Chapter 116
Cheong-yeon was confused, unsure how to process this situation. This must be why Moon Hee-jin had so adamantly opposed his attendance.
He alternated his gaze between Do-heon, who was saying there could be a way for him to inherit from Grandmother’s estate, and the documents he was holding.
He was already divorced from Do-heon; they were strangers now. On top of that, weren’t they deceiving Grandmother by pretending to still be married?
So this time, he felt that Moon Hee-jin and Park Jong-wook were right, not Do-heon.
If Grandmother learned the truth, there was every possibility she might change her will regarding the inheritance.
“What, there’s a way? That’s ridiculous. Do you think it would be that easy?”
“Or we could just register our marriage again, go through the inheritance process, and then divorce.”
“Do-heon, why are you acting so unlike yourself… No matter how much effort you put in, Yoo Cheong-yeon is still a Recessive Omega.”
“Hyung, you’re a Beta. Don’t comment on things you don’t understand.”
Moon Tae-jin’s face contorted at Do-heon’s dry, cold words. His Beta trait was his biggest complex and almost a taboo word in the family.
“You’re divorced, and now you’re talking about property division?”
“That’s right. The business our father and uncle built up is no small matter.”
After exchanging glances with Park Jong-wook, Tae-jin joined in. Moon Hee-jin also made no attempt to hide her displeasure.
“I’m the one building that business now.”
Do-heon replied, lifting his chin. His expression was arrogant, showing not the slightest doubt about his own words.
An awkward silence fell for a moment. Though both Tae-jin and Jong-wook were clearly displeased, they couldn’t refute Do-heon’s statement.
“Cheong-yeon. If you have a mouth, say something. Do you think it’s right to eagerly accept this just because someone said they would give it to you?”
Seemingly deciding it would be better to convince Cheong-yeon rather than Do-heon, Hee-jin quickly changed tactics. Naturally, all scattered gazes converged on Cheong-yeon.
Their implicit gazes, silently telling him to stop meddling in things beyond his station and leave, seemed to bite into him without a sound.
“Well? If you heard me, give me an answer.”
Perhaps due to ingrained habits from the past, he couldn’t help feeling intimidated by the pointed prodding.
Unconsciously, Cheong-yeon clenched his fist under the table. He felt the ring that Do-heon had put on his finger today.
Right. He had decided to think of this as acting. He was in the middle of a performance on a film set.
Cheong-yeon took a deep breath before speaking.
“It’s surprising that Grandmother is being so generous, but of course I should accept if she’s giving it.”
“What?”
“Oh my goodness. He must be crazy, oppa.”
Hee-jin’s whisper to Tae-jin was unmistakably clear this time. So was Jong-wook’s scornful laugh.
In the past, he would have been too scared to do anything but anxiously read the room, but somehow today it didn’t bother him at all. Instead, he felt strangely excited and thrilled.
“Do-heon. Can I really accept this?”
Cheong-yeon asked Do-heon, waving the documents he was holding.
“Since Grandmother gave it to you, it’s yours.”
Do-heon spoke in a softened voice, unlike his arrogant tone when responding to Tae-jin and Jong-wook earlier.
The brows of those sitting across from them immediately furrowed. It was rare for them to reveal their inner feelings so openly.
Cheong-yeon didn’t know exactly how much wealth Grandmother was bequeathing to him. However, since she had said she was dividing it as fairly as possible among six people, it certainly wouldn’t be a small amount.
For the moment, he was more interested in seeing their reactions than genuinely wanting to receive the inheritance, so he had no desire to back out of the inheritance at this point.
“Cheong-yeon. Just because people recognize your face a bit, do you think you’ve become something special? This is too much, even for you.”
“Right. Aren’t you ashamed to face Grandmother?”
“Do-heon. Let’s step outside and talk for a moment, brother.”
Tae-jin signaled with his eyes as he stood up, despite employees busily bringing food to the table.
Cheong-yeon flinched and looked at Do-heon. Taking Do-heon aside with various excuses was a tactic they often used to intimidate Cheong-yeon when he was left alone.
“If you have something to say, I’d prefer you say it here.”
“I also have questions about the recent electronics project.”
Tae-jin gestured for him to come out, using a plausible excuse.
“Then visit the company later.”
“Moon Do-heon.”
“If you’re too lazy to come yourself, you can send someone.”
“Hah…”
When Do-heon didn’t budge, a flustered Tae-jin stood frozen, looking at Do-heon with a dumbfounded expression. He clearly hadn’t expected Do-heon, who prioritized work above all else, to refuse so bluntly.
Anxiously rolling his eyes, Cheong-yeon finally relaxed his hunched shoulders in relief.
“Oh, by the way, Cheong-yeon. Have you discussed the department store matter with Do-heon?”
At that moment, Hee-jin quickly changed the flow of the conversation.
Cheong-yeon felt cold sweat run down his back, caught off guard by her swift attack.
He felt his breath catch with a sense of impending crisis—the moment had finally come. It was a topic so embarrassing he couldn’t even bring it up to Do-heon first.
“No.”
“Department store? What’s that about?”
Do-heon showed interest, turning his head toward Cheong-yeon.
“You haven’t heard about it either, Do-heon? I thought so.”
Hee-jin smirked as if she had expected as much.
