AOA 108

“You catch on fast. Though maybe a little late, considering Father’s age. But it doesn’t seem like he plans to hand everything to eldest brother. Don’t you think so too?”

“Do you mean to claim the top position yourself?”

Instead of agreeing, Baek Mugyeong returned the question. At that, Baek Sujin’s eyes widened, then she smiled.

“You’re just going to ask me outright? Bold, aren’t you? Well, of course I want to sit in the highest seat. I was born the child of Baek Jinseok, after all. But the chances are low. Father is old-fashioned, you know. He says a woman can’t do it. If I were a man, I’d have overtaken eldest brother already.”

“I agree.”

Among the siblings, Baek Sujin had the greatest ambition, and she had the ability to match it. She always boasted of her achievements to Baek Jaehan. But the problem was that she was a woman. Baek Jinseok intended to pass the group to a son. More precisely, to an Alpha son.

Right now, the only one who met that condition was Baek Jaehan.

Mugyeong thought that if Sujin had been a man, she would already be locked in a fierce succession battle with Jaehan. When he spoke honestly, Sujin laughed in surprise.

“What’s this? Why are you flattering me so much?”

“What will you do?”

“Of course I’ll try for the chairman’s seat. But if that fails, I’ll at least take what I already hold. I built it up and grew it, how could I stand by and let eldest brother snatch it all away? Anyway, I’m the only one talking here. What about you? If you give Grandfather a great-grandson like a solid stone baby, DS Motors might be yours.”

“If Grandfather gave it to me, I wouldn’t refuse.”

Sujin, as capable as she was, also had sharp perception. With her piercing question, Mugyeong gave the answer she wanted to hear.

Honestly, he had no ambition to grow DS Motors into Korea’s largest car company. But keeping it out of Baek Jaehan and Baek Yeongseop’s hands was attractive enough.

“My nephew has no greed. I, on the other hand, want more. Do you know how many companies Father holds beneath him? Hotels and department stores alone don’t satisfy me.”

He knew. Daesong Group’s scale was massive. From construction, the root of any conglomerate, it had extended into electronics, automobiles, finance, heavy industry, chemicals, department stores, hotels, distribution, and more.

It wasn’t for nothing it was called one of the top three chaebol in Korea.

“It could get dangerous. Be careful.”

Mugyeong gave Sujin, who made no effort to hide her ambition, a practical warning. In truth, he was repeating words she herself had once told him before his regression. At that time, he had not grasped the seriousness and let them pass by. But now, he knew too well.

Baek Jaehan was a man who had once run down his own nephew with a truck. He would never just sit by while his sister Sujin took the department stores and hotels.

“Hahaha. You’ve thought that far? That was supposed to be my line. Well then, let’s speak plainly. How about we join sides? I’m not talking about anything grand. I’ll back you so you can take DS Motors. In return, you support me. What do you say?”

At the frank and bold proposal, Mugyeong stifled a wry smile. This too had been Sujin’s direct offer before his regression.

Back then, he had only ever thought of leaving Korea. He had no interest in DS Motors, so he had refused her offer to join forces.

But now, needing revenge against Baek Jaehan and his son, he needed Sujin. Unlike Baek Daehan, who shrank away like watered-down wine, Sujin wanted to fight actively. On top of that, she was hearty and bore no grudges.

But it was not good to throw himself at her first. Drawing the wariness of ambitious Sujin would be the worst.

During the last Lunar New Year, he had tried to win her favor by catching her when she slipped on the ancestral grave steps, but Jeong Minchae noticed her shoe was faulty first, and he lost the chance.

Fortunately, that incident had at least led to some personal closeness growing between them. And now, he had received her proposal much earlier than before his regression.

“I don’t have much to offer. Would that be all right with you?”

Though he had waited for this moment, Mugyeong did not take the bait. This was a matter of initiative. He was younger and truly had little compared to her. But he could not bow his head and go in under Baek Sujin.

“Picky nephew, aren’t you. Fine. If you want something, say it. I’ll give you anything.”

Quick-witted, Sujin burst into laughter, then immediately came at him boldly. In such moments, she had far more daring than Jaehan.

Mugyeong chose his words carefully. What he had to gain from Sujin was not money or possessions.

It was information.

