episode_0035

“A shareholder meeting, huh…”

Muttering bitterly, I loosened the tie that was cinching my throat.

Lowering my head again, I scanned the agenda items for the shareholder meeting that my secretary had prepared, but as expected, I didn’t understand them very well.

I had prepared what I needed to say, but just looking at documents filled with Chinese characters and numbers always gave me a headache.

Meanwhile, there had been many changes within the company for the subsidiary’s independence.

Corporate registration, business registration, etc. There was no end to the troublesome tasks during the process.

Thankfully, Ryu Sua, a financial supervisor whose heart had slowly gravitated towards our side, helped, allowing the process to proceed smoothly.

She advised us to greatly reduce complex procedures by leveraging her knowledge and authority, so everything was well-handled without any issues later.

“To think I’d actually have to participate in this myself… Damn it.”

Nevertheless, it was such a major agenda item that I had to personally attend the shareholder meeting.

Although it was said that ‘Hwaryeong’ had died once with Cha Seongtaek’s heart attack, the prestige of the name ‘Hwaryeong’ still remained strong within Korea, and the news of its independence spread rapidly through the media. After that, there was an outcry for a shareholder meeting to be held as soon as possible.

Right now, outside, there are guys with burning eyes scrutinizing my weak points.

It was no exaggeration to say that the entire nation of Korea was focused on today’s events, as the news kept talking about it whenever it had a moment.

‘Is this… really the life of a scoundrel?’

Ever since I was transmigrated, I had planned to just play around and suck on honey.

But I never expected that the small snowball I rolled would grow into such a troublesome matter.

Even as I sighed, wondering if I should just quit everything since money was plentiful anyway, it was sad that my beloved mother’s face still came to mind whenever I closed my eyes.

When I imagined gaining proper recognition from Jung Sooran and being able to put leashes on my adorable, stubborn sisters, at least then, I felt motivated—

“Young Master, your tie is crooked.”

Just as the documents in my hand were about to crumple, Woo Miae came close to my face and fixed my tie.

With practiced movements, she straightened it, pulling it snugly up to my neck again, then even dusted off my shirt collar.

“It was stuffy, so I loosened it a bit.”

“Please bear with it until the shareholder meeting ends. Outside right now, there’s a swarm of piranhas waiting to tear at you if you show even the slightest weakness.”

“Haa…”

It’s itching.

Unable to resist this itching sensation in my hands,

Squish, squish♥

Instead, I touched Woo Miae’s bottom in front of me.

Massaging my sturdy and large secretary’s bottom, I satisfied my craving for sensation.

“……”

However, no matter what I did, Woo Miae didn’t react much.

Even when I put my hand inside her skirt, or touched her chest and stroked between her thighs, she didn’t stop me.

As if it meant I could touch her to my heart’s content, she simply whispered as if it were an ordinary daily routine.

“Have you finished familiarizing yourself with the agenda items that will be discussed?”

“Roughly. Even so, I still don’t understand the professional terms very well.”

“Such specific matters are not within the Young Master’s domain. If you delve into the details, the board of directors will support you. Young Master, you just need to calm the shareholders’ anger.”

“Do you believe I can do it?”

In response, Woo Miae calmly looked up at me.

She replied with cheeks flushed from being brazenly touched in the waiting room.

“I always considered the Young Master to be beyond redemption.”

“……”

“Every time I saw you, I felt a surge of disgust, and all I wanted was to escape this sinking ship as quickly as possible.”

After unleashing every bit of cold venomous speech, she added, “But,”

“But whether you were struck by lightning under an apple tree, or experienced some other change of heart, the Young Master is different now.”

Squish♥

“I have high expectations for the changed Young Master.”

As if to give me courage, Miae subtly held my outstretched hand below and smiled sweetly.

Now I realized that she wasn’t flushed from my suggestive touches, but rather reacting to the changed ‘Cha Doyeon’.

