episode_0024

The current combined market capitalization of Hwaryeon Group ranks 5th in the business world.

While the owner family holds management rights, implying a much higher actual value, it’s undeniably a dismal report card compared to its past glory.

All of this occurred because of one person’s death: Cha Seongtaek.

Of course, the aftermath was compounded by power being dispersed among children with differing intentions, but ultimately, Cha Seongtaek’s sudden death was the primary reason.

The group’s dark age, I suspect, will continue until a proper, true ‘successor’ emerges.

“So, why did you call for me, Noona?”

Inside Cha Hwaryeon’s building.

Only three people remained in this cozy CEO’s office.

Me, Cha Hwaryeon, and Woo Miae.

Woo Miae stood beside Cha Hwaryeon, who was seated in the CEO’s chair, while I stood across the desk.

As I brazenly touched various mobiles hanging above the CEO’s desk, Cha Hwaryeon’s shoulders trembled as if she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“You, are you really asking because you don’t know…?”

“Uh, I don’t really know. Could you explain it in a way that’s easy to understand, Second Noona?”

*Bang!*

Unable to cure her hot-headed temper, she slammed the desk so hard it must’ve hurt her palm.

She glared at me with a sharp gaze, poised halfway between sitting and standing.

Despite her cute dumpling-shaped hair, her eyes below were nothing short of venomous.

However, her murderous glare was directed not at me, but at Woo Miae, who stood beside her.

“I took in one pathetic bitch who was left on a sinking ship, and now you dare to bite your owner?!”

“…….”

Cha Hwaryeon clearly regarded her confidante, Woo Miae, as an enemy.

Woo Miae remained silent, her face expressionless.

Then, as if to say she had no further business now that a new ship was available to transfer to, she walked over to my side with a click-clack, effectively switching allegiance.

She stood demurely beside me, as if assisting, and glared defiantly at her former master.

“Well, it was none other than Miss Cha Hwaryeon who ignored my advice on several occasions.”

“Advice?! I invested in that shitty information you brought me and lost everything!”

“It was Miss Cha Hwaryeon who ordered me to find out anything. As a confidante, I can put the hilt of the sword into my master’s hand, but the one who wields the sword is you, Miss.”

“Don’t make me laugh!”

Cha Hwaryeon grabbed the glass on the side, about to throw it in a fit of rage, but then her veins bulged as she struggled to hold it back.

“And after that, what was it that incited our company to aggressively invest in this and that?”

“…….”

“Our liquidity was already weak, and do you know what the price is now for investing in the stocks you recommended!?”

Woo Miae continued to assist Cha Hwaryeon even after that incident.

Cha Hwaryeon had developed a deep emotional rift due to the massive blunder of a ‘short selling failure,’ but perhaps thinking she’d ruined it herself due to her stubbornness, she had given in to some extent.

However, that ambiguous attitude was the worst possible move.

In return for her master’s belated and precious trust, Woo Miae plunged a dagger into Cha Hwaryeon’s heart.

She instilled an even deeper sense of crisis in a company already shaken by an unreasonable short-selling strategy.

As per my instructions, she only informed her of stocks that would plummet as the COVID bubble gradually deflated.

With two consecutive double plays, Cha Hwaryeon must have felt her blood run cold.

“Just like the slut you are, you’ve been acting faithlessly everywhere, and now you’re screwing around with that scoundrel bastard…?”

“Regardless of what you think, please know that I clearly intended to help Miss Hwaryeon.”

Woo Miae, having done all she could on a ship already abandoned.

As if engaging in a battle of wills between women, she subtly curled up the corners of her lips.

“Besides, if one is to be truly loyal, isn’t it more fitting to follow one’s true master?”

“You—!”

“Now, now, let’s calm down.”

When she actually tried to throw the glass this time, I stepped forward and snatched her wrist.

After taking the glass to prevent any unnecessary bloodshed and calming her with force,

“In the end, it’s your fault for foolishly diving into short selling, isn’t it, Noona?”

*(Grinding sound)!*

Ultimately, even if she blames others after being stabbed in the back, it was her own mistake.

Her own leadership and critical judgment led to this error.

The weight of the crown must be borne by a leader of a company.

If she’s merely going to throw tantrums like a tyrant, she deserves to be dragged down.

*Thwack!*

Cha Hwaryeon had that much discernment.

It was just that the truth she understood with her head hadn’t reached her heart; she roughly shook off my arm and stood up.

She met my gaze, her eyes narrowed sharply.

“So, we’re both sore spots to each other, and now we’re going to use any means necessary, aren’t we…?”

“Didn’t you say that even hiding a spy was a skill? Then charming that spy is also a method, isn’t it?”

“……Fine, if that’s how you’re going to be, then I have my own methods too.”

She frustratingly ruffled her hair.

After shaking her disheveled hair wildly from side to side, letting it fall like a ghost,

“This time, I’ll properly fight you. I let my guard down a bit because you’re just a good-for-nothing scoundrel brother who only cares about women, but this fight will go all the way! Be prepared from now on.”

*Trembling, trembling, trembling…!*

A leopard that belatedly showed its claws.

However, it might have been a leopard before, but in my eyes, it was nothing more than a cat.

After taking two hits to the chin, I cunningly sneered at an opponent who raised her guard far too late.

“I know the company’s situation is difficult, so don’t overdo it.”

“…….”

“Ah! If you’re short on cash, you can always beg naked, just like you promised before. I’ll save you anytime then.”

“Get out! Get out right now, you and that bitch you’re keeping!”

*Crash!*

The glass she finally threw against the wall, shattering it.

I didn’t provoke her further and turned my back.

