Episode 115: UAE Lobby
Esam Khashoggi smiled and looked up with feigned surprise.
“Oh, isn’t it Bayezad? What brings you here?”
“How have you been? I heard business isn’t going well these days. Are you managing to eat?”
“Just getting by… You seem to be doing well, always following your older brother.”
“That was then, this is now. I’ll take that as a compliment. This is my first time meeting this gentleman. Is he your client?”
“Yes, indeed. This is President Lee Chang-jin of Daese Industries, my client.”
At those words, Esam squinted his eyes and sneered.
“Hmm… That’s unfortunate. It looks like you’ll just be wasting your money. It might be better to give up early rather than making futile efforts. Anyway, enjoy the banquet tonight.”
Although it was a provocation disguised as advice, Lee Chang-jin was no ordinary person.
Instead of getting angry, Lee Chang-jin responded with a smile.
“Hmm. Thank you for the advice, but you never know until you open the lid. We’ll see who loses face in the end, won’t we?”
Esam, who turned to look at Lee Chang-jin, met his gaze directly. Lee Chang-jin did not avoid his eyes. Eventually, Esam was the first to look away.
“Well, your spirit is commendable. Good luck. I’ll take my leave now.”
Esam, losing interest as his provocation didn’t work, left with his entourage.
As Bayezad glared at Esam’s back, Lee Chang-jin asked,
“It seems you know him.”
“Well, we were classmates, but he’s a bad acquaintance. He only acts up because he relies on his older brother. Anyway, it’s a relief that Adnan himself didn’t come.”
Esam Khashoggi, having exchanged brief greetings with various attendees in the banquet hall, finally approached Mrs. Mubarak. Standing right in front of her, he kissed the back of her hand and greeted warmly.
“Mademoiselle, you are beautiful as always. You look like a painting.”
Mrs. Mubarak received the compliment naturally.
“You flatter me.”
“Haha, I have a gift prepared just for you. I hope you’ll like it.”
“A gift? I’m curious to see what it is.”
At Esam’s gesture, an attendant brought out a box.
Inside was a necklace adorned with 18-carat emeralds.
Proudly showing off the sparkling necklace, he said,
“This is crafted by an Italian artisan, a one-of-a-kind piece in the world.”
“Is it alright for me to accept such a precious gift?”
“Of course. Who else would it suit better?”
Mrs. Mubarak glanced at her husband with a slightly burdened expression. When he gave a small nod, she accepted the gift.
“Thank you. I will gratefully accept it.”
As she put on the necklace, applause naturally erupted from the surrounding crowd.
Esam, looking around proudly, winked at Bayezad.
Bayezad, feeling subtly intimidated, averted his eyes.
Lee Chang-jin whispered softly,
“Don’t worry. Our turn is still to come.”
When it was finally Lee Chang-jin’s turn, he first handed over a small package.
Her expression subtly changed at the modest gift.
“Mademoiselle, happy birthday.”
“What is this?”
“It’s a small token of our appreciation.”
Upon opening the package, she found a Richard Clayderman album.
Her expression brightened instantly, and she let out a small exclamation.
“This is?”
“It’s a newly recorded album. I heard it’s to your taste, so I prepared it. Do you like it?”
“Oh, I am very pleased. Thank you for the gift.”
Unlike her earlier polite smile, she showed a genuinely bright smile.
Noticing that his guess was correct, Lee Chang-jin responded with a smile.
“In fact, the real gift is yet to come.”
When Lee Chang-jin clapped his hands twice, suddenly the chandelier lights went out.
People were startled by the sudden blackout. Moments later, a spotlight shone on the stage where the band had been playing.
Appearing behind the lights was a grand piano.
As everyone’s attention focused, someone walked out from behind the stage.
Seeing the face, people began to murmur.
“Clayderman?”
“Wasn’t he on tour? How is he here?”
It was none other than the world-renowned musician Richard Clayderman.
As the man sat at the grand piano and touched the keys, a tender and serene melody began to flow.
