Early in the morning.
Seo Rin found the scenery outside the moving car strangely unfamiliar.
Although it was the same route she usually took to work, why did it feel so alien today? Perhaps it was because she was at a significant turning point in her life.
Everything in the world felt strange. The clear sky, the transparent air, even the passing breeze.
Even her reflection in the halfraised car window seemed foreign, as if it belonged to someone else.
Did I… always look like this?
“We’ve arrived, Executive Director.”
Only upon hearing Director Park’s voice did Seo Rin transition from the unfamiliar world back to reality. And then, she saw a massive traditional Korean house. It wasn’t a traditional village, but rather a rare sight in the affluent area of Seoul.
As Seo Rin got out of the car, the wellarranged gate opened as if it had been waiting for her.
“The Lady is waiting for you.”
A middleaged woman with a neat chignon, dressed in a modernized hanbok, politely greeted her and led the way. As they passed the professionally manicured garden and long stone path, a paradiselike scenery unfolded, complete with a small pond.
And there, an elderly woman was feeding the freely swimming golden carps. Dressed in a beautiful white hanbok, with her short hair faded to a pale hue, the woman was quite striking.
Despite the visible signs of aging etched in her wrinkles, her expression was peaceful, as if she had no worries in the world.
She was none other than the influential figure in the loan industry, Lady Son Mi Joo.
“Have you arrived?”
Lady Son turned around belatedly and locked eyes with Seo Rin. A face she had briefly seen only once a few years ago. The connection she thought had ended then had eventually led to this moment.
Only then did Seo Rin offer a polite greeting.
“I’m sorry for coming so late.”
“That’s fine. These days, who isn’t as busy as you? Is it tough?”
At that seemingly trivial remark, Seo Rin felt a sting at the tip of her nose.
She was holding on stronger than anyone, but that didn’t mean the stress disappeared.
She was just absorbing the shock like a sponge to get through this moment.
So, of course, it was hard.
And, of course, she was tired.
“I can’t hold a busy person for long, so I prepared the documents in advance.”
Lady Son received an envelope from a woman beside her and handed it to her.
“It’s a proxy, allowing you to exercise my authority at the provisional shareholders’ meeting.”
“Thank you.”
“What do you have to thank me for? You should thank your deceased father.”
As if recalling memories of the late Chairman Baek, Lady Son’s eyes became distant.
In fact, nobody yet knew the extraordinary relationship between Lady Son and Chairman Baek. Nor why Lady Son, a prominent figure in the loan industry, had bought 3% of the Sungwon Group’s stock and had held onto it until now.
But now, she felt she had to ask. Because she could no longer overlook Lady Son, who had been such a stable support for her in precarious times.
“May I ask what kind of relationship you had with my father?”
A hint of caution permeated her voice, in case her question might be inappropriate.
However, Lady Son responded to the question with a faint smile and opened her mouth candidly.
“Your father… saved my life a long time ago.”
“Pardon?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected revelation, Seo Rin’s mouth fell open.
“So, I suppose what’s in that envelope is the price of my life.”
“……”
“It was a very long time ago. But even as I grow old and feeble, the memory of that day is still vivid to me.”
As if recalling that day, Lady Son leaned back and slowly took a step. Seo Rin calmly followed her.
“It must have been more than 30 years ago. When Sungwon was just starting out, due to a lack of funds, Vice President Baek… that is, the current President Baek came to me to ask for a loan. But your father found out and chased after him. You know your father’s personality. He believed that he couldn’t borrow money from a loan shark like me, even if it meant coming back from the dead.”
It was an all too imaginable scene. Her uncompromising father and President Baek, who wouldn’t hesitate to use underhanded methods for profit, were always clashing, even over the smallest things.
“But that day, a thug sent by someone who bore a grudge against me attacked me with a knife because he couldn’t pay back the money he owed. Your father and President Baek were at the scene.”
“……”
“The one who blocked him was your father. It wasn’t a serious injury, but because of that incident, I owed your father the price of my life. I’m a person who believes in clear give and take. It’s my job to lend and get money back.”
“I had no idea such a thing happened.”
“Of course, you didn’t. Ah, I suppose so. Your father, Chairman Baek, was not the type of person to talk about such things casually. He simply said he did what he had to do because he was at the scene. He couldn’t just stand by and watch a madman wielding a knife.”
“……”
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