I exited the door with Woo Miae silently following behind me.

Before the door closed, I threw one last question, which would be a huge vulnerability for her to attack.

“Oh, and speaking of which, you still haven’t managed to win that huge construction bid for the theme park that went bankrupt recently, have you?”

“……What?”

“About that, as a fellow manager, I’d advise you to give up. You probably don’t even have enough funds from other affiliates anymore, so don’t overextend yourself trying to pull it in.”

“You bastard—!?”

“Later.”

*Click.*

That was it.

“Hmph…”

“You did very well, Young Master.”

“Did you see that temper? This is going all the way.”

With today’s meeting, my relationship with Cha Hwaryeon completely soured.

It turned into a chicken race to seize my second Noona’s inheritance.

Well, her intention to swallow my company was obvious anyway, so we’re now entering an unavoidable full-scale war.

‘Hmm… But honestly, aside from that ruined personality of hers, I’m not feeling nervous about how she’ll respond.’

Cha Hwaryeon had already broken several horns from her furious outbursts.

Due to her own self-inflicted blunders and, as a bonus, her belated judgment, her losses were enormous.

She even had one loyal aide, Woo Miae, whom she couldn’t even manage properly.

It meant she couldn’t properly utilize the excellent weapon she inherited.

Among the siblings, she was the most reasonable one.

Conversely, precisely because she was reasonable, she was easily swayed.

This was Cha Hwaryeon’s weakness.

“By the way, you’ve got guts, don’t you? You spoke quite well in front of that temper.”

“Actually, it’s something I’ve wanted to point out for a while. Miss Cha Hwaryeon is someone who listens to reason, but then she gets stubborn in strange places, ruining things that were already done.”

After taking a slight breath,

“Setting everything aside, isn’t this in front of Young Master? I had to make my stance clear with this opportunity.”

“You wanted to use the three-way confrontation to prove your loyalty to me?”

At that, she subtly lowered her head.

With her hands clasped demurely, she spoke obediently, like a ripened stalk of rice bending.

“As you can see, I now have no one but Young Master. If you ever feel my abilities are lacking… I will have no complaints if you cast me aside.”

The more I looked, Woo Miae was intelligent, save for the blemish of being a traitor.

This statement was a signal that she was done with being a spy, and the reason for her extreme declaration was merely a WWE-like exchange of techniques, knowing I wouldn’t cast her out.

It meant she wanted to show her complete turnaround and fully commit to my side.

It seemed she was tired of being a turncoat.

“Alright, tell me. What position should I give you? A driver would be to monitor my movements, or should I appoint you to a mid-level position in the company?”

Woo Miae pondered for a moment, then,

“If you would give me the opportunity… the vacant secretary position by Young Master’s side seems most desirable.”

“You’d constantly observe me and offer advice from my side?”

“…I will not overstep my bounds, and I will handle whatever you command me to do, immediately.”

Woo Miae, repeatedly emphasizing that she was merely a servant.

“Are you really okay with just that?”

“Yes?”

“You’ve achieved a significant result, so you don’t need any other financial compensation?”

“…….”

Woo Miae replied with silence.

Secretly conveying her dark desire that she’d naturally be happy to receive it.

*Smirk.*

That pure desire was amusing again, so I subtly pressed my body against hers in someone else’s company hallway.

Rubbing her buttock covered by her suit skirt, I whispered,

“Are you really okay with this? If you’re my secretary, you’ll have to deal with me in *this* way often, too, you know?”

“Ah, ahhh…♥”

I grazed my subordinate’s neck, inhaling her scent.

I sucked on a spot once, leaving my mark of ownership freely.

“Young Master, there are eyes here……”

“No one’s really going to come all the way here, so what does it matter?”

“……♥”

[Woo Miae’s Loyalty towards you has increased from 83% to 92%]

While sleeping with women around me is one of my amusements, it also has unexpected benefits.

By sharing intimate moments, a stronger relationship can be maintained.

It serves as a suitable reward through mutually pleasurable intimacy, and it also makes me willing to give money.

This is why many capable ‘females’ are necessary.

*Squeeze, squeeze♥*

As I squeezed the ‘hole’ outside my subordinate’s skirt, memories of our previous intimate encounter resurfaced, and I whispered, “Shit… I can’t hold back. Clear your schedule today.”

“Actually, I have a date planned for today─ Ugh!”

She was noisy, so I pressed my lips against hers.

I licked her lips, coated with dark lipstick, and sensually entwined my tongue, freely touching her obscene body.

Exciting the female pleasantly, I made sure to turn her heart to understand that this body was mine.

“Understood… I will accompany you home♥”

“Good, that’s how it should be.”

After giving a faint smile,

“Instead of this, since our business here is done anyway, why don’t we─”

*Buzz! Buzz!*

A perfectly timed vibration.

If it were a trivial call, I would have hung up, but when I took it out, it was none other than Mom.

I wondered why she suddenly called, and then,

“A sudden family meeting?”

“A meeting…?”

I heard a question over the receiver.

It hadn’t been long since a family meeting had been held, and they hadn’t gathered at all.

I had thought going would just be about slowly raising lonely Mom’s affection, but,

“……? You said even Noona and Dongsaeng have already agreed to gather?”

“All the family members of the Hwaryeon household…?”

Something was amiss.

Since my transmigration, they had never gathered in one place.

+ + +

It was indeed amiss.

So I rushed over, and sure enough, it was true.

As soon as I arrived at the appointed time, I had to hear these words from my eldest Noona:

“Then, I propose the agenda item for the expulsion of Cha Doyeon, Chairman of , from the group.”

…What the f*ck is going on?