Affectionate Obsession - Chapter 38

“Honestly, what’s going on?”

Taekwang glanced at Junhyeok, who sat across from him, and replied irritably into his phone.

“How dare you talk back to me. Come home by lunchtime tomorrow. Understand?”

The call ended with Choi Sookhee’s tirade.

Forgetting he was with Junhyeok, Taekwang’s expression contorted mercilessly.

“Ah, shibal! Do they think I’m someone who just comes when they call and goes when they tell me to!”

A rough curse slipped through his teeth.

Junhyeok, who had been watching, picked up the water glass in front of him. He didn’t need to ask to know whose call it was.

Junhyeok leisurely took a sip and opened his mouth, which had been shut until then.

“It seems you received an unpleasant call.”

His tone was businesslike, devoid of any unnecessary words.

Only then did Taekwang realize his slip-up. He forced a smile and pretended nothing was amiss.

“Not at all. I apologize for my rudeness in front of CEO Jeong. In business, these things happen, don’t they? I trust you’ll understand, as CEO Jeong knows this better than anyone.”

Watching the man who knew nothing about business chuckle, Junhyeok felt a laugh escape him.

In fact, Junhyeok wasn’t unaware of the reason Taekwang had requested this meeting.

It was clearly about the RM Food corruption exposé.

Kim Taekwang, the current CEO of RM Food, was a man who had continuously committed various wrongdoings, including embezzlement, alongside Park Seungjun, the former CEO of HN Department Store.

Though known as one of Choi Sookhee’s subordinates, he was less a loyal follower and more one of the scums who handled her dirty work.

Yet, he seemed to be using that position to his own advantage, leveraging Choi Sookhee’s weaknesses.

What was certain was that neither Choi Sookhee nor Kim Taekwang felt affection for each other, but they also couldn’t easily discard one another.

That was the reason Junhyeok had come, even though he considered it unnecessary.

Judging by the unfolding situation, Yoon Sera’s foolish plan had clearly been exposed by this corruption exposé. If so, they might have even discovered Yeonhee’s existence.

No, if it was Chairman Choi Sookhee, she would almost certainly have figured that out.

Therefore, to prepare for what came next, he needed to understand Chairman Choi’s intentions. And since Kim Taekwang was currently one of Chairman Choi’s closest associates, Junhyeok calculated that he might be able to learn something through him.

However, based on Kim Taekwang’s response during his recent call with Choi Sookhee, Junhyeok felt his calculation might have been flawed.

While Chairman Choi might view Kim Taekwang as merely a useful pawn, there had to be a clear reason she appointed him CEO of RM Food.

But perhaps Chairman Choi’s intention wasn’t Taekwang’s usefulness, but rather to keep him close and under surveillance.

No, he felt a certainty that this was indeed the case.

If so, Taekwang’s value to Junhyeok was also limited to that extent.

Junhyeok’s already stern expression turned even colder. Because of that, Taekwang couldn’t afford to relax for a moment.

“I sincerely apologize for requesting this meeting so late. But as you know, my current situation doesn’t allow me the luxury of being meticulous in handling matters.”

Taekwang spoke slyly, his face utterly subservient.

It was a blow to his pride to bow so low before someone so much younger, but he had no choice.

He was already anxious after hearing the news that Park Seungjun, the former CEO of HN Department Store, had been caught for embezzlement and summarily dismissed.

He thought that even if Park Seungjun was fired, the fallout wouldn’t reach him, especially since the Chairman’s granddaughter had married the man appointed as the new CEO.

But to his surprise.

He received a report that the person who exposed the food ingredient issue was Jeong Junhyeok, the newly appointed CEO of HN Department Store.

Taekwang, unable to contain his rising anger, had to smash surrounding furniture and scream for a long time.

The only fortunate thing was that he had made thorough preparations for any unforeseen unpleasant situations.

That was all he had learned under Chairman Choi, and the knowledge he had acquired, knowingly or unknowingly, was proving useful.

Thanks to that, while he might not be able to avoid punishment for the food ingredient issue reported in the news, he could confidently boast that he wouldn’t be exposed for his dealings with HN Department Store during the investigation.

However, to resolve that issue without a hitch, Jeong Junhyeok’s help was desperately needed.

Only if Jeong Junhyeok kept silent could the matter be perfectly concealed.

Taekwang felt his suppressed anger flare up intermittently, but he forced it down with all his might.

Then, he put on the kindest smile he could manage.

“I believe you likely know the reason I requested this meeting, CEO Jeong. And wouldn’t you say there’s a connection, a sort of fate, between you and me? So please, don’t be too harsh and at this point.”

“Shut up and pretend you don’t know.”

