I heard there’s something to talk about regarding Cha Do Ha.

Should I listen?

Yeo Eun hesitated for a moment.

According to her research, Cha Do Ha and Cha In Woo are close cousins.

Of course, this is only how things appear on the surface.

While it’s not uncommon for cousins three years apart to be close, their relationship was a bit more complicated.

Compared to Cha In Woo, who was somewhat ordinary but a model student, Cha Do Ha was an exceptionally gifted type.

Early admission to elementary school, early graduation from high school.

It was in contrast to Cha In Woo, who even took a year off to retake the college entrance exam.

In the end, Cha In Woo and Cha Do Ha, three years apart, entered university in the same year.

Wouldn’t Cha In Woo have been wary of such a Cha Do Ha? They’d immediately become rivals for group succession, after all.

The rivalry was apparent even in choosing universities or majors, so it would have been right to be cautious.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s attitude of weighing between the two would have also been a problem.

After maintaining such a tense rivalry, everything was settled six years ago.

At that time, Congressman Cha Kang, a strong presidential candidate, passed away in a traffic accident.

As Cha Hyun said, Chairman Cha Ji Seop wanted to erase Cha Kang’s traces from the Han Joo Group family, and as a first step, he pushed out Cha Do Ha.

For that reason, a semi-forced peace treaty was established between the two cousins for the past six years.

And that peace treaty ended six months ago.

It meant that one couldn’t know what thoughts might be hidden behind Cha In Woo’s seemingly calm face.

To have a conversation about such Cha In Woo and Cha Do Ha.

What exactly? No, why on earth?

“Sir, I…”

Just then, the cellphone she had put in her bag vibrated more loudly than usual.

The band she had received earlier from the Lotus Hotel concierge was in a metal case, and it seemed to be colliding with her phone in the bag.

“I’m sorry.”

Yeo Eun quickly apologized for the embarrassingly loud noise and took out her phone to press the reject button.

But she couldn’t bring herself to press reject when she saw the line of text on the screen.

Though she hadn’t saved it, it seemed the caller information was automatically displayed for calls from government offices.

Seocho Police Station?

Her heart started pounding, sending anxious signals.

“I’m sorry, sir. I think I need to take this call.”

Cha In Woo nodded and gestured for her to go ahead and answer it.

Yeo Eun bowed her head in thanks and answered the phone.

“Hello?”

−Hello. This is Seocho Police Station. Are you Seo In Tae’s younger sister?

“Yes, I’m his younger sister.”

−Could you come to the police station for a moment and take your elder brother home?

In Tae is at the police station?

There hadn’t been any news from him?

“Yes, I’ll come right away.”

After hanging up, Yeo Eun looked not at Cha In Woo but at the study door where Cha Do Ha was.

He told her not to leave and to wait. And not to drink.

Let’s see how far we can go in our right minds, he said.

He said that, but…

While she was troubled, thinking of Cha Do Ha who would be beyond the study door, she saw Jin Yu Hee entering the study with Cha Hyun.

Light leaked through the momentarily open door, and she caught a glimpse of Cha Do Ha rising from his seat.

Cha Do Ha standing up to greet his future wife, and Jin Yu Hee stepping in with an elegant smile.

It’s like a splendid painting.

[I kissed you in my right mind, and I want to enjoy it in my right mind, so Seo Yeo Eun, don’t drink today either. You need to be in your right mind too for it to be fair.]

Recalling Cha Do Ha’s words about wanting to enjoy, Yeo Eun let out a bitter laugh.

For her, who couldn’t even set foot in their world, all that’s given is just the crumbs of pleasure Cha Do Ha will have.

Along with a thick envelope.

Yeo Eun bit her lip hard as she looked into her open bag.

“Sir.”

Yeo Eun composed herself and raised her head to look at Cha In Woo.

“I have an urgent matter at home that I need to attend to.”

There was no lingering in Yeo Eun’s eyes.

Her greatest strength is that, as Cha Hyun said, she’s very good at knowing her place.

“Could you please relay this to Director Cha Do Ha?”

She briefly considered saying she was sorry, but she didn’t.

She’s not sorry. Not at all.

Yeo Eun put her cellphone in her bag and turned to leave without even waiting for Cha In Woo’s response.

* * *

Boring conversations were going back and forth.

Mostly about the impact the bio industry would have on the world economy and praise for Jin Yu Hee taking over ST Chemical.

They painted a rosy picture of how much Han Joo Bio, which had shown no progress so far, would grow once it joined hands with ST Chemical.

That much could be tolerated.

“Then, when might the engagement ceremony…”

The moment Chairman Jin brought up the engagement, his patience reached its limit.

As Chairman Jin looked at Do Ha, drawing out his words, all eyes in the study turned to him.

Among them, Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s gaze was the most unpleasant.

A relaxed look of victory, as if to say ‘what will you do now?’

He’s been like this ever since that woman Seo Yeo Eun took his side.