[Woo Miae’s loyalty towards you has increased from 92% to 95%]

Woo Miae, who had desired a trustworthy master to follow,

This woman, who had always been rigid, cold, and calculating, now followed him like a loyal hunting dog at the sight of his slightly changed demeanor.

Truly a loyal vassal who wished to look beyond her master’s shoulder and see the peak of wealth and glory.

“Then, I’ll have to live up to your expectations.”

“♥”

After stroking the cute bitch, I finally left the waiting room.

Even when I feel annoyed, seeing this makes my motivation surge again.

If they want to see a movie through me, then I’ll gladly put in more effort.

* * *

-Cha Doyeon is out!

-That son of a bitch, resign!

-That bastard who is nothing without his name dares to declare independence from Hwaryeong Group?! Is that sense or nonsense?!

The atmosphere was so heated it felt like a tomato festival was about to break out the moment I stepped out.

Inside the vast auditorium, the enraged shareholders uniformly shouted, “Expel Cha Doyeon!” repeatedly.

“Quiet, quiet! Please be quiet!”

The chairman of the board of directors brought order to the chaotic venue.

There were even factions trying to cause trouble like professional meeting disruptors, so security guards were deployed to suppress the commotion.

Standing awkwardly on the podium in front of the microphone, it took a long time until I uttered my first words.

Looking at them, squirming in their chairs as if ready to pounce at any moment, I subtly glanced at the speech manuscript.

“Um… first, I’d like to extend my greetings to our esteemed shareholders.”

I had only read the first line when I heard people clicking their tongues and snorting in derision.

I tried to butter up my words and ramble on while looking around, but there wasn’t much of a positive response.

“……After much consideration, we have decided to pursue independent management. While many processes and procedures still remain, we have decided to completely separate from the governance structure through a spin-off, and the detailed matters will be…”

Even if I rambled on without a single mistake, they were still only looking at Cha Doyeon, the scoundrel.

They ground their teeth, waiting to see when I would stumble over my words, or if there was any more opportunity to attack.

“Haaah….”

I was done with this.

Thwack!

Judging it meaningless, I slammed the speech manuscript I was reading onto the floor.

At this sudden action, no one on or off the podium maintained a calm expression.

Some members of the board watching slapped their foreheads! I could even hear the sound of camera zooms coming in, as if another scoundrelly act was expected.

“I will conclude the reading of the speech here. These are talks that would be boring even if you listened, so I’ll just post them as an official announcement and end it here.”

-What, what?!

-Is this bastard playing games right now!

-Is this place your playground?!

“Instead, I will take your questions. From now on, any shareholder who has something to say, please raise your hand and stand to answer,”

At once, over 80% of the attendees raised their hands.

Scanning the murderous atmosphere inside, filled with intense hostility, I pointed to the shareholder who was in the very front and clearly seething with anger,

Leapt up!

he stood up.

Spitting profusely, the middle-aged man immediately dug into the core issue.

“President Cha Doyeon! Resign immediately, or cancel everything you’ve done so far!”

However, that wasn’t a question.

It was merely a warning, or rather, a declaration, born from distrust and dislike of ‘Cha Doyeon’.

“…I said I would take questions, didn’t I?”

“I don’t know about that, just get out of that position right now!”

“Why do you so strongly wish for my resignation?”

“Isn’t that obvious?!”

His face grew even redder, like an octopus cooking in hot water,

“My money! If you leave Hwaryeong Group right now, what will happen to my invested money?!”

At that, the orderly venue became chaotic once again.

Like a horde of monkeys infected by a virus, they were swept up in the atmosphere, chanting for me to leave.

‘Honestly… this is absurd.’

Indeed, like monkeys in a cage, it was pathetic.

Keeeeeeeng!

-Uwaaah?!

-My eardrums!

I tried to bear with it, but unable to hold back, I quieted them with microphone feedback.

Listening to them, it was so absurd that after calming them down with a chillingly loud feedback, I added:

“First, I’d like to add just one more thing.”

“W-What?”

