Episode 5
“Officetel?”
“I just received an urgent call saying that the housing construction law was violated.”
“Violated the construction law? What do you mean? This issue was already approved by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, wasn’t it?”
“Of course, it was. But it turns out the client decided to add a balcony, which wasn’t part of the original plan, and it became an illegal modification that triggered an audit.”
Unlike Min, who quickly blurted out the words, Taeseok, who was listening while flicking his long fingers, showed no signs of panic at all.
“So how did they manage to add a balcony when we didn’t do it?”
“It turns out they made a separate contract with another company.”
At the mention of double contracting, Taeseok’s brows twitched.
“If that’s the case, the answer’s already clear, isn’t it?”
“Pardon?”
“We need to follow the law.”
“Wouldn’t that just make the situation worse?”
“Principle of zero tolerance. Don’t you know it?”
In business, Taeseok was perfect and cold.
The ideology of Kanghwa and his business goal were to correct improper practices and irregularities, and to promote transparent management.
“Understood. So, shall we go to the office?”
“Wasn’t that why we came here?”
Just as they were about to depart in the car, Taeseok clearly saw Lee Seo rush into the hotel, and for a split second, he remembered Lee Seo’s wallet that he had almost forgotten to leave at the hotel counter.
“I’ll take care of something quickly. You can either wait here or go ahead to the office.”
“Boss, uh, where are you going?”
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Boss!”
Ignoring Min’s shout, Taeseok hurried inside the hotel.
While he was looking for the owner of the wallet, a woman’s sharp voice began to echo from the lounge.
Scene Continues
“What is this?”
Taeseok quickly grabbed the woman’s wrist, which was heading toward Lee Seo.
“Enough already.”
Lee Seo, startled by the low voice, turned around and immediately recognized the man holding the woman’s wrist as the one who had been helping her in the lounge.
“You can’t let go?”
“Are you going to hit me if I let go?”
The woman’s face twisted with a fierce glare at Taeseok.
“What are you? Oh, I see. You’re on the side of that half-faced woman, aren’t you?”
“What’s the saying? Eyes only see what they want to see.”
“What? Are you saying I’m trash?”
“Maybe.”
A cold aura emanated from Taeseok’s sharp gaze as he looked at the woman.
“Let go!”
Taeseok forcefully tossed the woman’s hand away, then blocked Lee Seo’s path and took a few steps back.
Kim Doo-sik, who was helpless, nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot, biting his lip, then moved toward the woman.
“Ma’am, please calm down.”
“Kim Secretary, do I look calm right now? Enough! Hurry and call the police. I won’t let these people get away with this.”
The woman, rubbing her red wrist, spat out harsh words.
“I knew this would happen. You’ve been all ‘principles’ and ‘basics,’ but these types are the scariest. I thought you were just good at stealing, but now I see you’re good at messing with men too.”
Her mocking tone made Taeseok’s nerves flare up. The slight twitch of his eyebrow hid the icy coldness in his gaze.
“Your thinking level is…”
“What’s wrong with my level?”
“The filthy words coming out of your mouth right now, that’s your level.”
“Do you know who my husband is? I’m going to make sure you two end up in prison for this!”
“Prison, huh…”
Taeseok let out a dry laugh as he shrugged off his jacket.
“Boss!”
Min, who had hurried into the parking lot and followed Taeseok, called out as the woman’s lips twisted into a sly smile.
Min quickly approached Taeseok’s side.
“What’s going on? You said you had a quick errand, but why are you here?”
“I told you to go ahead. Why did you come?”
“How could I leave you alone?”
The conversation between the two men made the woman’s teeth clench in frustration.
“Boss? You’re talking like a CEO. Are you trying to scam someone? Wait, isn’t this all part of the same group?”
The woman’s eyebrow twitched as she failed to calm her anger.
“Lower your voice.”
“You’re scamming people? So he’s the CEO, and you’re his secretary, and this woman here must be his girlfriend? Or his mistress?”
At those words, Min’s face went pale, almost to the point of turning blue.
