-What kind of nerve did Hyunja have to come here?
-I never had a sibling like that.
-They say that’s Hyunja’s son.
These were the words I heard when I attended my grandfather’s funeral in my past life. I was nineteen when I first learned of my grandfather’s existence. The looks from my cousins when I first met them were far from welcoming. They openly displayed their displeasure as if they were dealing with an uninvited guest.
-Hey, don’t get in the way.
This was my first encounter with Yoo Jinseok. I wanted to smack him on the head right then and there, but what could I do? At the time, I was a nineteen-year-old high school student with nothing to my name.
However, my mother cried as if the world had ended. She shed such sorrowful tears for her cold-hearted father, who hadn’t contacted her once since marrying my father, that it broke my heart as well.
But seeing her like that made my uncles and aunts visibly uncomfortable. They probably threatened her, worried that she might be interested in my grandfather’s inheritance.
-Hyunja, I hope this is the last time I see you. Don’t cause any more trouble on your father’s final journey.
Oh, please. If anyone saw, they would think he made a noble decision for the country. My eldest uncle’s voice and eyes were filled with greed.
I silently stared at my grandfather’s portrait. The elderly man in the photo had piercing eyes. His charisma seemed ready to burst out of the picture at any moment.
‘He did succeed.’
I remember there were famous politicians and businessmen among the mourners. It seemed my grandfather’s social status was higher than I thought.
Even in the endless stream of mourners, my grandfather’s portrait caught my eye.
‘Why are you staring so intently? He’s already gone.’
I did not grieve my grandfather’s death in my past life. He was a grandfather I had never even seen. Instead, it motivated me to succeed.
The stark contrast between my wealthy uncles and my mother, whose hands were calloused and face wrinkled, was striking.
Thirty minutes at the funeral was enough. I had no right to mourn the death of a grandfather I had never met.
But still.
‘How did you live your life?’
My uncles and aunts talked endlessly about the inheritance even at the funeral. They seemed to be just putting on a show of receiving the mourners, with no real respect for the deceased.
It was clear my grandfather had utterly failed in raising his children.
“In the chairman’s case, it is essential hypertension, so it often occurs suddenly without any symptoms. It would be best to take plenty of rest and then undergo a detailed examination. Chronic hypertension can lead to orthostatic hypotension or edema, which can result in myocardial infarction and kidney failure. It’s fortunate that he is physically strong for his age; otherwise, it could have been serious.”
Listening to the doctor’s explanation, I looked at my grandfather’s face as he lay peacefully asleep in the hospital bed.
The piercing eyes were gone, replaced by deep wrinkles and age spots. A deep needle was inserted into the always strong fist.
It seemed like he might get up at any moment, but my grandfather did not easily open his eyes.
“Aunt, can you give me some ice water?”
My aunt immediately ordered the housekeeper to get it, as if she had no hands or feet herself.
The mansion in Ichon-dong was now filled with my uncles and aunts. They had jumped in as soon as my grandfather fell ill, seeing it as an opportunity.
“Oppas, what are you going to do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, father suddenly collapsed, and there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again. We need to prepare as much as possible.”
Oh, what a filial daughter. Such a level of unfilial behavior was unprecedented.
But my uncles also had worried looks on their faces. The image of the three siblings I saw at the funeral in my past life overlapped in my mind.
“I just need to expand our hospital.”
“What?”
“I mean, oppas are going to divide the company anyway. Does it make sense that I get nothing?”
If my grandfather had been healthy, my aunt’s forehead would not have remained intact.
My uncle-in-law was watching the situation with an awkward expression. He probably thought he could just watch and eat the rice cakes. A doctor with no skills but full of greed.
‘Tsk.’
The absurd thing was that my uncles were taking my aunt’s words seriously.
No wonder, my younger uncle had confidently entered the mansion in Ichon-dong despite being the reason my grandfather collapsed.
I felt like grabbing a spatula from the kitchen and hitting everyone’s heads.
“Jinseok, take your cousins upstairs. This is a place for adults to talk.”
It seemed they finally remembered the young nephews and nieces. Yoo Jinseok, the eldest of the cousins, led the children upstairs. I was among them.
“Close the door.”
Yoo Jinseok was sweating nervously, glancing at me. The other cousins were the same. No one dared to speak loudly.
I sat in a chair in the corner of the room, deep in thought.
“Jinseok hyung.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Why is aunt like that?”
Yoo Jinseok, like a mute who had eaten honey, couldn’t answer. It was quite different from the way he had dominated the cousins before I arrived.
Well, what fault does this little kid have? There’s a saying that the clean water upstream makes the downstream clean. But still.
‘Damn it—!’
As soon as my grandfather left for a moment, my uncles and aunts revealed their true colors.
They were probably happily imagining their future, with Dongju as the tempting prey right in front of them.
“Jinseok hyung, come here.”