“Shareholder asking the question, are you speaking with knowledge of my shareholding?”

“……”

“Am I not a shareholder before being a representative?”

At just one word, they were silenced, like a mute who had eaten honey.

Ever since I was transmigrated, I had intentionally and consistently bought up shares in the company.

It was a means to defend management rights against my second sister, Cha Hwaryeon, who was constantly eyeing them greedily, but it was also to increase the company’s value.

Although I was merely branded with the image of a scoundrel, the weight of my words was different from that of my sisters, who operated with a mere 17% or less shareholding.

Unlike my other sisters, although it’s a small company, they cannot exert pressure with capital that has been subsumed within the company.

I merely came out to appease the angry public sentiment; it means that even if all the shareholders here united, it would pose no threat at all.

“Now, I’d like to add one more thing here.”

“W-What?”

“Tell me. Is our stock price currently plummeting to rock bottom?”

-…….

At the comment, the venue fell silent for a second time.

Hwaryeong Card, which hasn’t yet changed its trade name, has been skyrocketing in stock price after hitting rock bottom at one point.

Following the news of its Bitcoin purchase, it has been soaring upwards with an enormous rate of increase.

Since the coin market is still on an uptrend, yesterday was the cheapest the stock price has been.

“Of course, depending on my attitude today, the stock price could rise further or plummet to rock bottom. I understand that concern.”

-…….

“Furthermore, even if you think that Cha Doyeon’s Bitcoin strategy was just a stroke of luck, that heaven watched over this good-for-nothing who lived like a scoundrel, I will not insist on convincing you shareholders. However, please recognize the fact that the current stock price is more fantastic than ever, and that the company possesses sufficient capital and vision even without the group’s assistance.”

As soon as he finished his answer, the person who had asked the question sat down dejectedly.

Immediately, someone else raised a hand from another spot, and I had another middle-aged man stand up.

“Even so, why did you specifically… decide to pursue independence?”

The venue’s attention returned to my face.

However, this time there was no jeering.

Perhaps because the previous answer was quite reasonable, they calmed their excitement and awaited a reply with a normal question.

“First, as I have repeatedly stated, the internal pressure was immense. There were many movements that did not recognize me as the representative of the subsidiary.”

“I-Is that all?”

“Indeed, that is true. …However, standing before all of you now, this thought comes to mind.”

My throat felt dry, so I took a sip of water in front of me.

After moistening my lips, I calmly straightened up.

“Hwaryeong is rotten from the inside.”

When I blurted it out without a filter, the surroundings buzzed with murmurs.

As the person who had stood up to ask a question gaped like a goldfish, I took the lead in the conversation.

“The children of an excessively managed company, those so-called representatives, are not working for the greater benefit of the company’s shareholders. Instead, they are blinded by their own shareholdings and internecine squabbles, seeking to wield the company as a weapon.”

-…….

“Didn’t you all think this inwardly? Instead of focusing on raising stock prices, they are more interested in meddling with the company, wielding only the privilege of management rights every day. Furthermore, even if their own misjudgments lead to losses, don’t they even evade responsibility?”

To draw more attention, I stretched out my arms.

It might have been like slapping my own cheek, but this was the honest reality.

At least I had responsibility commensurate with my shareholding, but some people above had barely any shares and no responsibility at all.

If one were to live in this country, their privilege without responsibility would be an easily relatable phrase.

I cleared my throat, which had become hoarse from the speech.

Then, I called out the name most fitting for this topic.

“Cha Hwaryeon-ssi?”

Calling her name, I directed my gaze as if pinpointing her.

At that, everyone in the venue followed my gaze towards her.

A woman sitting in a secluded spot, wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

That woman, dressed in black mourning attire as if she had come from a funeral, trembled violently before finally taking off her suffocating hat.

“……”

There was me, composed, and my sister, her complete opposite.

My second older sister’s eyes, looking up at me, were blazing fiercely.

Just like the ‘Hwa’ (火, fire) in her name, brilliantly.