CHAPTER 69
The Chairman Has Collapsed
Tap—.
Tap—.
Two people sat quietly, completely absorbed in what they were doing.
In the study, even the sound of someone swallowing seemed loud.
Then again, another tap echoed through the room.
“Father, maybe you should concede this round.”
Deokho said with an awkward smile.
“There’s no conceding in chess, you fool! I’ve never done that in my life.”
Gapsoo laughed heartily, pleased with his victory.
Most men his age were into baduk or janggi (Go or Korean chess), but Gapsoo had discovered the joy of Western chess.
Because of his enthusiasm, Deokho had also become quite skilled over time.
He found the larger chess pieces easier to see and move than the small, fiddly Go stones.
And when he won, the satisfaction was even sharper than after a game of Go.
“How are you so good at chess, Father? I can never beat you.”
Deokho smiled, looking relaxed despite his loss—just as people say, “Losing can be winning.”
Gapsoo, in his good mood, suddenly thought of his grandson, Dohyun.
“I wonder if Dohyun finished the herbal medicine I sent him.”
Gapsoo often thought about and worried for his only grandson.
He rarely expressed it, but Deokho, who spent much time with him, could see it clearly.
Whether that affection ever reached Dohyun, though, was uncertain.
Deokho hoped his son would someday understand his grandfather’s heart.
“He should’ve finished it by now. Since I haven’t heard anything, I guess it didn’t work. The boy’s tall and strong, but why’s he always so weak?”
Gapsoo grumbled in frustration, and Deokho replied softly,
“Well, there haven’t been any results yet, have there?”
Gapsoo’s voice rose as if this were some great betrayal.
“There should be results! I told him that medicine would help!”
Deokho spoke gently, trying to calm him.
“Maybe they’re just enjoying their newlywed life. Having a child later isn’t a bad idea.”
But his words didn’t work.
Gapsoo’s eyes began to gleam with determination, as if plotting something.
“No. I’ll just go check for myself.”
He slowly got up from his chair, and Deokho quickly stood to steady him.
Deokho had long since become his father’s walking cane, always ready to support him safely.
“Where are you going, Father?”
“Where else? I’m going to that rascal Dohyun’s house. Get the car ready.”
Like grandfather, like grandson—Dohyun had clearly inherited Gapsoo’s boldness.
“I’m sure he’s at work. The house will be empty.”
“He’s been avoiding showing me that house, and I don’t like it. Something’s suspicious. Sometimes, you have to strike first! Remember this, Deokho. When your own son disobeys, surprise him—attack!”
By the time he finished talking, a car was already waiting outside.
Seeing there was no stopping him, Deokho decided to go along.
Dohyun’s house wasn’t far.
He briefly considered warning his son by phone, but after receiving a sharp look from his father, he slipped it back into his pocket.
A strange feeling of unease tightened in his chest.
***
“Didn’t you say Mrs. Min works today?”
After waiting with no sign of life inside, Gapsoo pressed the doorbell again.
Finally, a flustered voice answered.
“What brings you here, sir?”
“What else? To see my grandson’s house! Hurry up and open the door.”
Gapsoo barked, and the door opened at last.
Inside, Mrs. Min (the housekeeper) moved about in a panic.
“So this is where Dohyun’s been living, huh. Why on earth wouldn’t he show me this place?”
The house was smaller than his own but still far too big for two people.
Just by looking around, it was clear there were plenty of rooms.
“Once they have a child, this place will feel much livelier, don’t you think?”
While looking around, Gapsoo asked the housekeeper,
“By the way, have the kids finished the medicine?”
“What medicine, sir?”
Mrs. Min had never seen them taking any medicine separately, so she wasn’t sure what he meant.
“The herbal tonic I sent before.”
At that, Mrs. Min clapped her hands in realization.
“Oh! There’s still some left.”
Her answer made Gapsoo’s brow furrow deeply.
He had told them to take it regularly—especially since it was an expensive batch made from top-quality ingredients.
“No wonder there’s been no news! These kids can’t even take medicine properly? It’s not that hard!”
He started walking toward the stairs.
“What’s on the second floor?”
“Let’s see… since it’s away from the main floor, maybe it’s a guest room?”