I beckoned Yoo Jinseok with my finger. Yoo Jinseok seemed to shrink, probably remembering the time I hit him before. How could someone with such a small heart go around scamming people later?
In a way, he was helpful to me. Yoo Jinseok was a good spy to monitor my aunt’s movements.
What if he lies? Oh, please. I wouldn’t believe Jinseok’s words at face value anyway.
If he lied, I’d just punch him in the stomach again.
“Jinseok, let me ask you something.”
Yoo Jinseok gulped and tensed up at that moment.
Crash—!
A loud noise and shouting came from outside. I jumped up and rushed out the door.
Heading to the living room, I saw an unexpected sight. My father was grabbing my younger uncle by the collar, glaring at him.
“What are you doing while your father-in-law is lying down—!”
My father’s booming voice echoed through the mansion in Ichon-dong.
“Chairman Yoo collapsed?”
Chairman Wang’s face was filled with worry. It was only natural, as his close friend had suddenly collapsed, making his heart sink.
After hearing the details from Secretary Kim, Chairman Wang nodded.
“Should we hurry and prepare, sir?”
“No, there’s no point in seeing a confused Chairman Yoo now. But collapsing due to high blood pressure…”
Chairman Yoo had recently brought wild ginseng for him. He had been so busy caring for his friend’s health that he neglected his own.
Moreover, Chairman Yoo’s household had its own significant worries, just like his third son.
Just then, as Son Ilseon entered the reception room and heard the news, his eyes widened.
“Father, did Chairman Yoo collapse?”
“Yes, he collapsed due to high blood pressure.”
“He was quite healthy, wasn’t he?”
Life is full of ups and downs. At his old age, it wouldn’t be surprising if he fell in the wind.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a severe illness. With some rest and recuperation, he could recover. But still.
“Dongju is now at a critical point of raising his strength.”
“Didn’t Chairman Yoo say he was expanding the new materials factory?”
“Yes, the timing is quite unfortunate. Chairman Yoo himself should be leading the business expansion, but now he’s bedridden.”
The heart of Dongju was absent. There would undoubtedly be moves to take advantage of that vacant position.
Such was the way of business. It was a world of survival of the fittest, where if you showed weakness, you would be eaten.
Blood relations made no difference. In fact, being of the same blood would make them even more brazen in pushing their faces forward.
“Ilseon, how do you think things will unfold in Dongju now?”
“Chairman Yoo’s children will probably try to take part in the business. This is a golden opportunity for them to solidify their positions. Especially the second son, who will jump at it with his eyes wide open.”
“Yes, this will be a significant crisis for Dongju.”
Anyone would think Chairman Yoo and he were not on good terms. But that wasn’t it. Chairman Wang had a completely different scenario in mind.
“But, for someone, it will be a test.”
I was already curious how Kang Hyun would overcome this crisis.
It was the first time I had seen my father so angry. In my past life, I had only seen him as a taciturn head of the household.
When he worked at Dongju Chemical instead of the laundromat, my father, as my grandfather said, had a personality similar to a scholar. He suited being a researcher more than a businessman.
But who would have thought he had such a beastly side hidden?
My younger uncle was lifted off the ground by my father’s grip on his collar. My eldest uncle and aunt were stunned into silence, like mutes who had eaten honey.
My younger uncle, caught like a fish, had to listen to my father’s stern words.
“Mother, was father always this bold?”
“Your father is always kind and gentle, rarely gets angry, but he knows right from wrong. Didn’t I tell you how I met your father?”
“How did you meet?”
Didn’t she say my father saved her from a group of thugs?
It was during the military regime of the Yushin era, but there were always gangsters around. Because of that, my father had to stay in the hospital for a while.
“When your father regained consciousness in the hospital, do you know what he said to me?”
“What did he say?”
“With a very serious face, he said, ‘I just did what I had to do.’ But he looked very worried. Turns out, he was more concerned about the hospital bill than his injuries. Even in that situation, he kindly asked if I was hurt.”
No wonder my mother, a rich family’s youngest daughter, fell for my father.
Today’s incident definitely relieved some of my pent-up frustration. If my grandfather were in his right mind, he would have applauded my father’s actions today.
But this is not enough. My uncles and aunt are still eyeing Dongju with sharp eyes.
I have no doubt they will argue over the inheritance at the funeral.
There was no time to hesitate. I had to consider the possibility that my grandfather would remain bedridden for a long time.
Reflecting on memories from my past life, there were various methods. How long had I lived handling the secrets of the Jaeil Group? I had closely observed how the rich protected their assets.
But executing them with this small body was too much. Moreover, I was still a minor legally.
“Driver Kim, please take me to Pyeongchang-dong.”
At times like this, I had to prevent ignorant and greedy people from swarming.
I had resolved to abandon greed and ambition in this life, but the world wouldn’t leave me alone. If so, I would devour them without hesitation.
