“But now… Is what I’m saying wrong?”

Though the wrinkles between his brows only deepened, Chairman Kwon said nothing.

Jeho and Chairman Kwon’s gazes coldly intertwined in midair.

“Father, did you know that elder brother is in a coma?”

Kwon Daeri, who had been anxiously looking back and forth between the two, cautiously asked Chairman Kwon.

Although he knew about the traffic accident, he had only recently learned about the coma through Yuri. Rather than assuming Chairman Kwon knew nothing, Kwon Daeri couldn’t keep his mouth shut upon realizing the chairman knew everything.

Instead of answering, Chairman Kwon glared at Kwon Daeri with contemptuous eyes. Then he turned his gaze back to Jeho.

“Even if I knew, nothing would change… I didn’t feel the need to say anything.”

“That’s right. Why would you publicly announce a failed plan?”

Chairman Kwon just stared at Jeho without saying a word. Though his expression remained as indifferent as if wearing a mask, his fingertips resting on the sofa armrest began to tremble faintly.

“The original target wasn’t father, was it? No matter how cruel, parents who can harm their own children are rare in this world.”

Jeho continued speaking.

“The original target was mother. But things went wrong, and father got into a traffic accident instead of mother.”

As the investigation continued, all the circumstances that came to light pointed to Chairman Kwon.

But Jeho didn’t want to accept things as they were. He had hoped Chairman Kwon would be on his side. Unlike Kwon Daeri or Minwoo, who had bared their teeth at him from the start.

However, when the words “heavenly fortune” came out of Chairman Kwon’s mouth, suspicion gradually solidified into conviction.

―That’s right. Your mother is someone who could survive alone even if left in the African savanna. Good heavenly fortune indeed.

He vaguely realized what that meant on the day Lady Yoon called, sobbing.

―I was the one who caused the accident.

Who would benefit most from Lady Yoon’s accident?

Jeho’s gaze fell on Chairman Kwon sitting across from him.

“I went to visit the detention center yesterday, and Minwoo said this. If I give favorable testimony, he’ll give me information about the traffic accident. He even confirmed that it was actually an accident aimed at mother, not father.”

It was an elaborately planned crime disguised as drunk driving. Minwoo only recently realized that he had unknowingly been involved in that crime.

That day, Minwoo was originally supposed to meet Lady Yoon. But suddenly, Vice Chairman Kwon showed up unannounced and they ended up having tea in the hotel lobby.

“Coincidentally, that day father drove out in mother’s car instead of his own.”

It was highly likely that Lady Yoon’s car had already been tampered with to lose balance at the slightest disturbance.

“He must have ordered Minwoo to hand over a drugged drink to the person he was meeting. Since it was a drug that only produced a slightly drunk effect, he probably didn’t think it would be very dangerous. But as fate would have it, father, who can’t even touch alcohol, drank it instead of mother.”

“That’s a plausible deduction. But it’s just circumstantial evidence, not definitive proof.”

“Of course. But Chairman, don’t you know? That you’ve committed a sin against heaven. I don’t even expect you to feel guilty.”

“Guilty conscience… Is that so important? It won’t be of any use in court.”

Jeho nodded lightly in agreement.

“Then I suppose we’ll have to hold a trial by public opinion. It would be perfect material for an internet broadcast. The heir suspected of murder and the chairman who tried to kill his own child and daughter-in-law…”

“Are you threatening me now?”

Seeming uneasy, Chairman Kwon slapped the sofa armrest with his palm.

“Yes, I am threatening you. There are many other scandals I could reveal. Uncle and Minwoo have been quite busy causing trouble. As bad rumors keep breaking out, KG Group’s stock will eventually plummet, and with the current financial state, it won’t last more than a few years… What will happen if it goes bankrupt and ends up under court receivership?”

“Hey! Are you in your right mind?”

Kwon Daeri, who had kept quiet when Jeho said Chairman Kwon was behind the traffic accident, now raised his voice with an agitated face, veins bulging in his neck.

“As if things weren’t hard enough because of Minwoo… You’re determined to ruin the company!”

“Well, I don’t think someone who embezzled and misused company funds is in any position to say that.”

“What? You little…! Hey, Kwon Jeho!”

As the enraged Kwon Daeri tried to stand up from the sofa, Chairman Kwon, who had been silent until then, raised his hand to stop him.

“That’s enough.”

“Father!”

“I said that’s enough!”

At Chairman Kwon’s outburst, Kwon Daeri had no choice but to sit back down, his face flushed. He couldn’t go against Chairman Kwon’s mood.

Chairman Kwon rubbed his forehead with his palm as if deep in thought. But his sharp gaze never left Jeho’s face.

“So what is it that you want?”

Chairman Kwon finally spoke.

“Step down from the chairman position and hand the company over to a professional manager. Also announce all the corruption you’ve committed so far and the list of public officials you bribed for permits. This is all what father wished for you 10 years ago, Chairman.”

Jeho already had in his possession the list of public officials he had received from Assemblyman Chae. From the beginning, it was Assemblyman Chae who had given information to Vice Chairman Kwon, and it was he who had warned to be careful of Chairman Kwon.

“If you do that, I’ll bury everything too. I will never tell father and mother that you were behind the traffic accident.”

“So you’re telling me to choose between family and company?”

“It’s not a choice, but an opportunity for you to at least keep your family.”