Gapsoo began climbing the stairs, one careful step at a time.
“Father, the stairs are steep. Let me go instead.”
Ignoring Deokho’s concern, Gapsoo gripped the handrail tightly and kept going.
When he reached the second floor, he focused entirely on inspecting the rooms.
One room in particular drew his attention.
“Whose room is this?”
It looked like a dressing room, with neatly hung clothes everywhere.
At first, he thought it was just for storage, but something felt too well-maintained.
“Looks like someone’s using it regularly.”
On impulse, he reached out and opened a drawer.
Inside lay a contract.
“A contract…?”
Reading the first line, Gapsoo’s face turned red with anger.
“Deokho!” he roared.
His voice was sharp and trembling.
“What is it, Father?”
Deokho ran up the stairs and saw his father’s hands shaking as he held a sheet of paper.
He quickly took it to read.
“Marriage contract.”
He didn’t even need to read further to understand why his father was so furious.
Gapsoo’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor with a thud.
Then he clutched the back of his neck and fell backward.
“Father!”
His eyes were still open, but his gaze was unfocused.
Panicking, Deokho shouted to Mrs. Min,
“Call Dr. Kim right now!”
“Yes!”
With trembling fingers, Mrs. Min dialed the number.
“What on earth…” she muttered, explaining the situation as quickly as she could.
Dr. Kim said he would come immediately.
After hanging up, she took a shaky breath of relief—then suddenly realized something.
“Oh no… I forgot to tell the Vice President first.”
***
That same day, Dohyun felt unusually restless.
Maybe it was the weather.
Dark clouds hung low, with neither rain nor snow falling—just a heavy gray stillness.
It felt like something should come pouring down but didn’t, making the air feel even heavier.
His mood matched the gloom outside.
Then his phone vibrated, breaking the silence of his office.
The caller ID showed it was Mrs. Min.
“Yes?”
“Oh, Vice President! It’s terrible! You have to come home right away!”
Her trembling voice filled the room.
“What happened?”
“It’s the Chairman—he’s collapsed!”
Dohyun shot up from his chair.
“Collapsed?”
“Well, not exactly collapsed, but he got so shocked he clutched his neck and fell down. Dr. Kim is on his way! But the reason he collapsed…”
She hesitated for a second before blurting out the rest.
“He found the marriage contract in Madam’s drawer on the second floor.
As soon as he saw it, he started yelling and then just dropped.
The Vice Chairman’s moved him to the bed now.”
Ah. Dohyun understood the whole situation immediately.
He hung up after telling her he’d be there right away.
“Pack up—we’re leaving.”
He turned to Iyeon.
“I can approve leaving an hour early. Hurry. My grandfather came to the house.”
Iyeon didn’t understand yet, but she quietly packed up when she saw his expression.
“Apparently, he came by suddenly, asked about the herbal medicine, then went upstairs…”
As they hurried out together, Dohyun continued explaining.
“And that’s when he found our contract in the drawer.”
It was something they should have destroyed long ago.
That paper no longer meant anything to them.
Their marriage had started as a contract, but what followed was real—love that had grown naturally over time.
Two or three years later, the contract had become irrelevant.
They were together because they wanted to be.
But of course, they hadn’t expected Gapsoo to come unannounced and find it.
Mrs. Min had said he didn’t fully collapse, but it was a close call.
This wasn’t good.
If Deokho had found it, maybe it could have been smoothed over—but not with Gapsoo.
He would never let this go.
Dohyun worried for his grandfather’s health, but he also worried about what would come next for himself and Iyeon.
He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the tension.
“Is the Chairman okay?”
Iyeon covered her mouth in shock.
She stared at Dohyun, speechless.
He ran a hand roughly through his hair.
This was going to be messy.
Once the shock passed, Iyeon’s heart began pounding wildly.
She had tried so hard to avoid this very thing.
There was no need to hide anything anymore—they loved each other now.
If only she had listened to Dohyun and destroyed the contract when he suggested merging their rooms.
Or when Hayul came to visit, she could’ve cleaned the room and hidden it better.
Why had she left that contract right in the top drawer?
She clenched her fists, filled with regret.
“I should’ve listened to you back then.”
