A Light Contract - Chapter 44

In the hotel bedroom, Se Jin, who had not moved an inch, pondered who could have dug up the things he had concealed. The only people who knew were the women involved, Ju Hye Rim, the lawyer in charge, and Jin Woo.

Excluding the parties directly involved, everyone else was part of IF Management, so they wouldn’t do something to spit in their own faces.

It also didn’t make sense that the victims would spread it to the media now. They had nothing to gain from speaking up again. They had been paid for their silence.

As Se Jin made various deductions, he recalled Baek Yi Hyun staring at him chillingly. That man was capable of causing trouble even if it meant ruining Yu Ra’s company.

“Right, why didn’t I think of that? The only bastard who could pull this off is him.”

Se Jin was certain it was Baek Yi Hyun’s scheme. Baek Yi Hyun had threatened him with murderous eyes long ago.

It was on a day when Se Jin was blissfully happy with Yu Ra.

Se Jin immediately noticed the presence of a strange man who appeared in the practice room. Anyone could tell he was Jin Yu Ra’s brother, Jin Yu Gun, as they looked exactly alike.

Sitting face to face in a quiet cafe, Yu Gun spoke calmly with a mixed expression of displeasure and awkwardness.

‘End it here. If Father finds out, you’ll be ruined in this industry. I’m saying this for your own good.’

It wasn’t a long conversation, and the monotonous sentence wasn’t particularly threatening. Jin Yu Gun turned away with a bitter face after delivering just that one line.

Yu Ra had said Yu Gun was her precious elder brother who always worried about her, though he was indecisive and soft to the point of being frustrating.

To Se Jin’s eyes as well, Yu Gun seemed like a man with the composure and generosity of someone who had everything. That also twisted Se Jin’s insides.

Despite being born into a completely different background, he felt both envy and jealousy towards Yu Gun’s unpretentious and dignified demeanor.

‘Tch, what a goody-two-shoes.’

His gentle personality seemed laughable for leading such a large company. With that kind of nature, it seemed like he could be easily manipulated to pave the way for Se Jin’s future.

So there was even more reason not to let go of Jin Yu Ra. As Se Jin was sneering while recalling his own grand ambitions, another voice was heard.

‘Jin Yu Gun is quite the gentleman, isn’t he?’

‘Wh-who are you?’

Se Jin looked with suspicious eyes at the appearance of the unfamiliar man. Anxiety welled up like a thief feeling guilty, as this person seemed to know Jin Yu Gun whom Se Jin had just met. It was also due to the ominous aura the man exuded.

With skin as white as a woman’s and large eyes, he even gave the illusion of being timid. With a smooth bridge of the nose and jawline, he had the appearance of a true gentleman.

Judging by looks alone, Jin Yu Gun with his slightly tanned skin and clear features should have been more threatening, but the aura emitted by this gentleman-like man was overwhelmingly intimidating beyond imagination.

‘Me? I’m Jin Yu Gun’s friend.’

His grinning face was chilling enough to evoke the image of a white snake.

‘Ahem, do you have something to say to me?’

‘I’m not particularly gentle in nature, nor do I like beating around the bush.’

‘Pardon?’

Se Jin couldn’t understand the words the man was casually spitting out. Why such a grand preamble for whatever he wanted to say? The peculiarity of his smile that didn’t seem like a real smile sent chills down Se Jin’s spine.

That’s when it happened. There was a flash of light in his eyes, and in an instant, the man was right in front of Se Jin, exuding an ice-cold chill.

‘If you want to keep your life, leave this country. If you want, I’ll even provide funds for you to study abroad.’

Despite the pressure that made it hard to even breathe properly, Se Jin shouted as if rejecting the man’s words.

‘Wh-who are you to tell me to leave or stay?’

The man’s eyes, tilting slightly, flashed sharply. An oppressive aura, incomparable to Jin Yu Gun’s, heavily pressed down on Se Jin.

‘You think I don’t know your intentions?’