“Can’t stand listening to this filth anymore.”
Taeseok’s frown deepened, and he fixed a cold stare on the woman’s face.
The tension was thick.
In a hurry, Min pulled out a business card and handed it to the woman.
“What’s this?”
“Just look at it and see what it says.”
After quickly scanning the business card, the woman’s face turned completely white.
“What? What is this? Is this a fake?”
“I don’t think someone with a husband who’s in the legal profession should be saying that.”
The image of Taeseok, whom the woman had seen at a business gathering last year, flashed through her mind. The sharp, intense impression from that day made her face turn even paler and her pupils began to shake.
The aggressive energy she had shown moments ago disappeared in an instant, and she bowed her head before Taeseok.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“Now that you’ve confirmed that I’m the CEO, what’s next?”
As Taeseok’s gaze sharpened, the woman’s body trembled with fear.
“I didn’t mean for things to get out of hand. I’m truly sorry.”
At that moment, the hotel manager entered the lounge and quickly bowed when he saw Taeseok.
“Boss, what’s going on?”
“Honestly, I have no idea.”
The manager, who surely knew Taeseok, looked quickly between Taeseok, Lee Seo, and the woman.
Taeseok gestured with his long fingers to brush his hair from his forehead, and Lee Seo immediately spoke up.
“We apologize for the misunderstanding. It was just a small incident.”
At Lee Seo’s words, Taeseok raised an eyebrow.
“Misunderstandings need to be resolved. If they aren’t, they become truths.”
“Pardon?”
“I believe all areas except the bathroom here are covered by CCTV, is that correct?”
“That’s correct, boss.”
Before the manager could finish, Taeseok walked swiftly toward Kim Doo-sik, who looked pale.
“So, you were thinking of hiding the necklace and selling it?”
“What… What are you talking about?”
Taeseok waved a necklace case in front of him, and Kim Doo-sik’s pupils widened in panic.
“I happened to see something I wasn’t supposed to see when I went to the bathroom.”
All eyes turned toward him.
“The man here dropped a necklace while taking it out in the bathroom, not realizing it. He rushed out as if he was being chased.”
A sly smile curled at Taeseok’s lips as he spoke.
“Why would someone act so suspicious, hiding the necklace in their pocket and running away? How desperate do you have to be? I should’ve called the police back then.”
Kim Doo-sik, unable to move a muscle, trembled violently.
“What… What is this? Putting the necklace in your pocket? Kim Secretary, what is this? Explain it!”
The woman, her eyes bloodshot with anger, screamed at Kim Doo-sik.
“Tell me! What happened?”
“That… Ma’am…”
Taeseok blocked the woman’s path and continued speaking to the manager.
“I’m sure CCTV will show him carrying the shopping bag and heading to the bathroom. Get that footage, and if needed, I’ll be a witness.”
The woman’s face turned pale as she rubbed her red wrist. The chill in Taeseok’s eyes was evident.
“I’ll take responsibility. Let’s call the police.”
“Why won’t you answer? Is this the truth or not?”
“…”
The woman quickly stepped forward toward Taeseok.
“I think there was some misunderstanding. My secretary would never…”
“Then what about this case in my hand?”
“That’s from the bathroom. He must have dropped it accidentally…”
Taeseok let out a sarcastic laugh as the woman spoke.
“You’re so understanding, but you’re accusing an innocent person. Should I check your pockets?”
At those words, Kim Doo-sik collapsed flat on the floor.
“Ma’am, I’ve committed a terrible sin.”
“What? Kim Secretary, is this true?”
“I was blinded by money, and I did something I shouldn’t have.”
Taeseok brushed off his suit jacket, and Min came up to his side.
“Boss, what should we do?”
“Min, did we ever have a contract with BL in our law firm?”
“Yes, boss.”
“I only attended because of personal connections with the chairman and her husband, but it seems like it was a waste of time. Let’s end our contract with BL today.”
“I’ll handle it.”
The woman trembled at Taeseok’s cold voice, her bloodshot eyes bulging with veins.
