“First of all…”

Eventually, Jeho opened his mouth and a dry voice flowed out.

“Let’s visit the chairman first. Everything will change depending on his reaction.”

[I understand. Then, I’ll wait for your contact.]

After ending the call with the other person, Jeho touched his forehead with his palm as if deep in thought. But soon he shook his head, laughing helplessly.

At this point, there was only one conclusion no matter how much he worried.

Jeho put his cellphone in his jacket pocket and once again turned his gaze towards the bedroom where Yuri was sleeping. Then he quickly left the house.

Unlike the cozy interior, a strong wind was blowing outside. Just like the cruel reality he would soon have to face…

[This is the timeline separator]

Yuri, who was rolling over in search of warmth, opened her closed eyes to the empty space beside her. She slowly blinked and looked around, but Jeho was nowhere to be seen.

“…Ah.”

As Yuri got up from the bed, she frowned at the muscle pain pressing down on her entire body. It was a natural result of overdoing it all night. Still, her heart felt as light as if it could fly.

Because she could finally put down the heavy burden that had been weighing on her mind.

For Yuri, the family’s disgrace, which was as difficult to reveal as hiding her own feelings, was like a hot potato in her hand.

Even last night, as she hesitated whether to say it, Jeho spoke first.

—I’m sorry about Uncle’s matter. For threatening you twice over a purely personal matter.

Although he described it as ‘purely personal’, Jeho looked at her with a face that knew everything.

—Did you know what the content of the threat was?

To Yuri’s question, Jeho nodded and pulled her into his arms.

—Yes. I also know that you didn’t take the ledger to get revenge on me. You sacrificed for your sister, right?

Not once had she thought she was sacrificing for her sister. She only thought that the family’s disgrace should not be revealed to the outside. But in the end, what Yuri worried about most was Yuri.

Even if she kept telling herself that she no longer loved her sister like before, the truth was that her feelings for Yuri remained constant.

She didn’t want to see Yuri get hurt. Sometimes she got angry, and felt resentful as if she had stolen her father’s love, but still, she was her sister.

The child her late mother had asked her to protect. Her one and only sister in the world.

After finishing her shower and leaving the room, Yuri turned her gaze to the clock on the oven while brewing coffee with the espresso machine. The time had already passed noon by far. She had slept in much later than she thought.

Bringing the cup permeated with the strong coffee aroma to her mouth, she called Jeho. The signal just kept ringing but he didn’t answer. But she wasn’t anxious like yesterday. She thought, ‘He’s probably just busy.’

“Call me when you have time.”

She left a voice message and hung up, but her phone rang. Thinking it was Jeho, Yuri pressed the call button without even checking the caller ID.

[Yuri.]

The completely unexpected voice of Madam An flowed through the phone.

[I heard the news. …Are you alright?]

Madam An’s voice was trembling unstably, as if she was really worried. Yuri took a sip of coffee and answered slowly.

“Yes. Fortunately, I’m safe.”

[No, how… I’m sorry. I should have been by your side to nurse you…]

“It wasn’t serious enough to need nursing.”

Then Yuri’s voice was heard from behind.

[Sis, are you okay? Huh?]

Yuri’s voice was trembling as much as Madam An’s. Both of them seemed to have just learned about Yuri’s news.

“Thank you for your concern. Please tell Yuri not to worry.”

[…Um, but Yuri.]

Usually, Madam An would have hung up after checking on her well-being, but today she hesitated, calling Yuri as if she had something more to say.

[You must be confused enough as it is, I don’t know if I should say this, but… I think you should know too.]

“Yes, please go on.”

[Have you heard that the congressman will withdraw from the presidential candidacy? And that he’ll resign from his position as soon as he finishes his current work?]

“Yes. He said he’s retiring from politics.”

[Whew.]

Then, with a deep sigh, surprising words flowed from Madam An.

[So… I think Yuri and I no longer need to be by the congressman’s side. Divorce won’t be a big flaw anymore. There are no voters to be mindful of.]

“What do you mean?”

Yuri’s voice tone rose in surprise.

[I’m planning to settle in New Zealand with Yuri. The congressman wants that too. I’m sorry, Yuri. For giving you such a heavy responsibility and leaving like this…]

“Why so suddenly?”

As far as Yuri knew, there was no problem between Congressman Chae and Madam An. Although he was a husband without any affectionate side and only blunt, Madam An always treated Congressman Chae warmly.

[I’ll tell you now… The congressman and I formally married for Yuri’s sake, and for the image of a harmonious family to show the voters. But now that he’s retiring from politics, there’s no need to pretend anymore.]

“It… it was a formal marriage?”

By now, Yuri’s voice was trembling finely. Madam An told her in a calm voice the story that Yuri had not known until now.

When An Misook found out she was pregnant, she said she initially wanted to get rid of it. But because she had been in love with Chae Hyungsik since college, she just couldn’t do it.

[I was going to give birth alone and raise the child secretly. But I ended up getting caught by the congressman.]

Hyungsik got angry, saying an illegitimate child was absolutely not allowed. By then, the time for abortion had already passed. But in the end, Misook agreed with Hyungsik to get rid of the child.

[But then the madam found out.]

Upon hearing the news, So Yeon rushed to the hospital and forcibly dragged Misook out of the hospital as she was heading to the operating room. The reason was that not only the baby but also Misook would be in danger if she had surgery now.

[The madam said to just give birth safely. She said she would raise the child as her own daughter, so please don’t kill the precious life.]

After that, So Yeon kept her promise to Misook and raised Yuri as her own daughter until the very end.