‘What….’

‘You went after Jin Yu Ra because of her background. You thought it would be a solid backing for your success as a pianist.’

Se Jin’s mind went blank at the man’s words, which had instantly seen through his innermost thoughts. How did he know the desire that no one else had noticed?

Looking at him, Se Jin was again reminded of a snake. Cold sweat broke out involuntarily at the chilling sensation that he might strangle Se Jin from the feet up without making a sound.

But Se Jin couldn’t back down easily. After putting in so much effort, he absolutely couldn’t give up Yu Ra, who was like a golden goose that hadn’t yet borne fruit. Though trembling, Se Jin stubbornly tried to refute the man’s words. Or at least, he tried to.

‘I love Yu Ra… Ack!’

A hand with incredible strength, unlike his appearance, gripped Se Jin’s neck.

Se Jin’s face turned pale at the strong pressure that felt like his bones would break. Then the man in front of him mercilessly spat out a cruel and vicious threat that seemed far from empty words.

‘Before I break all those precious fingers you’ve been carefully nurturing, cut the crap.’

‘Urgh!’

‘I’m not making a suggestion. It’s an order. I’ll provide as much support as needed, so get lost. Don’t stubbornly resist like a bug and end up getting kicked out penniless.’

As the man’s lips twisted sinisterly, Se Jin’s airway opened up. Overwhelmed with shock and fear, Se Jin collapsed right there.

‘Huk.’

The toe of the man’s expensive shoe lightly tapped Se Jin’s limp foot. Even at that small contact, Se Jin flinched as if he had fainted.

Then a voice tinged with a chilling smile brushed over his head.

‘Let’s do this the easy way.’

That day, Se Jin felt a threat to his life for the first time. Though he didn’t know who that man was, he clearly understood that the words from his mouth were far from idle threats.

For days after encountering him, Se Jin couldn’t eat or drink, and suffered from nightmares at night. When he finally came to his senses, he remembered who the man was.

Yu Ra had occasionally mentioned a man who was her elder brother’s friend. That name was Baek Yi Hyun.

If he was close to the Jin Hwa Group, he must not be from an ordinary family either. Just searching his name on a portal site immediately confirmed his existence.

CH Group heir, Baek Yi Hyun.

“It must be that bastard. Baek Yi Hyun.”

There was no one else who could have pulled this off to this extent except Baek Yi Hyun.

When Yu Ra said she was going to marry Baek Yi Hyun, Se Jin desperately wanted to stop her, but the situation wasn’t favorable. He hadn’t managed to turn Yu Ra’s heart yet, so it was beyond his ability to prevent the marriage.

Then he thought it wouldn’t be bad to take this opportunity to win Yu Ra back while also getting back at Baek Yi Hyun.

Se Jin was no longer in a position to be easily crushed like 5 years ago. So he judged that Yi Hyun couldn’t threaten him like before.

With the intention of surely avenging that day’s humiliation, he continued to stir up Yu Ra, and broke the news at the right timing. Everything was going according to his plan.

Now all that was left was to meet Yu Ra and make her realize her feelings that even she didn’t know about. But someone had thrown ashes on the nearly cooked rice. They had poured so much that not even a trace could be found. And the situation was flowing in an unexpected direction.

“What should I do? How do I crush Baek Yi Hyun!”

No matter how much he racked his brains, there was no way to overcome the current situation. The most certain method was Ju Hye Rim’s help, but he couldn’t reach her, which was making him increasingly anxious.

He believed that if only Hye Rim would come, this whole situation could be turned around. No, it definitely would be. Then this time, he would surely snatch Jin Yu Ra away. And he would hand defeat to Baek Yi Hyun.

It was hard to read Yi Hyun’s gaze as he stared into space. Usually, Hye Rim, with her sharp intuition, could read people’s inner thoughts by carefully observing their expressions, actions, and eyes.