“He said he’s going to have his face displayed at Hwamyeong Department Store in Apgujeong. He sounded so confident that I wondered if it had already been arranged. Didn’t you know?”
“What? Why would Cheong-yeon’s face be displayed at Hwamyeong in Apgujeong?”
Tae-jin’s wife, who had been silent throughout, asked in surprise.
“Because he’s an actor now, an actor. Haha, this is ridiculous.”
“You want to be a department store model?”
As if he hadn’t heard the mocking conversation, Do-heon abruptly asked Cheong-yeon.
“Hey, Do-heon. Who even uses department store models these days? Are you going to throw money into the air? It’s not like you’re in the entertainment business…”
“Yes, Do-heon. I want to do it.”
“Is that so? You should have told me earlier.”
“No, I’m saying I won’t approve it! Hwamyeong is mine, not yours, Do-heon!”
Hee-jin burst out at Cheong-yeon’s brazen answer.
“Please calm down first. As you said, if you don’t approve it, that’s the end of it.”
Tae-jin’s wife tried to calm her down, but it didn’t seem very effective.
Normally, he would have wanted to flee the scene immediately out of fear of what else he might hear, but today this situation just seemed amusing. Probably because Do-heon was by his side.
And they too, with Do-heon beside him, couldn’t speak harshly as before and were at least making an effort to persuade indirectly.
The strange confidence that Do-heon would take his side no matter what also contributed to boosting Cheong-yeon’s confidence.
“So, does that mean I can’t be a department store model after all?”
Cheong-yeon slumped his shoulders, showing disappointment.
“You can. Does it have to be the Apgujeong branch?”
“Well, it has the best location…”
“That’s true.”
“I’ve always wanted to do a department store exterior advertisement, but I was afraid Do-heon would say no.”
Oh, what’s wrong with my voice? I sound like a tragic actor in a drama.
Cheong-yeon was inwardly surprised at his own doleful voice flowing out naturally.
Fortunately, Do-heon seemed moved by this embarrassing act.
“There are ways to bypass Director Moon Hee-jin’s approval. We could install another company’s product advertisement as a building exterior photoshoot.”
“Hey! I said I won’t use him!”
“If all else fails, JT Electronics can sponsor the advertisement.”
Do-heon laid out various options as if to reassure him. He remembered how Do-heon had previously told him to speak up if there was any advertisement he wanted to do; it wasn’t just empty talk—it was genuine.
Cheong-yeon glanced at Hee-jin’s face, which had turned red with anger, then looked back at Do-heon.
Despite the actual CEO of Hwamyeong Department Store having absolutely no intention of using him as a model, Do-heon was steadily making promotion plans with his characteristically impassive expression.
To think there would come a day when that indifference would seem reassuring. Life is full of surprises.
“That sounds good too, Do-heon.”
When Cheong-yeon smiled at Do-heon, he gently tapped Cheong-yeon’s plump cheek.
“…Ha! Honey, are you still saying we shouldn’t tell Grandmother?”
Hee-jin, who had been watching, held onto her husband Jong-wook and demanded in exasperation.
“D-darling. Let’s at least finish the meal first…”
“Do you think food can go down in this situation?”
“Moon Hee-jin. I told you to lower your voice. Grandmother is still a patient. Would it make you feel better to shock her over a few pennies of inheritance?”
Tae-jin rebuked her, this time in a lower voice.
Looking at their actions toward him, they seemed like a dysfunctional family, but when he saw them genuinely concerned about Grandmother like this, Cheong-yeon thought perhaps they weren’t the worst people after all. Various complicated emotions began to tangle in his mind.
“Aren’t you angry, oppa? We all know they’re divorced—how shameless.”
“By the way, Do-heon. Are you two planning to get back together?”
“*Cough, cough!*”
“What’s wrong? Is your stomach bothering you again?”
When the topic of remarriage came up from Tae-jin’s mouth, a startled Cheong-yeon choked. Do-heon frowned, thinking Cheong-yeon was having trouble eating the food that had already been served on the table.
“You don’t have to force yourself to eat if you don’t want to.”
“N-no. *Cough!* Haah… It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Whether we get back together or not doesn’t seem to be an important topic. If you’re that curious, you can ask me separately later?”
Do-heon cut off the conversation topic as he wiped Cheong-yeon’s mouth with a napkin. Having thrown up after their last meal together, Do-heon’s attention was now entirely focused on Cheong-yeon.
“You two somehow… seem different from before?”
Tae-jin muttered in surprise, looking back and forth between Do-heon and Cheong-yeon. They exchanged meaningful glances among themselves.
They seemed to have a lot to say but couldn’t easily speak up due to the distinctly changed atmosphere.
“What are you all discussing so seriously?”
Just then, Grandmother, who had just finished getting her injection, came out of the room.
“Ah, Grandmother. Are you done?”
“The injection took longer than I expected. The soup seems to have cooled… Should I ask them to bring a fresh one?”
People hurriedly stood up. Tae-jin, who was closest to Grandmother’s seat, pulled out a chair for her and nodded to the employees.
A quick-witted employee went into the kitchen to reheat the soup.
“What’s this? Has no one taken even a spoonful?”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen you, so we should eat together, Grandmother. We were waiting for you.”
Cheong-yeon answered with a smile, as if nothing had happened.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