And just before she died, she asked Misook, who came to the hospital, to take care of Yuri and Yuri. Then a year later, Congressman Chae took Misook, who was then his aide, as his wife.

It was a formal marriage for a stable family image. However, unexpected criticism poured in as opinions arose that the remarriage was too quick. Inevitably, Congressman Chae’s side had to use Yuri, who looked exactly like the deceased So Yeon, for the election.

[You might not believe me if I say this now… But the congressman’s mistake was only on that one day. Nothing happened after that. The only wife for the congressman was your mother, the madam.]

Madam An, with a heavy voice, ended the conversation and hung up.

Even long after the call ended, Yuri couldn’t move, sitting still. It was as big a shock as when she heard from her aunt that her deceased mother truly loved her father.

“Haah.”

Yuri, who sighed, mechanically brought the cup to her mouth and took a sip of the now cold coffee. The sour and bitter coffee filled her mouth.

[This is the timeline separator]

“You useless fool! What have you been doing all this time?”

The angry voice flowing from inside the chairman’s office echoed loudly in the corridor.

All the secretaries who should have been in the secretariat were out in the corridor, blocking the front of the chairman’s office like a shield. It seemed they had been instructed to leave their seats and go outside.

As Jeho, who got off the elevator, walked towards the chairman’s office corridor, the head of the secretariat approached him with a troubled face.

“I’m sorry. The chairman said not to let anyone in.”

“Is Uncle here now?”

Jeho no longer called Kwon Woosik Director Kwon. Just as Director Kwon had sneered about the ‘Vice Chairman’ title, he had already stepped down from his position, so he was just an uncle.

“Yes. He’s inside now.”

Jeho put his hand on the head of the secretariat’s shoulder and smiled gently. It was a confident smile as if telling him not to worry and leave it to him.

“Since the sound is leaking into the corridor, block access from the elevator front.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m going to have a very important conversation with the chairman from now on. So move all the secretaries not to the front of the chairman’s office, but to the front of the elevator.”

After giving instructions to the head of the secretariat, Jeho walked straight towards the chairman’s office. But the secretaries could only look at each other, and no one could block his way. Rather, they walked one by one towards the elevator.

Only after confirming that all the secretaries had moved and the corridor was empty did Jeho open the heavy door of the chairman’s office without knocking. The shouting was so loud that even if he knocked, it probably wouldn’t have been heard anyway.

“Yeah, if you have a mouth, try to make an excuse, come on!”

Chairman Kwon, who seemed excited with his face red, and Director Kwon kneeling in front of him, both turned their heads to the suddenly opened door at the same time.

Director Kwon’s expression became viciously distorted as he realized it was Jeho who had entered. It was too humiliating to show a kneeling posture in front of his nephew Jeho. But he couldn’t get up and dust himself off.

Instead of scolding Jeho for his sudden appearance, Chairman Kwon turned his gaze back to Director Kwon and raised his voice.

“Anyway, I don’t care whether you go to jail or not. I sent you abroad to avoid trouble, but you came crawling back in and caused this?”

“Father, Minwoo is your grandson.”

As Chairman Kwon’s attitude was too firm, Director Kwon forgot that Jeho was watching and clung to Chairman Kwon’s pant leg.

“Father, no one but you can help our Minwoo. Please do something. You loved our Minwoo, Father.”

“I only love him when he does his job properly. I don’t need someone who causes trouble without any ability. Such a person is not even a grandson.”

“Father, please.”

“Don’t make me say the same thing twice. Don’t expect any help from KG Group.”

Despite Director Kwon’s plea, Chairman Kwon’s eyes looking down at his son were only cold. Director Kwon bowed his head with a miserable face. In fact, he didn’t care what happened to Minwoo. His rascal son was already a discarded card anyway.

However, if Minwoo’s wrongdoings continue to be uncovered, Director Kwon will also eventually be involved. It was okay for his son to go to prison, but it was absolutely not okay for him to go.

“Without any contact, what brings you here so suddenly?”

Then Chairman Kwon’s voice, which seemed to have calmed down, was heard from above, somewhat softer. As Director Kwon raised his head to look at Chairman Kwon, Chairman Kwon gestured as if telling him to go out.

“…Father, you’re too much.”

Director Kwon, who was looking at Chairman Kwon with a face about to cry, had no choice but to get up from the floor when he saw no opening for even a needle to enter his father. But before he could take a few steps, Jeho stopped him.

“Uncle, don’t go and listen too. It’s a family matter anyway.”

Then Chairman Kwon, who was sitting on the sofa, made a puzzled expression.

“A family matter? You’re not asking to help Minwoo too, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Jeho gently raised the corners of his mouth and took a seat on the sofa opposite Chairman Kwon. Director Kwon, who was watching from the side, quietly sat down next to Chairman Kwon.

“Chairman, you know that my father is in a coma now, right?”

The moment Jeho spoke, Director Kwon’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“You’re saying this to grandfather who’s already shocked by Minwoo’s matter! Are you trying to make him collapse!”

Director Kwon, who shouted at Jeho, hurriedly checked Chairman Kwon’s complexion. It would be a big problem if Chairman Kwon collapsed in this situation. Fortunately, there was no big change in Chairman Kwon’s expression, only his brow furrowed.

“No, the chairman will never collapse.”

Jeho, tilting his head to the side, leaned back on the sofa and continued speaking.

“You were fine even when you heard that the plan went wrong and my father had a traffic accident instead and fell into a coma. But now… Am I wrong?”

Chairman Kwon didn’t say anything, only the wrinkles between his brows deepened.

Jeho and Chairman Kwon’s gazes intertwined coldly in the air.