Despite the continuous relay meetings, Woo Jin exited the conference room without a change in his facial expression.

The plan to close the factory in China and relocate to Vietnam was now in its final stages. Because of this, his schedule, which was already moving by the minute, had become even tighter in recent days. Despite this, Park, the manager, was amazed at his stamina, showing no signs of fatigue, let alone exhaustion.

“What’s the next schedule?”

“There’s a video meeting with Team Leader Cho, who’s on a business trip to Vietnam. But you have about 30 minutes until then. Would you like a strong cup of coffee?”

“Yes. I was craving some caffeine.”

“It seems you’ve been cutting down on smoking a lot lately.”

“Yeah. Tae Eun doesn’t like it.”

Park, the manager, smiled as he entered the elevator at the natural response. It was the first time he had seen him change his long-standing habit because of someone, having assisted Woo Jin for a long time. And the fact that the one who exerted such influence was none other than his wife made Park proud as if it were his own affair.

But that smile didn’t last long. Upon arriving at the office, they were notified of an unexpected visitor. It was a moment when Woo Jin’s brow, which had never hardened even with the recently tightened killer schedule, furrowed involuntarily.

As he opened the office door, he could see Jung Ji Eun, who had been waiting, springing up from the sofa to greet him cheerfully.

“Sir Seo! I heard you might finish late, but you ended earlier than expected?”

Her brightly smiling face, despite being over 50, showed not a single wrinkle, having borrowed heavily from the power of medicine.

“What brings you here?”

The company is a place even his wife, Tae Eun, rarely visits. Partly due to her personality of not liking to receive attention, but mostly out of consideration that the employees might feel uncomfortable. It was more than unpleasant for Woo Jin that Ji Eun, his mother-in-law, had set foot in the company that even Tae Eun doesn’t visit for such reasons.

“Oh my, I heard our son-in-law has been extremely busy lately. I saw on the news that you’re moving the Chinese factory to Vietnam. The stocks are bustling! I wanted to ask Tae Eun about it, but you told me last time not to call Tae Eun alone. And Tae Eun doesn’t want to come alone either. I couldn’t bear the curiosity. And also to thank you for setting up that meeting with Assemblyman Kang and Tae Eun’s father last time. I dropped by to say hello as well, killing two birds with one stone.”

Ji Eun spoke softly, but Woo Jin’s expression remained unchanged.

Since Woo Jin banned Tae Eun from going to her parents’ house alone after the bean noodle soup incident, even the obligatory visits they made once in a while were always together. Because of this, Ji Eun no longer overtly demanded anything from Tae Eun. Instead, she started calling him to say hello, and each time, Ji Eun achieved her small goals.

But it’s not that he’s fooled because he doesn’t know her true intentions. It’s because he fears that if he doesn’t regularly throw her these small bones, that anger might turn towards Tae Eun. And this strategy has been quite effective. These days, it seems Ji Eun calls Woo Jin more often than Tae Eun.

Right. If it could keep you comfortable, what’s the big deal about dealing with one lousy thousand-year-old fox?

“Well, it’s not much to warrant thanks. He’s Tae Eun’s father. I just did what’s natural as a son-in-law.”

While speaking softly, Woo Jin put a pointed meaning to his words.

Not using the expression ‘honorable father-in-law’ but ‘Tae Eun’s father.’ And ‘son-in-law.’ Emphasizing that it’s a relationship that can never be established without Min Tae Eun. Therefore, there was a clear hidden meaning to take good care of Tae Eun. Ji Eun, not unaware of this, maintained her capitalist smile while inwardly feeling annoyed.

“Haha, that’s right. But it’s not something just anyone can do. Only someone like our Sir Seo can create such an opportunity. Tae Eun’s father asked me to convey his deep gratitude.”

Saying this, Ji Eun leisurely sipped the coffee that the secretary had just served. To anyone watching, it clearly wasn’t just a visit to say hello.