“An opportunity… Huh, you speak as if you’re doing me a favor. Do you think I’ll just sit back and be pushed around?”

Chairman Kwon’s voice trembled as if struggling to contain his anger. Jeho was the grandson he had once thought would succeed him in leading KG Group. Now that same Jeho had suddenly transformed into an enemy cornering him.

“Of course not. But all the borrowed-name accounts will be revealed, and it will likely be a very ugly fight. Perhaps you might be able to hold onto control of the battered group. But what would you gain from that, Chairman?”

“Then what do you gain?”

At those words, Jeho’s lips curled into an ambiguous smile.

“Taking the sword away from the hands of a madman so he can no longer wield it.”

“What? Madman?”

At those words, Chairman Kwon’s mask finally fell off. His composed face instantly turned a frightening shade of red up to his neck.

“As expected, like mother like son. I thought you were still our Jewoong’s son, but no. You’re just that know-it-all Yoon Ji Seon’s brat. How dare you be so arrogant, not knowing your place!”

Unlike Chairman Kwon who was shouting at the top of his lungs in agitation, Jeho retorted in a calm voice.

“See, even when faced with the truth, you lose your reason and just yell. You shouldn’t wield the sword of power anymore, Chairman. You already lost your composure 10 years ago. That’s why father advised you to retire. But you didn’t listen. That’s why father left, unable to watch you any longer.”

“I don’t need it. I don’t need any of it! I don’t need a child who leaves because they don’t like me!”

Chairman Kwon’s voice came out hoarse from all the shouting. Jeho slowly shook his head and took out his phone from inside his jacket.

“You say you don’t need him, but… What a shame, father asked for you as soon as he opened his eyes. Huh, they say a child’s love can never surpass a parent’s love, but I guess that’s not always true.”

“What? Jewoong woke up?”

Chairman Kwon furrowed his brow in surprise.

“Yes. He woke up while I was kidnapped by Minwoo. They say he asked about you first thing after opening his eyes.”

After finishing his words, Jeho started dialing on speaker mode.

Ring, ring. After a few rings, Lady Yoon’s voice came through.

[Yes, Jeho.]

“Mother, are you with father now? Can he talk for a moment? The chairman wants to hear his voice.”

[Oh, yes, just a moment…]

There was a rustling sound as if she was moving.

And then after a moment…

[He… hello?]

A slightly slurred voice came through. Until then, Chairman Kwon had been sitting up straight, but now he bent his upper body toward the phone as if about to collapse.

“…Jewoong? Is that you, Jewoong?”

[Fa… father.]

At the word “father,” Chairman Kwon’s eyes, which had been full of anger, instantly softened.

“…Are you alright? Hm?”

Chairman Kwon asked in a subdued voice, as if his throat was choked with emotion.

[Fa… father. I’m… fine. Don’t… worry too much. It’s… nothing serious.]

Even in this situation, Chairman Kwon couldn’t say anything to his son telling him not to worry. Jewoong continued speaking, barely catching his breath.

[I’m… sorry for… causing you… concern.]

“Don’t strain yourself talking. I understand. I understand, so…”

[Father-in-law.]

At that moment, Lady Yoon interrupted the conversation between the two.

[He just woke up not long ago. I think we should end the call here. I’ll call you again later when he’s feeling better.]

“Alright, I understand. It’s enough to have heard his voice.”

After the call ended, a heavy silence settled in the room for a while.

Chairman Kwon covered his face with both hands and lowered his head, while Jeho silently gazed at him.

The reason Chairman Kwon had seemed unaffected even after hearing the news of his son’s terrible accident was because he had deliberately turned a blind eye.

He hadn’t tried to find out about the progress, convincing himself that everything would be fine if he didn’t see it. But upon hearing his son’s voice, all the emotions he had been desperately holding back came crashing down at once.

“I hope you’ll make a careful decision.”

Jeho broke the silence.

“Depending on your choice, this phone call today might be the last. Even if father forgives you, I won’t stand by idly.”

Chairman Kwon slowly raised his head to look at Jeho. He wasn’t crying, but his eyes were bloodshot.

“…I didn’t mean to seriously harm your mother. I just wanted to scare her.”

To Chairman Kwon, Lady Yoon had always been a thorn in his side. He thought that if it weren’t for her, his obedient son would never have left him.

“I’ll believe that you only meant to scare her. But you must have thought it would be even better if she died. Father, having lost mother, would eventually return to your embrace. Then he would lead KG Group, succeeding you.”

“Elder brother leading KG Group? What nonsense is that! KG is…”

Kwon Daeri, who had been quiet until then, shouted with veins bulging in his neck.

“Uncle.”

Jeho coldly cut off Kwon Daeri’s loud words.

“You wouldn’t really pass KG to uncle or Minwoo, would you, Chairman? Even if they are blood relatives. It would be taken over by a hedge fund, broken into pieces, and sold off to others.”

“You, you, you! What disrespectful…”

Kwon Daeri pointed at Jeho with a trembling hand and shouted. But in the end, he seemed to be at a loss for words, just taking in a rough breath without finishing his sentence.

“Uncle, why do you think the chairman turned a blind eye to your corruption? Put aside outdated notions like ‘blood is thicker than water’ or ‘charity begins at home’ and think carefully.”

At Jeho’s question, Kwon Daeri’s expression twisted in confusion.

As Kwon Daeri just stared without saying anything, Jeho twisted his lips and resumed his paused words.

“If father ever returns…”