The sophisticated yet lyrical music touched the hearts of the party attendees.
Soft, sweet, and refreshing.
It felt like watching a child’s innocent play in the garden.
The performance by the musician who dominated an era was infinitely serious.
As the dreamlike beautiful performance ended,
Applause erupted from all around.
Mrs. Mubarak, who had been indifferent to gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, had her expression change dramatically.
By the end of the performance, her eyes were slightly moist.
Mrs. Mubarak looked at the minister with gentle eyes.
She realized that such a performance would not have been possible without the minister’s permission.
To prove it, the minister’s eyes held unmistakable affection.
“How do you like it, dear? Did you like the gift?”
“This is the first birthday gift like this since we got married.”
How much did they chat?
Mrs. Mubarak smiled broadly, as if feeling relieved.
As the birthday party came to an end, she thanked Lee Chang-jin while seeing him off.
“Thank you for arranging this opportunity. It was the best birthday gift.”
“It was an honor for me to attend this event.”
Still smiling brightly, Mrs. Mubarak’s husband gently embraced her shoulder.
As Lee Chang-jin bowed in respect, the minister nodded.
‘I have no regrets since I did my best.’
Inviting Clayderman cost over $150,000.
It was an achievement that required intense lobbying, bending the performance schedule.
After the public bidding ended, Lee Chang-jin returned to Korea.
The results, which were initially expected to be announced in a month, were repeatedly delayed. During the delay, all sorts of rumors emerged.
“Khashoggi did it again.”
“I heard Daese was also involved this time?”
“They were greedy for a project with a predetermined winner and made a fool of themselves.”
“Silly. Cheongwoo got completely outplayed too.”
The Taeyang Group expressed their displeasure by not allocating the promised quantity to Cheongwoo.
It was a retaliatory measure for meddling in the military uniform export business.
With the situation as it was, failure in this bid could create a rift with Cheongwoo.
In the meantime, Lee Chang-jin waited patiently for the announcement.
Having done his best, he could only leave the results to fate.
About two months passed. Bayezad called.
“Mr. Lee, we did it!”
“Really?”
“Yes! It seems our worries were unfounded. After cross-verification by the UAE administration, our side was selected as the final supplier!”
“That’s fantastic news!”
Although it was a top-secret matter at the time, Mrs. Mubarak had been suffering from depression and panic disorder due to homesickness. However, listening to the album gifted by Lee Chang-jin had significantly improved her condition.
A few days later, the front page of the economic section of central daily newspapers, including the 『Gyeongun Daily』, was adorned with the news that the UAE had finally selected the consortium of Daese Trading and Cheongwoo Corporation as the partners for the military uniform export business.
「Daese secures $100 million military uniform order from UAE」
「Cheongwoo-Daese consortium signs 3-year contract to supply military uniforms to the UAE Armed Forces」
The Taeyang Group, who lost the business right before their eyes, was in an uproar. Executive Director Nam Tae-kyung, upon hearing the report, was furious.
“Damned bastards! What are you doing? How could you lose the prey you had in your grasp? Are you still executives?”
“We’re sorry, Executive Director.”
“Sorry, my ass. Stop making excuses and bring me alternatives! If you spent money, you should get your money’s worth!”
Nam Tae-kyung’s face remained terribly contorted with rage. What hurt his pride the most was losing the bidding war despite hiring Khashoggi.
“Executive Director, the chairman is calling for you.”
“What? Father?”
Nam Tae-kyung was tense at his father’s summons, but it was something he couldn’t avoid. When Nam Tae-kyung arrived at the chairman’s office, Nam Tae-gon was looking down the building as usual with his hands behind his back.
“Did you call for me, Father?”
Without turning his head, Nam Tae-gon called him.
“Come here, Tae-kyung.”
“Yes, Father.”
Nam Tae-kyung stood beside him respectfully. He looked down.
“I really like this place. From here, the world looks like a miniature. When you clench your hand like this, it feels like the world is in your palm.”
