Instead of answering Stacy’s words, Madam So picked up a cup filled with red hibiscus tea.

Her gaze was directed at Stacy even as she drank the tea.

After a brief silence, Madam So spoke.

“Were you even able to speak?”

At Madam So’s words, Stacy’s face turned pale white.

“If you say you took money from me to watch him, who would lose more, you or me?”

At Madam So’s words, Stacy’s body trembled violently.

Madam So had succeeded in driving Kang Woo to America through her schemes.

There was only one reason. Her own son had to inherit the LS Group.

But she was anxious at the thought of not knowing when Kang Woo would return.

Before remarrying Madam So, Chairman Cha had made it clear to her.

[I’m sorry, but Kang Woo will be my successor.] [What about our Seok Hoon? Seok Hoon is also your son.] [I’m sorry to you. I’ll take care of Seok Hoon without lack, so don’t feel too disappointed.]

He had always stated that he would make Kang Woo his successor.

So she drove Kang Woo out, but although Chairman Cha was disappointed in Kang Woo, he wasn’t the type to give up on him.

Madam So was troubled. After sending his son to America, Chairman Cha had planted people around Kang Woo, so she couldn’t openly plant someone by his side.

After much deliberation, Madam So came up with one plan.

It was to recruit children of similar age and place them by Kang Woo’s side.

If she did that, there would be no reason for Chairman Cha to be suspicious, and she could know more closely about Kang Woo’s every move.

The children chosen in this way were none other than Stacy and Lucas.

Stacy, who had been glaring at Madam So, said,

“We could both die, couldn’t we?”

“What?”

“If I die, do you think you’ll be safe, madam?”

Stacy had a lot built up. She recalled a memory from long ago.

[Why do we have to do such a thing?] [It’s the madam’s orders.] [That’s why I’m asking why we have to go all the way to America!] [Then, are you going to the orphanage?] [Aunt.] [Go if you want to. I won’t stop you. But know this. If you come to America, I’ll take responsibility for raising you two. I’ll send you to school, make sure you’re not hungry. I’ll let you continue with your music.] […….] [If you want to live eating leftovers and being mindful of others, then do that.]

After their parents suddenly passed away, there was no one to take care of Lucas and Stacy. While they were moving from one relative’s house to another, they received a call from their aunt who had left for America long ago.

There was no reason to hesitate.

Being hungry, living while being mindful of others, being anxious about when they might be kicked out – they hated all of that more than dying.

[We’ll go then.]

And so Stacy and Lucas headed to America.

The connection between Stacy and Lucas’s aunt, who had made them become informants, and Madam So went back quite far into the past.

Influenced by her mother who worked as a housekeeper in Madam So’s household, Stacy’s aunt also naturally came to work like a maid for Madam So.

Although she was lucky enough to meet and marry a wealthy American and immigrate, Stacy and Lucas’s aunt could never shake off the habit of serving Madam So like a master from her childhood, and even after marriage, she willingly took orders whenever Madam So needed her.

And this time, she sacrificed not only herself but also her niece and nephew for Madam So’s instructions.

The mission given to Stacy and Lucas was very simple.

[Watch what Cha Kang Woo does from his side and report. That’s what you and Lucas have to do.]

It was to hover around Kang Woo and monitor him.

At first, since Kang Woo was hospitalized, there wasn’t much to monitor separately.

Stacy and Lucas’s mission began right after Kang Woo was discharged from the hospital at 17 and came home.

[Do you live here?]

But it was only after three years had passed that the two could stand before Kang Woo.

After pretending to meet by chance at the same university, Lucas and Stacy openly hovered around Kang Woo.

But there was an unexpected problem.

Lucas began to genuinely care for Kang Woo. Then briefly, Lucas lost his mind when his girlfriend said she liked Kang Woo.

[If he says he’ll take responsibility, he will. Didn’t you say you cared for your brother? He’ll be plagued with guilt, so capture that child’s heart. And make sure he doesn’t return from America.]

Madam So wanted to keep Kang Woo in America.

[Trip him up, do whatever you want. Isn’t it good? You get money and a man.]

Stacy couldn’t refuse Madam So’s words, telling her to use even Lucas’s death.

Although she was forcibly by Kang Woo’s side like that, he never looked back.

She was just his friend’s sister, nothing more, nothing less.