But no matter how much she faced this Baek Yi Hyun, she couldn’t read his inner thoughts. His expression, actions, and even his gaze all seemed to hold different meanings.

As Hye Rim frowned, displeased by Yi Hyun’s motionless response, his nonchalant voice flowed out.

“Not bad.”

“Not bad? You should be thanking me for this level of help.”

Yi Hyun’s gaze slowly lifted to meet Hye Rim’s. Faced with that piercing gaze that seemed like it could read her thoughts instead, Hye Rim reflexively feigned indifference.

“You’re doing this for your own benefit anyway.”

“You’re not fooled.”

As expected, she was a fox with terribly sharp instincts. The more Hye Rim looked at Yi Hyun, the more she thought he was a desirable yet threatening existence that would bite her neck the moment she coveted him.

She liked challenges and felt a thrill in getting such domineering figures under her control, but there was a limit to that too. Those who knew how to bow their heads to some extent and had the generosity to give were easier to handle.

In that regard, Baek Yi Hyun didn’t apply. Yi Hyun was absolutely not an easy opponent, nor was he someone who would dance in anyone’s palm.

He was a dangerous man born to enjoy dominating and wielding power. So it was better to give up cleanly and tame a man to her liking.

“But thanks to you, I can clean this up neatly.”

“You have such a classy way of saying thank you. Consider the debt paid now.”

Thinking the conversation was more or less over, Hye Rim gathered her bag and stood up. As she was about to part her lips to leave a final ‘Let’s each go our own way now’, Yi Hyun, still sitting in the same position, mentioned an unexpected name.

“Song Min Woo.”

“Hm?”

“Tell him to stop hovering around my wife.”

His gaze, slowly raised, was sunk in a sinister look. Yi Hyun’s suddenly changed atmosphere was chilling.

Hye Rim recalled what Min Woo had said. In Min Woo’s view, Yi Hyun had a considerable possessive streak.

She didn’t know what Min Woo had seen to feel that way, but she could see at a glance what kind of emotion Yi Hyun harbored. Additionally, she realized that the reason he reluctantly allowed Hye Rim’s visit was for a purpose other than Oh Se Jin.

This man, he’s in love. The moment she realized this fact, a strange thrill arose. If she played her cards right, she might be able to completely turn his insides out. A smile spread across Hye Rim’s face at the thought.

“It seems the reason you met me wasn’t just because of Oh Se Jin.”

“Aren’t you worried that your man’s heart might change?”

“Is that all the faith you have in your wife? Enough to lose her to Song Min Woo?”

As Hye Rim subtly poked at him, an unexpected answer came back.

“Heh, I’m worried he might develop feelings because our Yu Ra is too charming.”

Hye Rim looked at Yi Hyun as he elegantly rose. Seeing Baek Yi Hyun’s face full of confidence, not a joke, she felt irritated.

Where on earth did that confidence come from? Clicking her tongue lowly, Hye Rim extended her hand towards Yi Hyun with a displeased face.

“Well then, just watch. Oh Se Jin’s downfall.”

“I will.”

Hye Rim left Yi Hyun’s office without looking back. Barely acknowledging the greetings from the secretaries, she got on the elevator and recalled Jin Yu Ra whom she had seen earlier.

She was a beautiful woman with a proud and demure look. But she didn’t seem charming enough to captivate everyone like that.

“They say men’s and women’s perspectives are different, but do men find that kind of face attractive?”

She couldn’t understand at all why both Oh Se Jin and Baek Yi Hyun were so infatuated with Jin Yu Ra. Hye Rim tried to suppress the jealousy that was subtly rising.

“Min Woo falling for that woman? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Although the image of Jin Yu Ra and Song Min Woo together that flashed in her mind was somewhat unsettling, Hye Rim soon shook it off.

She had asked him to stir things up, but she believed there was no way Song Min Woo would develop feelings for Jin Yu Ra. The years they had spent together was the reason, and she firmly trusted Min Woo’s upright nature that would do anything she said.