Junhyeok cut Taekwang off before he could finish.

“Is that what you wanted to say?”

Junhyeok’s lips twisted upwards. He couldn’t suppress the laughter that had been bubbling up since earlier.

He predicted that Taekwang was completely unaware of Yeonhee’s existence.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have arranged such a ridiculous meeting.

His mention of ‘fate’ was proof of that.

It was Shin Yeonhee, not Yoon Sera, who had married Jeong Junhyeok. Moreover, he now knew that Shin Yeonhee was the hidden, tragic daughter of the RM family.

The sight of Taekwang daring to speak of fate and ask him to overlook the matter was utterly pathetic.

Junhyeok had no intention of burying this matter.

If he had intended to merely scare Taekwang, he wouldn’t have escalated the situation to this extent.

If he had wanted to overlook it, he should have at least ensured Yeonhee didn’t shed tears.

Of course, Taekwang hadn’t directly caused it, but the ‘Bonheur’ issue still needed to be addressed.

Furthermore, it was too late to resolve it amicably; Yeonhee’s heart had been pierced, and because of that, Junhyeok had hardened his resolve more than ever.

Junhyeok stared at the man sitting before him with a fierce gaze. He could see Taekwang falter just from that look alone. Moreover, Taekwang couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

All of it, Junhyeok found pathetic.

Any further time spent together would be a waste.

With that thought, Junhyeok didn’t hesitate to speak what was on his mind.

“I heard about the search and seizure. They say CEO Kim, having learned from Chairman Choi Sookhee’s business acumen, is quite thorough. This wasn’t something done in a day or two, so you should be able to handle this with ease, right?”

“Ha, haha. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Taekwang, flustered by the direct hit, forced a laugh.

He didn’t realize that the more he did so, the more he invited Junhyeok’s scorn.

“You would have already devised countermeasures, so there’s no reason for you to be uncooperative with an investigation that will likely proceed without detention. Then it will be quietly resolved at that level.”

“Look here, CEO Jeong. I can’t say I did right, but to corner a person like this…!”

“Well, Chairman Choi Sookhee isn’t blind, so she won’t just stand by and watch CEO Kim receive a sentence. Then it will likely conclude with a fine.”

Taekwang, his guilt evident, tried to add a defense to Junhyeok’s words, but again, he couldn’t finish.

Faced with Junhyeok’s taunts, his barely maintained composure began to crumble helplessly.

“Not a single word will be mentioned about the collusive relationship between Bonheur and HN Department Store. The prosecution won’t even suspect that what CEO Kim has so thoroughly hidden—the fact that Bonheur was a money laundering channel for billions, even hundreds of billions, annually, for every dirty deal imaginable—is true.”

“……”

“You would have taken measures to ensure it could never be discovered, wouldn’t you? How could the prosecution uncover a problem that was deliberately hidden? As long as I continue to keep my mouth shut, the prosecution will never find out, right?”

Junhyeok, with an unprecedented air of leisure, kindly laid out the foreseeable future.

Even as he spoke, he was astonished.

While it was hard to find a truly upright businessman in the world, Kim Taekwang was excessively vile.

Even now, he was the same.

Seeing his actions exposed, he showed no shame or remorse, only continued anger.

Junhyeok tilted the water glass in his hand to his lips again.

He could feel Taekwang watching him with sharp, piercing eyes, but he paid it no mind.

He still had words left that would push Taekwang to his emotional limit.

“I was planning to notify you in writing soon anyway, but since we’ve met like this, I’ll tell you directly.”

Junhyeok, now perfectly composed, unlike moments before, gazed at Taekwang.

It was time to let Taekwang know the real reason he had come all this way.

“We intend to terminate the contract between HN Department Store and Bonheur at the end of this month. As this is an unilateral termination before the contract expiration, we will pay the penalty stipulated in the contract.”

This meant he had no intention of remaining silent, even at the cost of a substantial penalty.

Despite the gravity of his words, not a hint of wavering could be found in Junhyeok.

Taekwang understood. If Jeong Junhyeok was going this far, there was nothing he could do.

He really didn’t want to beg Chairman Choi again, but he had no choice.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Unaware of Taekwang’s thoughts, Junhyeok stood up with an air of complete ease.

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in Junhyeok as he passed Taekwang and left the room.

That only fueled Taekwang’s anger further.

“He said by lunchtime tomorrow. Shibal, what is happening?”

Taekwang gnashed his teeth and slammed his fist on the table.

The food ingredient exposé, the unilateral termination of Bonheur’s store contract, and Chairman Choi’s sudden call.

Something felt very wrong.

Taekwang stood up with agitated movements.

This was no time to just sit around.

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