Watching Ji Eun like this, irritation and fatigue washed over him all at once. If he didn’t get this woman out of his sight soon, it was precarious as to when his suppressed true feelings might cause an incident. So Woo Jin spoke first.

“Is everyone well these days?”

“Oh my, of course. Thanks to Sir Seo, Tae Eun’s father seems to be able to fulfill his lifelong wish. I can’t tell you how happy we are. However…”

“However?”

“However… because of our Ji Hoon.”

“…”

“Can you believe it, that good boy suddenly says he wants to quit university? It may not be a top university, but since he’s already in, shouldn’t he at least get a degree? But he suddenly says he wants to quit, and my heart is just burning black with worry. And the reason he gives for quitting is just outrageous. He says since graduating from university won’t guarantee a good job anyway, he might as well quit and start doing something early on.”

Having finished speaking, Ji Eun rolled her demure eyes to gauge Woo Jin’s reaction. But she didn’t have enough perception to read his poker face. Therefore, Ji Eun couldn’t know how much of a test of patience this moment was for Woo Jin.

“So, Sir Seo… I wanted to make a request. Actually, it’s a request I made to Tae Eun before, but Tae Eun flatly refused such requests, so I couldn’t even bring it up to you.”

“What is it?”

A voice without intonation asked back. His patience was cooling rapidly. He needed to end this moment quickly.

“You know the cafe Da-on that your youngest aunt runs? Could you open a branch for us? We’ll use my building, we just need you to get the permission. If you open a cafe, at least he’ll have the title of manager. The part-timers will do all the work anyway. Use that to persuade Ji Hoon a bit. To at least get his university degree.”

Woo Jin, now cooled off, stared at Ji Eun without blinking. She was truly a shameless woman. After all he had done for them so far, now she wanted him to take responsibility for the life of a green boy as well?

However, Woo Jin swallowed many words. The thought that he was the only one who could separate these parasites from Tae Eun made him endure naturally.

“I understand. I’ll talk to my aunt about it. I’ll contact you by next week.”

“Oh my, oh my! Oh! Sir Seo! Thank you so much! If I had known you’d agree so readily, I would have mentioned it earlier. That Tae Eun, she was so difficult that I couldn’t even bring it up and just suffered in silence.”

“I have another meeting coming up.”

“Oh, oh! Right! Look at me. I’ve taken up too much time from a busy person. Hohoho! Alright. I’ll be going now. Sir Seo. Work hard!”

Having achieved her goal, Ji Eun rose from her seat, unable to contain her joy. It was truly a nauseating moment, but Woo Jin didn’t forget to add one more thing to Ji Eun’s retreating back.

“In the future, if you have such matters, please speak to me instead of talking to Tae Eun.”

He wanted to protect Tae Eun from these parasites. To ensure they never even come near Tae Eun again.

“Oh my, of course. I understand! I understand!”

After all, one bloodsucker is enough.

* * *

As Ji Eun left the Jangwon Electronics headquarters building, the smile never left her lips. Her rounded eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

“Hoho. It seems that girl Tae Eun has at least got a tight grip on her husband. Seeing how he agrees to everything without a word.”

But as Ji Eun got in the car and left the parking lot, leaving the towering Jangwon building behind, an inexplicable unease began to sprout. The sense of achievement from accomplishing a grand purpose was momentary, as a greater greed coiled and writhed like a snake.

“No, honestly, it’s Jangwon Group after all, isn’t this much help only natural? And if we do well, it’s not just good for us, right? It’s good for them too, saving face. If they push a little more, making Ji Hoon’s father the mayor of Seoul would be no big deal, but they’re just arranging meetings with assemblymen.”

With many desires, dissatisfaction surged. The satisfaction from earlier had vanished without a trace, and hunger returned.

“Would it be too obvious if I ask them to push directly? Oh, this is all because of that girl Tae Eun. I mean, how long have they been married? She should hurry up and pop out a kid to secure her position, but there’s still no news? Is there something wrong with her?”

A person’s future is hard to predict. Even the most lovey-dovey couples can break up in an instant, and even married couples can’t guarantee their relationship. And when divorced, spouses become strangers.