Moreover, Kang Woo suddenly returned to Korea and married Hee Won.

“If you just make up your mind.”

Madam So, who had been watching Stacy, opened her mouth.

“I’ll give you Kang Woo. Take him.”

“……How?”

“Huh.”

The corners of Madam So’s mouth, holding the teacup, lifted long.

“I know their secret, you see.”

Stacy couldn’t understand Madam So’s words.

“What do you mean? What secret?”

Seeing Stacy acting urgently, Madam So lifted her red lips long.

“Answering whether you can do as I say should come first.”

“…….”

“If I give you a chance, can you capture Cha Kang Woo?”

“Yes.”

Stacy unknowingly raised her voice.

“If I have a chance, I can capture elder brother Kang Woo.”

Stacy had always thought.

To Kang Woo, she was always just Lucas’s sister. She was confident that if he knew her as a woman, he would surely like her, because she hadn’t shown her charm as a woman until now.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Seemingly satisfied with Stacy’s answer, Madam So smiled.

She flicked her finger towards her personal secretary standing behind her.

The secretary placed a photo in front of Stacy.

“What is this?”

“What could it be? It’ll be faster to see with your eyes.”

Stacy’s face couldn’t hide her shock as she confirmed the identity of the photo.

“What on earth is this?”

She asked, trembling.

“What else? It’s proof that they’re in a contract marriage.”

“……It’s not fake, is it?”

To Stacy’s words uttered after hesitation, Madam So answered leisurely.

“Of course not. Look. Below. Would I make even the seal fake?”

Madam So had a hunch.

That there was something between Kang Woo and Hee Won.

Of course, since they were in a political marriage, she could have let it slide, but she felt there was something more than that.

When Kang Woo left home and only allowed Mrs. Busan to enter his house, she despaired.

Heaven did not abandon Madam So.

[Madam, Mrs. Busan’s son has been reported for fraud this time.]

Thanks to the troublemaker son of Mrs. Busan, Madam So was able to bribe Mrs. Busan.

What Mrs. Busan discovered while searching the house in Hee Won and Kang Woo’s absence was this very document.

She believed this would be the last time.

This time, for sure, Cha Kang Woo must be driven out.

“Now the company will be our Seok Hoon’s too.”

Madam So had been bothered by Cha Kang Woo for a long time.

She hated how the young brat looked at her straight, and how Chairman Cha protected him.

“You take Cha Kang Woo and leave for America right away. Understand?”

Stacy nodded at Madam So’s words.

* * *

At that time.

Kang Woo was receiving a report from Director Kang in his office.

“As you thought, sir, Stacy Lee met with Madam So.”

“I see.”

Kang Woo said, tapping the desk.

“They’re probably talking about the contract.”

“Yes. She probably thinks that’s the only weapon that can corner you, sir.”

Kang Woo didn’t trust people.

Even if Mrs. Busan had worked at the main house for a long time and was trusted by his father.

Moreover, she had a weakness.

It was her son.

A person with a weakness could easily become bait to be swayed by Madam So.

He wanted to install CCTV in the house, but Kang Woo, not wanting to make Hee Won uncomfortable, chose the study as the last bastion.

It was a place where Hee Won rarely entered, and there were important documents to protect.

He installed CCTV in an invisible spot. He kept the evidence in the safe in the study, and put the contract in the desk.

But no one except Kang Woo and Director Kang knew about the existence of CCTV in the study.

[I’ll take care of tidying the study. You don’t need to worry about it, ma’am.]

He had told Mrs. Busan.

But from some point, he noticed that the position of things had subtly changed.

As a result of reviewing the CCTV, Mrs. Busan was caught rummaging through things.

Even after securing evidence, Kang Woo kept Mrs. Busan in the house.

There was no other reason.

He knew exactly how Madam So would act.

Even if he cut off Mrs. Busan, it was obvious that she would attach someone else to him anyway. So, it was more convenient to deal with Mrs. Busan, whose moves were predictable.

“From what I’ve found out, Stacy Lee hasn’t booked a return flight ticket yet.”

“……We don’t know how long she’ll stay.”

“Yes.”

“Find out more about the relationship between Stacy Lee and Madam So. Madam So must have given some instructions to Stacy as well.”

Now Kang Woo didn’t trust Stacy.

It was because he found out that Lucas, whom he initially considered a friend, had actually approached him with impure intentions.