“Lee Dokyung.”
The deep voice that flowed through his red lips was clear.
It was a composed self-introduction as if no other elaboration beyond his name was necessary.
“Han Yuri.”
She responded just as concisely as she sat down. A waiter who had been standing at a distance approached and bowed his head.
“A full meal would be too much, just coffee please.”
As if agreeing with her somewhat perfunctory order, the man elegantly nodded to the waiter.
Hot coffee was placed before each of them, and the busy waiters left the room. Suddenly, only the two of them remained in the elegant, intimate space.
Her eyes met directly with the man sitting across from her.
What made her hesitate momentarily at that pitch-black gaze wasn’t just his far more handsome appearance than what she had seen in news or articles.
Lee Dokyung. CEO of Haegang Construction and grandson of Haegang Group Chairman Lee Yangho.
Before coming to this meeting, she had inwardly thought little of the man who was born as the eldest grandson of a chaebol family and had lived under the envious and jealous gazes of many people. She had assumed he would be nothing more than a delicate and prickly young master, a greenhouse flower perfectly designed under the title of Haegang’s successor.
But face to face like this, his first impression was quite different from what she had expected, which was surprising.
His attitude that simultaneously revealed coldness and boredom, and his inscrutable cool expression. His gaze that naturally intimidated the person facing him even conveyed an undeniable superior presence.
Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by that strange atmosphere, Yuri inevitably opened the conversation first.
“I’m sure you’ve already roughly checked my background before coming here. Since we’re both busy people, I’ll skip the preliminaries and get straight to the point.”
“…”
“Are you interested in marrying me?”
The man who had been quietly observing while listening to her words stretched his lips into a smile. Yuri’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Ah, I apologize. I was just a bit surprised.”
Though he spoke like a well-mannered gentleman, his briefly scanning gaze clearly revealed an undisguised arrogance.
“Lee Dokyung? He’s famous for killing people with a smile. He’s a bit arrogant. Also somewhat autocratic.”
It seemed that the various things said about him in public weren’t completely unfounded. Well, considering that a CEO in his 30s was leading executives old enough to be his grandfather without any particular discord, it was somewhat predictable.
That he certainly wouldn’t be an easy opponent.
“I came to this meeting with the intention of marrying you, Lee Dokyung-ssi.”
A moment of silence passed. His face was like a painting as he slowly closed and opened his eyelids.
“It seems you want to make a deal with me.”
Dokyung stared at her, who didn’t deny it, and nodded slightly.
“Please continue, get to the point.”
His commanding tone with a calm expression and pleasant voice was extremely haughty. As if saying, let me hear what conditions you’re proposing.
In that brief moment, he seemed to have already intuitively recognized that this marriage was quite desperate for the woman. Yuri’s language, trying not to be overwhelmed by his momentum, was very direct.
“I think you’ve also done some calculations before coming here. You probably judged that Shinyu Group’s Han Yuri would be a not-so-bad partner to solidify your position. Above all, the label of being a divorcee. You need someone to remove that.”
Yuri looked directly at the man in front of her. He remained expressionless. She thought she had hit the mark, but apparently not.
As if to prove this, his calm voice continued.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not desperate enough to make a deal with just anyone to remove the divorcee label.”
Just anyone…
It was a rude choice of words specifically targeting her.
Unlike her, whose nerves were grated, the man’s face was leisurely as he reached out his hand. Long, straight fingers curled roundly inside the handle of the coffee cup. His eyelids lowered slightly as he brought the cup to his lips and drank the coffee.
Each gesture, without any excess, overflowed with elegance and dignity. It was a nobility and composure that could only come from someone who had everything without even trying.
The sight made her feel even more rebellious. Her words came out more pointed, irritated by this man who was clearly aristocratic to the bone.
“I believe there are too many rumors about CEO Lee Dokyung to call it ‘just’ a label. From what I’ve heard alone: adulterer, womanizer, womanizer, homosexual, sexual dysfunction…”
A sudden deflating sound interrupted Yuri’s words. His previously expressionless face curled up into a curved line.
“Attacking your opponent before we even begin. Your negotiation style is quite rough.”
