Bitterly, Doha had left no trace of the incident, which seemed to have truly ended. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Haeyeon, who had lost her memory, wander outside. Of course, Haeyeon was still in a state of lost memory, and although there might be repercussions or remnants around her, externally it was just a settled past.
Finally, a ripple of disturbance appeared in Chairman Yoon Myeong-gil’s eyes.
“You…”
“And furthermore.”
Haeyeon, daring to interrupt the words of the head of the Gilmyung Group, swiftly provoked a diversion in Yoon Myeong-gil’s focus.
“I’m not worried about the risks of borrowing someone else’s hand.”
“….”
“….”
A silence, thick as a veil, settled in the room. One looked up, the other down, but the position of their gazes mattered little. They stared at each other in a silent confrontation, a fierce but invisible battle of wills hanging between them.
The tension was broken by light footsteps and a voice.
“What’s the matter at this hour?”
The silent battle ceased with the arrival of Cha Gi-jung, Yoon Myeong-gil’s second son-in-law, who had come upon hearing of Haeyeon’s unexpected visit. Gi-jung, too, appeared displeased by Haeyeon’s sudden arrival, but he quickly closed his mouth, sensing the chill in the hall.
Yoon Myeong-gil, after a glance at her well-trained husband Gi-jung, returned to her tea and revisited the topic at hand.
“Your daughter-in-law wants to work.”
“Work? Why does the second need to work? She’s not lacking money.”
Gi-jung, who typically scrutinized Haeyeon as if asking what she could do without a family or assets, went a step further.
“Especially since you don’t have a career like the first.”
The first, Cha Do-hoon’s wife Han Yoon-seo, a former broadcaster and a prestigious university graduate, wasn’t entirely favored by the in-laws, but her situation was better than Haeyeon’s, leading to frequent comparisons.
The corners of Haeyeon’s eyes crinkled with a barely discernible smile. Watching her father-in-law ridicule his daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law encourage it, Haeyeon revealed her true purpose for the visit.
“Father.”
Her voice was firm as she addressed her father-in-law. Gi-jung, surprised by Haeyeon’s uncharacteristic assertiveness, widened his eyes. Meanwhile, Yoon Myeong-gil continued to savor her tea, seemingly uninterested, but Haeyeon was undeterred.
“I came to Daechi-dong because if I start working, I won’t be able to bring you side dishes or prepare meals, and…”
Haeyeon purposefully paused and then turned to Yoon Myeong-gil, standing firm despite her position.
“…it’s to let you know that it will be difficult for me to visit Daechi-dong in the future, not to seek your permission.”
“What!”
As her words fell, Cha Gi-jung erupted in indignation.
“You, how dare you show such disrespect! You think you can just…”
“Let it be, my dear.”
Yoon Myeong-gil, unflinching, interrupted her husband. She had never interceded when Gi-jung had previously confronted Haeyeon.
“You should gratefully accept the opportunity given.”
Gi-jung looked confused, while Yoon Myeong-gil wore a deep smile, responding to Haeyeon’s agenda.
“You don’t need to come to the house for the time being.”
“My dear!”
Only Gi-jung was making a fuss. Yoon Myeong-gil and Haeyeon exchanged calm glances, and the situation concluded with Haeyeon’s farewell.
“…I’ll take my leave now.”
Ignoring the murmurs from the side, Yoon Myeong-gil’s cold gaze didn’t waver as she dismissed Gi-jung.
“You may leave now, dear.”
“Ah, alright.”
Gi-jung awkwardly complied. Left alone in the vast drawing room, Yoon Myeong-gil sunk into thought, gazing out the terrace.
After some time, a presence approached from behind the Chairman, still facing away from the entrance. It wasn’t Secretary Choi. A middle-aged man appeared in the reflection of the terrace window opposite Yoon Myeong-gil.
“Have you found out?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
Following the Chairman’s instruction, Yeong-hwan reported his findings.
“There’s no special romantic involvement in Korea. Since her return, she’s encountered the young master a few times, but for strictly official reasons.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
With her back turned, Chairman Yoon Myeong-gil inquired absentmindedly, her thoughts not on Yeong-hwan’s report but on Haeyeon’s recent visit.
“You couldn’t do it in the past, mother. I don’t think it will be any different now. Spring has already passed.”
Yoon Myeong-gil’s lips tilted slightly.
“Like you said, time has already passed.”
“You aren’t worried about the dangers of involving others.”
“But this time, it will flow differently, Min Haeyeon.”
Yoon Myeong-gil, emerging from her reverie, turned around. Without responding to her own musings, she looked at Yeong-hwan, who was silently waiting with his head bowed, and commanded,
“Find out about Min Haeyeon’s activities today and pass the information to Lee Soolin. And…”
Pausing momentarily to stroke her chin, Yoon Myeong-gil continued with a serpentine smile,
“Contact Han Yoonseo.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Realizing his task was complete, Yeong-hwan discreetly exited. Alone again, Yoon Myeong-gil’s stern gaze settled on the entrance leading to the hallway, which connected to the staircase leading upstairs.
“If you cause a problem, you should be responsible for it.”
Yoon Myeong-gil’s narrowed eyes gleamed with derision, hoping that this time, the troublesome Min Haeyeon would finally be driven away. She had begrudgingly had to give up the important position beside Do-ha to someone insignificant and useless – Min Haeyeon.
What was even more frustrating was that Do-ha, who had never strongly opposed her despite his clear disapproval, had started to rebel like a wild horse, all because of that girl.
A strange gleam flickered in Yoon Myeong-gil’s pitch-black eyes.
To fulfill her ambition of surpassing Mibon Foods and elevating Gilmyung Jedang to the top, Cha Do-ha was essential.
She was old, and Cha Do-hoon, who had done nothing notable in almost a decade, was hopeless. Seeing Do-ha establish and grow his business in a short period, Yoon Myeong-gil was certain.
The suitable person to achieve the leap of Gilmyung Group was Do-ha.
How could someone like Min Haeyeon possibly handle the role of assisting him in this smooth ascent?
“Presumptuously.”
Muttering softly, Yoon Myeong-gil’s eyes sparkled with anticipation for the day to come.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
