76.
#Gossip
“The Vice Chairman is in a video conference with the Saudi Arabian side. He said he would contact you as soon as it’s over.”
Chairman Jeong frowned at the secretary’s report. He had just asked Hayun to come up for a moment, but was politely refused with the excuse of official business. The fact that Hayun said he would contact him later, rather than coming up immediately after finishing, spoke volumes about his current position within the Haedo Group.
Three years ago, after successfully securing the Saudi Arabian deal, Hayun’s position became even more solidified, as everyone had predicted. The Saudi Arabian project significantly increased the profits of the affiliated companies, and consequently, not only the presidents of the affiliates but also major shareholders put their trust in Hayun.
At the beginning of this year, as a result of the shareholders’ meeting, Hayun was promoted to the position of Vice Chairman. The Chairman didn’t want to give him that much power yet, as he was only thirty years old, but the result was contrary to his wishes. Jeong Seo-in openly opposed it, but her opinion was ignored by everyone. The shareholders didn’t even care about the Chairman’s apparent displeasure.
The reason they so openly turned to Jeong Hayun instead of Chairman Jeong was not only due to the success of the Saudi Arabian project but also because of the change in overall stock ownership within the group. The Chairman was still the largest shareholder. However, if you combined the shares inherited by Hayun, Dawoon, and Haram from Jeong Seo-hoo, Hayun would become the largest shareholder.
Moreover, even before the Saudi Arabian project, Hayun had already contacted major shareholders and gained their trust and support. It was no exaggeration to say that the decision-making power in the shareholders’ meeting was entirely in Hayun’s hands.
Now, Chairman Jeong was close to being just an honorary position in name only. All the real power of the Haedo Group was in Jeong Hayun’s hands.
It made his blood boil that this young upstart, even if he was his own grandson, was so openly disrespecting him. He could accept that the group would eventually be handed over to Hayun, but he was still the elder of the family. He thought that at least his dignity as Hayun’s grandfather should be maintained.
“Video conference or whatever, tell him to come up right now!”
The secretary flinched at his outburst, bowed his head, and quickly left the chairman’s office. However, after about 10 minutes, the answer came back that the Vice Chairman had left for other business.
“If it’s about the matter you sent through Madam Kim, he said to tell you that he’s rejecting everything.”
At these additional words, Chairman Jeong grabbed the back of his neck, feeling a surge of anger. Since the beginning of this year, he had been constantly pressuring Hayun to start thinking about marriage. He said that he was already thirty and no longer too young, but Hayun ignored him. Even when he said he wasn’t demanding an immediate marriage, just an engagement, Hayun ignored that too.
Finally, a week ago, he had asked Madam Kim, who had wide connections in political and business circles, to select a few suitable candidates for Hayun and send them to the mansion. He was sure the message had been properly delivered, but there was no response. He had called Hayun to his office intending to ask him about it face to face, but Hayun refused without even seeing him.
He couldn’t put it off any longer. He felt this was now beyond just Hayun’s marriage prospects; it was a matter of his authority as the family elder.
“Prepare the car.”
Since Hayun was avoiding him at the company with various excuses, he decided to go to the house directly. He would have to return home at some point, so he should be able to see him there.
***
“Welcome, Chairman.”
The mansion’s butler came out to the entrance to greet Chairman Jeong respectfully. The butler, who had been managing this mansion since Jeong Seo-hoo was alive, was now quite old, his hair as gray as the Chairman’s.
“What brings you here without notice…”
“Am I not allowed to come here?”
“Of course not.”
Despite the Chairman’s gruffness, the butler shook his head with a gentle smile. Although he didn’t directly serve Chairman Jeong, he knew his temperament well from working in this house for a long time.
“I only mentioned it because no one except the youngest master is here. If we had known you were coming, the eldest or second young master would have come home early.”
At the butler’s gentle tone, Chairman Jeong cleared his throat and turned his head.
“That’s fine, no need to contact them separately. They’ll come home eventually. I’ll see them when they do.”
If they were notified of his arrival, Dawoon might come, but Hayun might deliberately avoid him and come home even later. So there was no need to call them.
“What about Haram?”
“He’s in his room on the second floor. Shall I call him down?”
“No need. I’ll go see him myself. You go about your business.”
Waving his hand, Chairman Jeong dismissed the butler and climbed the stairs. With age, even climbing one step at a time was tiring. Thinking there was no need to rush, he held onto the railing and slowly climbed up. As he did, he heard people talking upstairs. It seemed like the household staff were gathered and chatting.
