just stared at me blankly.
Manager Ma quickly asked so everyone could hear,
“Boss. If you give the order, we’ll catch him at the airport and bring him here.”
Instead of answering, I gave the choice to Yoon Hyunju.
“Director? What would you like to do? This isn’t the time to lose your composure.”
Snapping back to her senses, she shouted,
“Bring him here! No matter what!”
“Understood. Manager, tell them to bring him in—intact.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Manager Ma left, and the conversation fell silent. A heavy stillness filled the office.
Yoon Hyunju seemed unable to believe Chairman Jo’s betrayal.
Well, she had trusted him enough to call him “uncle.”
Even a servant of a noble house, after spending long years with their master, would inevitably develop a human bond.
Especially someone like Chairman Jo, who had been entrusted with enormous wealth for so long.
“Director. You didn’t expect something like this? Most frauds and major losses come from the people closest to you.”
“......”
“Even if you trust someone, you should still doubt them—again and again. I heard Minister Yoon ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) did exactly that.”
At my words, Yoon Hyunju made a distressed expression. Now I see how Minister Yoon raised her.
Minister Yoon never trusted people. Like most who held power, he always prepared multiple contingencies and tested even the safest bridge before crossing.
That was how he maintained power through the collapse of two military regimes.
By staying close to power while keeping a certain distance, he survived while others fell.
But Yoon Hyunju, who grew up watching him, didn’t seem to have inherited that ability.
“Even if you say you had no one to rely on after your parents passed away, this is unacceptable. Entrusting such vast real estate and trusting completely—this is something you should never have done.”
Despite being much younger than her, I was lecturing her, yet she couldn’t refute a single word.
She glared at me, but she knew I was right.
“It’s a good thing I had Chairman Jo monitored. If he had escaped abroad, your entire plan would’ve fallen apart. You should be grateful to me.”
Looking at the top of her bowed head, I decided to stop there.
She was the one most shaken by all of this.
Besides, Chairman Jo’s attempted escape actually worked in my favor—it gave me leverage.
Pushing her further wouldn’t help.
I called Manager Ma and had him escort her to the next room. frёewebnoѵēl.com
She needed time to think alone.
After the storm passed, Yoon Jaehan muttered in a dazed voice,
“What the hell is this? What’s even going on?”
“What else? The caretaker tried to run overseas behind the owner’s back and got caught.”
“You’re not saying Director Yoon didn’t even monitor the person managing her assets under borrowed names, right? Seriously... Is she kind, or just stupid?”
Yoon Jaehan spoke in disbelief, and I simply smiled.
“Forget it. Let’s hear about you while we wait for Chairman Jo. How have you been lately?”
I passed the time listening to Yoon Jaehan.
Several hours flew by, and only after sunset did Chairman Jo finally arrive at the Myeongdong office.
Surrounded by burly men, Chairman Jo looked completely intimidated.
His rat-like face, sly and unpleasant, was covered in age spots.
“So you’re Chairman Jo? I wouldn’t even recognize you if I passed you on the street.”
Seeing how much older he looked compared to his photo, I couldn’t help but let out a faint laugh.