“It’s not an attack, I’m just stating the objective situation. Of course, I objectively understand not only your situation but also my own position. I’m well aware that if Lee Dokyung-ssi didn’t have the divorcee label, a meeting like this would be beyond my wildest dreams.”
The truth was that while Shinyu might be a major corporation in the distribution industry, it was at the level of a neighborhood mart compared to Haegang, which controlled South Korea’s business world. If Lee Dokyung had been unmarried, someone like Shinyu wouldn’t even have been mentioned as a marriage partner.
So for Yuri, this situation was an opportunity. A chance to give Lee Dokyung what he needed and for her to obtain what she wanted.
“So. What does Han Yuri-ssi want?”
“Shares.”
The man who had put down his coffee cup raised his head.
“I need the Shinyu shares held by Haegang. Specifically, the 3.8 percent of Shinyu Group shares held by you, Lee Dokyung-ssi, President Ryu Hwajin of Haegang Industries, and Haegang Life Insurance.”
“And the reason?”
“The purpose is to secure management rights.”
“You want additional shares to use in a management rights battle.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
The opponent in the battle was her half-brother Han Hyunsu, who was one year older.
The reason Han Hyunsu, nicknamed the family troublemaker, could be mentioned as Shinyu’s next successor was largely due to the will of her grandfather, Chairman Han Myeongcheol. It was because of his old-fashioned belief that he trusted his son more than his daughter, who was considered an outsider after marriage.
In determining the successor, practical business contribution, qualifications as the next owner, and company management ability were not considered at all. It was the mentality that a male with a penis, even a concubine’s son, was better than the only legitimate granddaughter of the family. Regardless of how badly that man messed things up or what major accidents he caused.
Nothing changed even if she worked her hardest, produced results that everyone would be satisfied with, and gained everyone’s recognition. Chairman Han Myeongcheol’s position that he would never give the company to a girl was unyielding.
At this point, Yuri had to admit it. The fact that she could never inherit Shinyu through normal means.
Having given up on peaceful succession, she finally decided on war. In that sense, Lee Dokyung was a rather effective option she had found.
“Your desire is clear. Blatant.”
Dokyung’s expression was emotionless as he murmured lowly. His tone didn’t particularly express surprise, as if he had roughly anticipated the content.
“That makes it cleaner, doesn’t it? Since what we both want is clear.”
Yuri was convinced that this deal would be quite satisfactory for both of them.
What she liked most was using marriage, the most emotional and irrational method.
That would be the same for Lee Dokyung. That’s why he had come to this meeting.
“Use me. Use me to brush off the flaws that have stuck to you. A pretty and good wife, a virtuous daughter-in-law, an elegant mistress of Haegang. I’m confident I can fulfill the role you expect of me better than anyone.”
“…”
“You solidify your position as the flawless future successor, and I secure the management rights to Shinyu. How about it? This seems like a pretty good deal…”
“I’m not so sure.”
“…”
“Han Yuri-ssi’s proposal doesn’t sound particularly attractive to me.”
A different answer than what she expected flowed from the man’s closed lips. Yuri’s eyebrows twitched in surprise.
“Since you seem to like objectivity, let me also speak objectively. Finding a partner of Han Yuri-ssi’s caliber isn’t that difficult for me.”
The black gaze staring directly at her was irritating. Eyes that combined a penetrating persistence that seemed to see through her and a rudeness that froze the opponent.
“Is there perhaps any other reason why I should choose Han Yuri-ssi rather than another woman?”
Yuri gritted her teeth.
“You don’t need Yuri, there are many substitutes. There’s no reason why it has to be you.”
It was because someone’s words that she had heard constantly for a long time came to mind.
“There may be many good women. But it will be hard to find a business partner as good as me.”
“Is that so?”
The man’s reply to Yuri’s stubborn response was quite gentle.
“Fine. I’ll think about it a bit more.”
Her insides twisted at his strangely charitable yet insulting words. Though she had clearly proposed a deal, it felt like she was begging.
It seemed to be because of that arrogant gaze.
Once again, his lips parted elegantly.
“Drink your coffee.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