But if there’s a child, it’s a different story. It creates an unbreakable link between divorced couples. And that’s not all. Even if Tae Eun got divorced, she could persistently maintain the connection with the Jangwon family through the child.

So a child is essential.

Ji Eun’s thoughts stopped here, and she impulsively called Tae Eun. To ask if she was using contraception. However, Tae Eun persistently didn’t answer the phone.

“What the hell! I’ve been a bit lenient lately because of her husband, and now she won’t even answer my calls? What kind of bullshit is this? Aaargh! How annoying!”

* * *

Tae Eun was bustling about from the morning for her regular volunteer work.

Unlike the volunteer work at the nursing home where her grandmother was, there was so much to prepare for the orphanage volunteer work. After all, growing children have many things they want and especially many things they want to eat.

While she couldn’t fulfill all those desires, Tae Eun did her best within her means to visit the orphanage once a month.

Today was that day.

“Madam, should I tell the driver to load these?”

“Yes, please do that.”

At Hong lady’s instruction, the driver came in to gather the gifts for the children. And shortly after, she got into the car to drive herself.

“Madam, you have so many things, do you really have to go alone?”

She smiled and answered the driver’s question.

“Then should I go volunteering in a chauffeur-driven car? People might say it’s just a rich lady’s show.”

“Oh my, it’s not like you’re going once or twice, why would it be a show?”

“I’ll be back.”

As Tae Eun got into the car after saying goodbye, her phone vibrated. But her brows furrowed when she saw the caller. It was Ji Eun.

Knowing that Ji Eun wouldn’t be calling for anything good, and not wanting to spoil her excitement about seeing the children, Tae Eun didn’t answer the call and started the car.

After driving for about an hour, Tae Eun arrived at Hope Orphanage on the outskirts of Seoul and was greeted by the children and the director couple as soon as she got out of the car.

“Oh my, the children were going crazy asking when you’d come.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could come more often.”

“How can you say that when you’re so busy? We’re already so grateful that you come faithfully once a month like this.”

“Auntie! Pretty auntie is here! Auntie, didn’t you miss Ji Won?”

“Why wouldn’t I miss you? I missed you completely! I heard from the director that our Ji Won got first place in the school test last time?”

“That’s right! I got first place! I kept the test paper well to show you, auntie!”

“Alright. Let’s look at it inside. Now, I’ve labeled the gifts with names, so take your own.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The children rushed into her car with joyful screams to collect their gifts labeled with their names. Watching this scene, Director Park mumbled apologetically.

“How do you know exactly what the kids want and prepare everything so thoughtfully? Even I, living with them, can’t do that.”

“Director, you’re truly always busy. After all, I’m just someone who comes once a month. So if I can’t do this much, it’s not right. Oh, and I ordered chicken and pizza on the way. They’ll arrive around dinner time, so don’t prepare dinner today.”

“I’m always so grateful…”

“Please don’t say that. It’s something I want to do. By the way, how is Hee Ju doing?”

“Thanks to you, she’s much better after the hospital treatment last time. Now she can even eat by herself using a spoon.”

“That’s such a relief! I’ll go see Hee Ju first.”

Hee Ju was a child who had been sick with congenital heart disease since coming to the orphanage. Feeling sorry for this child who was only three years old, Tae Eun always took care of Hee Ju first whenever she came here.

Entering Hee Ju’s room, Tae Eun approached the child who was playing alone. The child smiled brightly, seeming to recognize her.

“Oh, our Hee Ju is so pretty. Do you know who auntie is?”

Grateful that the child had endured the painful hospital treatment well, Tae Eun hugged the child and rubbed her cheek, expressing affection. As she turned around holding the child, a familiar shadow at the doorway pierced her vision.

No way.

“A child that someone wants but can’t have, yet for someone else, it’s a child they have to abandon…”

But that ‘no way’ caught her off guard.

“The world is quite ironic, isn’t it?”

It was Park Seo Woo.