“Don’t you think it’s strange no matter how you look at it?”
“What’s so strange again?”
“I’m telling you, I saw it last time. The second young master was coming out of the eldest young master’s room, and the atmosphere was really suspicious.”
The Chairman’s steps halted at the mention of Hayun and Dawoon.
“He could have come out of the eldest young master’s room, what’s wrong with that?”
“It’s the timing that’s the problem, the timing. I came up here at dawn that day because I had dropped something while cleaning. It was around 2 AM. Why would he be coming out of the eldest young master’s room at that hour?”
“Maybe the brothers had something to talk about.”
“At that hour? Besides, the second young master’s appearance was really suspicious.”
The person who kept repeating that it was strange and suspicious was met with incomprehension from the other, who asked what was so strange about it.
“No, it’s just…”
The voices gradually became unclear. They might be lowering their voices, as it became hard to hear.
“What are you talking about?”
Chairman Jeong finished climbing the stairs and turned towards where the voices were coming from, asking loudly. The staff who had been gossiping, not expecting anyone to be there, were startled and bowed their heads.
“I asked what you were saying about Hayun and Dawoon.”
At his stern and authoritative tone, the staff members just looked at each other nervously, unable to open their mouths.
“Dawoon came out of Hayun’s room at dawn?”
As he repeated what he had heard, one of the staff members, presumably the one who had been talking, trembled even more in fear.
“What exactly did you see that made you gossip about it being suspicious and strange? Speak up.”
“W-well, that…”
Regret was clearly visible on her face as she realized her loose lips had caused trouble, and she didn’t know what to do.
“I said speak!”
At his outburst, the staff members who had been standing with their heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them all flinched simultaneously.
“It’s hard to explain precisely, but the atmosphere didn’t seem like they had just been having a conversation.”
The frightened staff member blurted out whatever came to her mind. Chairman Jeong still couldn’t understand what she meant and frowned. He couldn’t grasp what this “atmosphere” she had been talking about was.
“S-so, that is…”
“Can’t you explain properly!”
At his thundering voice, she squeezed her eyes shut.
“I’m sorry. I think I must have seen wrong.”
She began apologizing, bowing her body at a 90-degree angle.
“You’re not understanding me. I’m not asking for an apology, I’m telling you to explain properly what you saw.”
With his demeanor indicating that he wouldn’t let this go until he heard exactly what she had meant to say, the other staff members looked at the one who had spoken up. Their gazes were filled with resentment, as if blaming her for getting them all involved with her loose lips. The one who had spoken up couldn’t even lift her head, her face contorted with distress.
“Speak. What did you see?”
He urged her once more, staring at her intently. His gaze alone pressured her, making it clear that she wouldn’t be able to take a single step before answering. She could be seen gripping her clasped hands tightly.
“I-if the second young master had been a woman…”
Her voice trembled as she reluctantly answered.
“I would have suspected an inappropriate relationship…”
Chairman Jeong’s frown deepened as he couldn’t understand the implication of her words.
“It’s hard to explain, but the second young master’s expression and such seemed somewhat… sensual…”
The woman speaking suddenly realized that Chairman Jeong was looking at her with anger-filled eyes and closed her mouth.
“Are you suggesting that Hayun and Jeong Dawoon were doing something improper?”
The Chairman’s voice was filled with an icy chill as he asked.
“How dare you utter such nonsense…!”
He couldn’t even finish his sentence, trembling with anger.
“Get out now! Make sure you never set foot in this place again!”
At his booming shout, the staff members who had been standing like statues quickly turned and ran down the stairs. The butler came up asking what was going on, as the shouting must have been heard downstairs.
“Chairman!”
As Chairman Jeong staggered, his blood pressure rising and causing pain in the back of his head, the butler quickly approached to support him.
“Grandfather?”
Haram, who had been in his room, also came out into the hallway at the sound of the Chairman’s voice. Turning at Haram’s voice, Chairman Jeong tried to compose his expression, but couldn’t completely hide the frown on his forehead.
“Jeong Dawoon, call him here immediately!”
The butler was flustered at the Chairman’s order. Judging by the anger in his voice, it seemed that something serious had happened.
“Why are you looking for Dawoon?”
At the sound of Hayun’s voice, everyone’s gaze turned towards the bottom of the stairs.