Do Ha smirked at Chairman Cha Ji Seop and rose from his seat.

“Going as far as an engagement ceremony after just one arranged meeting. You seem to be in quite a hurry, Chairman.”

At Do Ha’s words, Chairman Jin’s face gradually hardened.

“Well, seeing how you brought a reporter to the arranged meeting, I can guess what state ST Chemical is in.”

As Do Ha’s gaze briefly rested on Jin Yu Hee, she let out a light snort.

Regardless, Do Ha’s expression remained cold as he continued speaking.

“If you want to do business with me, you need to follow proper procedures.”

Do Ha scanned Jin Yu Hee and the Jin couple in turn, letting out a sardonic laugh, but none of the three offered any rebuttal.

“Don’t rush into things like you’re trying to cook beans with lightning.”

Finally, Cha Hyun stepped in.

“Director Cha Do Ha.”

Her voice was stern, but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly one of restraint.

He gave a cold smile to his aunt and looked back at Jin Yu Hee.

“Ms. Jin Yu Hee.”

Her tightly pressed lips spoke of her indignation.

He prodded at the woman’s pride once more.

“We’ve only had one arranged meeting, but you want to rush into an engagement with me? Doesn’t that seem a bit desperate?”

Jin Yu Hee’s lips trembled slightly, visibly swallowing her rising anger.

Then, with a composed smile, she opened her mouth.

“No.”

It seems she’s not such a foolish woman after all.

“We should follow the proper order. Step by step.”

The woman, opening her mouth with a determined look, moved her eyes nimbly as if trying to read Do Ha’s intentions.

“Let’s meet three times first. That should be fine with you too, Cha Do Ha?”

She quickly summarized the situation.

“If we like each other after that, we’ll have the families meet, and then set a date for the engagement ceremony.”

Her eyes sharply focused on him, as if to ask if this was satisfactory.

ST Group. ST Chemical and Jin Yu Hee.

It’s not time to cut them loose yet.

If they dared to enter his game, they should at least play their small role properly before disappearing.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Do Ha nodded, wearing a quite satisfied expression as he slowly left the study.

Cha Hyun followed close behind him.

“You went too far.”

Though she said it was too much, her voice sounded quite pleased.

“It wasn’t too much. Chairman Jin deserves it.”

“True. He dared to try and play the stock market against Han Joo, after all.”

They were already aware that Chairman Jin had been continuously buying Han Joo Bio stocks under borrowed names.

It’s also known that the owner’s family holds a considerable portion of ST Chemical shares, including those under borrowed names.

If rumors spread about the two groups forming a marital alliance in this state, and an MOU for new drug development between Han Joo Bio and ST Chemical is announced, the stock values of both companies would skyrocket.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop’s goal is to merge ST Chemical with Han Joo Bio along with the marriage.

If they sell the stocks they hold to Han Joo at that time, the ST owner’s family could see enormous capital gains.

It would be more than enough money to cover the recent incident caused by ST’s eldest son in the construction sector.

Chairman Cha Ji Seop was quite the businessman to go along with this while knowing all of this.

In the end, it means that even considering all of this, it’s better to acquire the brain science research results that ST Chemical possesses.

And he’s using him for that purpose.

“Still, she’s cute.”

As he chuckled and made this comment, Cha Hyun flared up.

“Cute? Are you saying you’ll marry Chairman Jin’s daughter?”

Does it connect like that?

Do Ha stopped walking and looked down at Cha Hyun intently.

“Didn’t you tell me to do it before?”

“Did I tell you to do it? I said once you reach the top of the pyramid, you can do whatever you want, be it marriage or anything else, didn’t I?”

That’s right.

Get to the top of the pyramid and take what you want.

But did he have something he wanted that badly?

There is something he wants right now, though.

“Well, then go ahead and try.”

Do Ha chuckled once more and turned his gaze from Cha Hyun to look around.

What he desperately wants right now should be waiting for him, but…

She’s not here.

“Looking for Seo Yeo Eun?”

Just then, In Woo, who had mentioned Yeo Eun’s name, approached slowly.

In Woo was wearing a mask on his face today as well.

“Seo Yeo Eun isn’t here.”

But only when he uttered the name Seo Yeo Eun did the mask come off.

That was quite displeasing.

Do Ha stared at In Woo and tilted his head slightly.

“Did you see Seo Yeo Eun?”

The fact that he looked at Seo Yeo Eun with a man’s eyes, with his mask off, was somewhat unpleasant.

For a moment, Son Gyu Won came to mind as well.

It was disgusting how they all drooled over Seo Yeo Eun as if she were public property, taking turns.

“She said to tell you she left early.”

Still trying to maintain his gentlemanly dignity to the end, In Woo slowly relayed Yeo Eun’s message.

“She said something urgent came up at home.”

It seemed urgent.

The last words weren’t heard.

Because a message that had just arrived was pounding in his chest.

Do Ha took out his phone from inside his suit and checked the message from Yeo Eun.