Hoping for a change in their relationship after a long time, she saw no difference in Chairman Cha’s demeanor towards Soo Bin.
As always, to him, Soo Bin was the second-best grandchild.
Myung Ok approached them with a melting smile.
“Soo Bin, that’s why I told you to visit Korea more often. Your rare visits have added wrinkles to your grandfather’s face.”
“Right. I should have come when Mom told me to.”
Soo Bin shrugged playfully and moved forward. Chairman Cha, watching her, calmly spoke.
“Still haven’t changed the way you talk, have you?”
“Oh, right.”
Soo Bin quickly cleared her throat and corrected herself.
“I should have come when Mother asked me to.”
“Ah…… Yes. That’s right.”
Myung Ok awkwardly nodded and quickly made excuses on behalf of her son.
“I let Soo Bin speak informally because it felt friendly, but I didn’t realize it would become such a long-standing habit. I’m sorry, Father. It’s my mistake.”
“Speech is the vessel that contains a person. Be more careful in the future.”
“Yes.”
Myung Ok replied crisply and gently elbowed Soo Bin, prompting her to bow her head respectfully.
“Yes, Grandfather. I’ll be careful.”
Chairman Cha nodded lightly and spoke with a hint of regret.
“It’s been a while since the whole family gathered, but Tae Sang is not here.”
“Didn’t Brother go on a business trip?”
“Yes. He’ll be back soon. When Tae Sang returns, make sure you two come together.”
“Alright. I will.”
Soo Bin smiled brightly, though the smile seemed hollow, like an empty doll. Yet it was so natural that it didn’t seem out of place.
Chairman Cha strode towards the dining table.
His movement was like a signal, and everyone else sprang into action. The housekeepers served the last of the warm dishes, and Myung Ok and Soo Bin took their seats.
“I made lots of your favorite dishes. Eat a lot.”
As soon as the mealtime greetings were over, Myung Ok spoke to Soo Bin.
“Yes.”
Soo Bin waited for Chairman Cha to start eating before picking up her spoon. She ate quietly, her well-mannered upbringing evident in every bite.
For a while, only the clinking of utensils filled the dining room.
It was a rare meal with Soo Bin and without the troublesome Tae Sang.
Normally, Myung Ok would have showered Soo Bin with praises and exaggerations, but today she lacked the leisure for it.
A few days before Soo Bin’s return, Myung Ok had subtly suggested something to Chairman Cha.
“Father, when Soo Bin comes back this time, how about offering her a director position? To fully establish her place in the company.”
“Let’s talk about it once she arrives.”
Chairman Cha’s curt response had been ominous, and he had said nothing more on the matter since then.
Myung Ok was anxious but refrained from pushing and waited. Even when she reported Soo Bin’s arrival or brought up the meal, Chairman Cha just nodded, never elaborating.
How consistently indifferent he was, both in the past and now.
Chairman Cha’s indifferent attitude towards Soo Bin had been the same even when she was working in the company.
To him, Soo Bin was nothing more than an ordinary employee.
People said it was Chairman Cha’s intention. Perhaps he had already chosen Tae Sang as his successor and was thus pruning the branches early.
It was around that time that Soo Bin declared her intent to become a photographer. Knowing it was an escape, Myung Ok felt her heart breaking.
Soo Bin had never been poor at her job, just a bit lacking in persistence. If only given a bit more time, she would surely have shown her qualities as a business executive.
Myung Ok resented Chairman Cha for not believing in and supporting Soo Bin.
But now, even that resentment felt like a luxury in the face of their last chance.
“It’s really beautiful, but it’s just too cold. So…….”
As she wondered how to steer the conversation back, Soo Bin was busy talking about the birds she had photographed recently.
Unlike Tae Sang, who always brought up significant topics like mergers and important overseas meetings during meals, Soo Bin’s subject matter was quite different.
Myung Ok kept drinking water, feeling stifled, but what consoled her was that Soo Bin had won an award in an international contest with her photographs.
“I waited in a tent for three days just to capture it.”
“I still don’t understand what’s so great about taking photos of birds after all that trouble. I just can’t wrap my head around it,” Chairman Cha commented, his face somewhat dispirited. His attitude was typical, never having been fully satisfied with any of Soo Bin’s pursuits, both in the past and now.
Myung Ok had no choice but to join the conversation.
“But it’s impressive that once she starts something, she sees it through to the end. Soo Bin, do the same in the company from now on. You understand?”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
Having made it this obvious, Myung Ok thought Chairman Cha couldn’t ignore it any longer. She put down her spoon and subtly glanced at him.
“Soo Bin, do you want to return to the company?”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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