In front of the office of the CEO of Kei Electronics Home Appliances Division.

After finishing a meeting and returning to his seat, Seokhwa’s secretary hurriedly approached him.

“Sir, it’s urgent.”

“Huh? Why?”

“There seems to be a commotion in front of Chairman’s office.”

“What kind of commotion?”

“Director Kim Taejun came, and it’s said that he grabbed the collar of Director Lee Hansung in the secretary’s office.”

The secretary whispered quietly so that others couldn’t hear. Seokhwa’s steps toward the office abruptly stopped.

Taejun had no reason to grab the secretary’s collar without thinking. It meant that there was a connection between his father and the secretary regarding Han Soeun’s disappearance.

“I’ll be back in a moment.”

Seokhwa quickly changed his direction.

Jaepil’s office.

As people gathered in the office looked bewildered, Jaepil, too, reluctantly changed his mind. If his son-in-law spoke more here, the family situation would spread widely.

“Let’s conclude the meeting for today like this, and let’s have a meal together sometime.”

At the chairman’s words, employees all stood up from their seats. Jaepil personally opened the office door. As employees left the office, each one politely greeted Jaepil. Jaepil also responded kindly to each greeting.

The benevolent smile of the chairman, who had been considerate to everyone, disappeared as soon as the door closed, as if it were a lie.

“What’s going on?”

“I know everything. Grandfather hid it. Han Soeun.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Director Lee Hansung confirmed that Han Soeun came out of the house with a bag. Yang Heewook also knows about your contact with the grandfather.”

When Jaepil nonchalantly shrugged, Taejun brought out the clues he had.

“Grandfather is the cruelest person.”

The woman I said was the best in the world. The woman who said she wanted to give me everything.

The woman who said it was okay for me to torment her, hate her, and make her unable to move.

To that woman who poured herself out so honestly, Grandfather made her tell lies. To leave and abandon his grandson.

That woman, as stubborn as an ogre, eventually yielded to Grandfather’s pressure.

“That person has nothing now. What can you do to someone who has nothing?”

A person who received wounds from the world, with no place to lean on.

“A person, how can a person disappear like foam.”

Seeing Jaepil, who seemed to have no idea what he was talking about, turning his head and sighing quietly, Taejun was compelled to bring up the past.

“Having lost the only son, the only daughter-in-law, and the granddaughter who was never born, who better than someone who knows the loss well could act like that!”

“Yes, that was an undeniable loss! I suffered the loss from her father!”

Certainly, when the wound was touched, Jaepil immediately showed a reaction. A blue anger appeared on his composed face.
A scream that had never been heard before, a desperate cry.

“You remember it too. How much you suffered. Losing your parents overnight, losing your brother, whom you were eagerly awaiting, and leaving for study abroad at a young age, avoiding the eyes of peers who pitied you. How difficult it was for you. How can you forget that horrible experience? I am your grandfather!”

Even to the ruthless grandson who had resisted confronting his grandfather with that heartfelt cry, the plea seemed pitiful.

It reminded him of 20 years ago. At that time, Grandfather said we couldn’t do anything to the driver who caused the accident. We couldn’t keep the driver in prison for a lifetime, and we couldn’t demand substantial compensation for the driver’s property loss. We, as people in a social position, had to forgive even if it was unjust, he said.

Even toward the grandfather who had scolded Taejun like that, there was an unyielding feeling like a deep-rooted grudge.

Yes, that’s human.

Now Taejun wondered how it would have been if he had known his grandfather’s true feelings 20 years ago.

If that had happened, perhaps we would have been a little closer.

“I’m okay now.”

However, now the grandfather’s place in Taejun’s heart was like a broken clock. It would be nice if it were there, but it wasn’t uncomfortable without it.

We had unknowingly drifted apart like this. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.

“I’m okay, Grandfather.”

“……. ”

“Grandfather’s trauma is Grandfather’s burden. How can you shift your burden onto that little girl?”

Taejun demanded a clear line between Jaepil and himself.

“Release Hansoeun.”

Jaepil also drew a clear line.

“That girl left you. She’ll never come back. As soon as my dad found out what kind of person you were, he said to get rid of her. She is—”

“Enough. Just tell me where she went!”

“I don’t know!”

It was the moment when the door creaked open.

Carefully opening the door and stepping inside, Seokhwa couldn’t move forward because of the loud voices of the two.

“Do you think you’ll be happy if you find her? Both you and she will only become unhappy. Blood is thicker than water. It becomes harder to endure as time goes by.”