***

Baek Mugyeong’s goal was revenge. At first, he decided to take everything from Baek Jaehan and Baek Yeongseop, who had killed him, and to seize the Daesong Group they so desperately desired.

He abandoned the thought of returning to America. He used the knowledge from before regression to amass wealth and prevented the mishaps that would occur at DS Motors.

Everything went as he intended.

But the more money and information he gathered, the more he realized revenge could not be completed by ordinary means. In America, it was common enough for founders to be driven out, but in Korea’s conglomerates, it was nearly impossible.

Daesong Group was too vast. No matter how much money he had, he could not buy up the controlling shares he needed.

In the end, he had to change the direction of his revenge.

It was to block Baek Jaehan and Baek Yeongseop from inheriting Daesong Group.

Baek Jaehan was as seasoned as his years, and though he had many corrupt dealings, he hid them well. That was why Baek Yeongseop became the target.

Using memories from before his regression, Mugyeong set traps so Yeongseop would make outrageous mistakes and get caught up in incidents.

There had not yet been a decisive blow, but Baek Mugyeong did not grow impatient. He believed that if he waited, the chance would come.

If Baek Jinseok, disappointed by this latest matter, decided not to pass the whole of Daesong Group to Jaehan and instead divided up the subsidiaries, then half of Mugyeong’s revenge would already be accomplished.

And that meant even without a child, he could still take DS Motors.

Strangely, though he had once made up his mind to seize Daesong Group itself, DS Motors stirred no real feeling in Baek Mugyeong. It was not that cars alone were lacking, nor that he wanted more. It was that he could not picture a future living and managing a company in Korea.

Baek Mugyeong could assess himself objectively. His thirst for revenge remained. But his obsession with Daesong Group had thinned.

Rather than wallowing in a mire of desire and resentment, he wanted to return to where he once belonged.

There were many reasons why that suppressed longing now pierced through like a sharp awl. A major one was Jeong Minchae, who spoke of divorce constantly.

From even before the marriage, Jeong Minchae had brought up divorce. He was consistent. He had no interest in the wealth or power that came from a political marriage. He did not want to be mistress of DS Motors. He only wanted a divorce.

It seemed he had made his own plans not to return to the family that had abused him. But clumsy as he was, Jeong Minchae did not seem capable of safely slipping away from Jeong Suchan’s snake-like grasp.

That was what it meant to care. It was not only desire. He wished for him to be safe, to be happy, to laugh often.

On top of that, he wanted to be a good influence in Jeong Minchae’s life. Not a chaebol head ruling over all.

Baek Mugyeong was no fool. He knew exactly what name to give these feelings.

But he did not let them sway him. Instead of sinking deep into soft, tender, sweet emotions, he thought all the more coldly.

Revenge was not yet complete, he told himself, and so nurturing this feeling would have to come later.

Baek Mugyeong chose deliberate neglect. Yet whenever he faced Jeong Minchae’s face, he wanted to take him to America together.

And today was no different.

“You’re here?”

Recently, Baek Mugyeong went straight home after work. He did not purposely make evening appointments or stay late at the office.

His relationship with Jeong Minchae had changed dramatically, but they were not yet an ordinary couple. After work, the only time he saw him was at dinner.

But today, for some reason, Jeong Minchae was outside in the yard. Holding a phone to his ear, he was smiling, but the moment Mugyeong appeared, he hurriedly ended the call, saying he would stop here. The unnatural behavior caught his attention.

Baek Mugyeong did not let it pass and walked toward him. When he stopped at a suitable distance, Jeong Minchae deliberately stepped back. It was obvious he was forcing space between them.

“Who was it?”

“Jaeha.”

There were only a few people Jeong Minchae would smile at while on the phone. Choi Jaeha, or his younger brother Lee Sejun.

Baek Mugyeong disliked how close Jeong Minchae was with Choi Jaeha. He could not just let it go.

“What was it about?”

“Nothing. We just talked about this and that.”

Before his regression, Baek Mugyeong could not tell whether Jeong Minchae was lying or not. But now, he knew for certain that he was hiding something.

“That’s not true.”

“…?!”

“What is it?”

Jeong Minchae’s eyes widened, and his expression turned strange. More precisely, it was full of wariness.