Indeed, looking down, the cars were tiny, and the dense forest of buildings was packed with people. Nam Tae-gon continued.
“I realized later on. Being able to look down like this is a privilege of the chosen ones.”
Nam Tae-gon murmured in a monotonous tone.
“But a position is not maintained without effort. Many covet this place. That’s why companies rarely last a hundred years. Just as starting a business requires skill, so does maintaining it.”
Listening to him, Nam Tae-kyung felt as if he had a lump of lead in his chest.
After observing the view for a while, Nam Tae-gon spoke in a low voice.
“I heard our Taeyang Group lost the bid for the UAE military uniform contract?”
“Yes…”
“Is it the same guy as the last chemical plant project?”
“I am ashamed…”
“Losing once can be a mistake, but losing twice is a skill. You know what that means, right?”
Though his words were calm, the underlying meaning was clear. Nam Tae-kyung bit his lip.
“I don’t want to hear excuses. Take a break and broaden your horizons in the U.S.”
Nam Tae-kyung felt dizzy. This was clearly a demotion.
His voice, filled with urgency, conveyed his shock.
“Father, please give me another chance. Just one more chance, and I can do it!”
Despite Nam Tae-kyung’s plea, Nam Tae-gon’s expression remained unchanged.
Nam Tae-gon asked in a slightly annoyed tone.
“Did I tell you to raise your voice? How rude. Did I teach you that way?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
With just one word, Nam Tae-kyung shrank back, unable to make a sound.
Chairman Nam Tae-gon clicked his tongue in disapproval and spoke in a guiding tone.
“Do you think your competitors are only in Korea? You should learn from the world. Going to a developed country will help you understand the future direction of business.”
“But, Father. I have ongoing projects. This is too sudden…”
“Enough talk. I’ve already submitted your application to Harvard Business School. Focus on learning and networking. Leave by the end of this week.”
“…”
When Nam Tae-kyung hesitated to respond, Nam Tae-gon turned his head and pressed him.
“Why are you silent? Do you understand?”
Though Nam Tae-kyung wanted to avoid it, the sight of his father’s eyes made his heart sink. Though his tone was gentle, his gaze was icy cold.
Knowing what it meant, Nam Tae-kyung had no choice but to comply.
“Yes.”
“Then you may go.”
The conversation ended there. Though Nam Tae-kyung seemed to have more to say, he couldn’t speak. With his head bowed, he left the chairman’s office.
After he left, Nam Tae-gon sighed.
“Tsk, tsk. How can he be so incompetent as the eldest? He still has a long way to go. He should see the forest, not just the trees.”
The chairman’s disappointment had grown due to the recent string of mistakes.
Sensing the chairman’s thoughts, Executive Director Shin Sun-ho tried to defend him.
“Please view it as being cautious. He did put in a lot of effort this time.”
“Hey, Executive Director Shin. This is no time for such leisurely talk. Are you defending him because you’ve known him since he was young?”
Chairman Nam Tae-gon’s uncomfortable demeanor made Executive Director Shin lower his head in apology.
“I’m sorry. I was short-sighted.”
The chairman muttered to Executive Director Shin.
“Just know that. By the way, isn’t it time to bring Tae-hee back? He has studied enough.”
“Tae-hee?”
“Yes, he’s been abroad for a long time, and I heard he recently wrote a thesis. It’s time for him to return. His major is in electronics, so find a position for him there.”
“Understood.”
Though Executive Director Shin was displeased, he wasn’t foolish enough to show it.
“Alright, good work.”
As Executive Director Shin disappeared, Nam Tae-gon thought to himself.
‘He’s been around long enough. Maybe it’s time to clean up…’
In business, results are everything.
There are only winners and losers; there’s no middle ground.
Effort or the process doesn’t matter much, in his opinion.
It was no coincidence that he had beheaded his brothers and taken the throne.
Nam Tae-gon organized his thoughts and looked down again.
A new wind was blowing in the business world.
It was still a small breeze, but it was uncertain whether it would turn into a storm.
- Continued in Episode 116 -
