“Oh my. Did I forget what I promised last time?”

What I promised last time?

Yuri’s eyes narrowed as she made a puzzled expression.

“We agreed to go visit your mother at the columbarium.”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Yuri recall the conversation she had with Jeho in the past. However, she thought there would be no occasion to visit her mother with him. She assumed it was just idle talk.

“What are you doing? Let’s hurry and go.”

Urged by Chae Euiwon, Yuri hurriedly left the house, her hand held by Jeho.

As Yuri got into Jeho’s car, she noticed a bouquet of flowers placed in the back seat. It seemed Jeho had prepared it in advance to take to the columbarium.

“You were thinking about going to the columbarium since this morning?”

Yuri looked at Jeho with surprised eyes once again.

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything in the morning and just left?”

“You were sleeping so soundly, I couldn’t wake you up. I was planning to call and ask later, but then I heard you were with the doctor.”

Then why didn’t you answer when I called earlier?

“I called after I woke up… I even left a message asking you to call back when you had time. Didn’t you check?”

“Really? I didn’t receive any messages.”

Jeho said with a face of complete surprise. Come to think of it, since being rescued from the kidnapping, he hadn’t been answering her calls at all. At first, she even misunderstood, thinking he might be deliberately avoiding her.

“Let me see your phone for a moment.”

At those words, Jeho took out his phone from inside his jacket and handed it to Yuri.

“Huh?”

Yuri tilted her head as she looked at Jeho’s phone and said,

“This is your old phone. The number is different too…”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Only then did Jeho make an expression as if he had forgotten.

“My phone was completely smashed during the kidnapping. As soon as they took my phone to prevent contact, they stepped on it and destroyed it. So for now, I’ve been carrying around my old one.”

“I didn’t know that… I thought you were avoiding my calls.”

“Why would I?”

Jeho frowned as if it made no sense, then after a moment, he smiled slightly as if realizing something.

“Is that why you came running and clung to me as soon as you saw me at home?”

Although the expression “clung” didn’t sit well with her, it wasn’t entirely incorrect.

“Well… There might have been a bit of that.”

Yuri admitted frankly, pouting her lips. It would be too much to deny, considering how she had hugged Jeho’s neck and struggled not to let go.

“I didn’t intend to, but I’m sorry for making you anxious.”

“No, rather than anxious, it was…”

Yuri tried to quickly correct the facts, but she couldn’t finish her sentence as he overlapped her lips with his. After briefly but intensely stealing a kiss, Jeho gently caressed Yuri’s cheek.

“It won’t happen again. I promise.”

He whispered in a low voice and then lowered his head to press his lips against hers once more.

This time for longer, and even more intensely…

Only after a long while did Jeho separate his lips and return to the driver’s seat with a grin.

“We should hurry, or we’ll be late.”

He started the engine by pressing a button and set off. Fortunately, there wasn’t much traffic, so they were able to reach the columbarium in just over an hour.

“I’m nervous.”

Jeho muttered softly as they entered the columbarium. Yuri smiled brightly and linked her arm with his, as if to tell him to relax.

“Don’t worry. Our mom will definitely like you.”

Yuri led Jeho by the arm to where So Yeon’s urn was placed. Next to the urn with a golden border was a photo of So Yeon smiling gently. Beside it was a family photo from when they were once happy together.

“Mom, today I’ve brought someone I want to introduce to you. It’s someone I love very much.”

“Hello, mother. I’m sorry for coming so late.”

Jeho bowed his head politely, placing the bouquet of flowers down as if greeting a real person. The So Yeon in the photo also seemed to be looking at Jeho in person.

“I’ve come back after a long detour of 10 years. But I will cherish and love Yuri even more for all the time that has passed.”

“Mom, so you don’t need to worry about anything anymore.”

Yuri gently stroked the urn. The smooth feel of the porcelain under her fingertips made her heart swell.

“I used to come here often and shed lots of tears while looking for you. But not anymore.”

Yuri’s lips curved into a soft smile as she turned her head from the urn to Jeho.

“I can smile happily like this now. Thanks to Jeho… Thank you.”

Jeho said nothing but stretched out his arm to wrap it tightly around Yuri’s shoulders.

Before they knew it, the sun was setting, and the red-tinged twilight flowed in through the glass windows.

A warm and beautiful light, just like their hearts, began to fill the room.

[This is the timeline separator]

Four days later, Jeho received a call from Chairman Kwon asking to meet.

As Jeho entered the chairman’s office, KG Group’s legal advisor, Lawyer Choi, who was standing next to Chairman Kwon, approached him. He handed Jeho a file he was holding and briefly explained.

“The chairman wishes to gift all of his KG Group shares to you, Mr. Kwon Jeho.”

Jeho quickly scanned the file handed to him by Lawyer Choi and looked at Chairman Kwon with a cold gaze. He was suspicious of Chairman Kwon’s sudden intention to gift the shares.

“Chairman, did you call me to discuss this matter?”

Chairman Kwon remained silent with his lips pressed together in a straight line, as if he had left everything to Lawyer Choi to handle.

“The chairman…”

“I have something to say to the chairman alone, so please excuse us for a moment.”

Lawyer Choi made a troubled expression. Only after Chairman Kwon waved his hand as if to say it was okay to leave did he exit the chairman’s office. Once Lawyer Choi had left, Jeho put down the file he was holding on the desk.

“This won’t change my mind.”

“I know. That you won’t be swayed.”

“But why so suddenly… Besides, Uncle won’t stay quiet about this, will he?”

“Don’t worry about Woosik. He says he’s going to divorce soon, so he won’t need to increase his assets right now. I plan to leave him enough later so he won’t feel shortchanged.”

Jeho slightly furrowed his brow at the mention of Director Kwon’s imminent divorce. But he didn’t ask how it came about.

Director Kwon and Lady Na were a precarious couple who could split at any time without seeming strange.

If anything, their only son Minwoo had been holding their relationship together. Now that even Minwoo had become a troublemaker, there was no need to maintain a loveless marriage.

“Regardless of the share transfer, I intend to step down from the chairman position as you suggested. The board of directors will decide on selecting a professional CEO, and in the meantime, the strategy planning office will take charge of management. But there’s one condition.”

Chairman Kwon paused briefly before continuing slowly.

“As you promised me before, become the largest shareholder and take on the role of chairman of the board.”

Although Jeho was the grandson who had drawn the sword of rebellion against him, to Chairman Kwon, Jeho was his only hope. After much deliberation, he concluded that it was better to hand over the company to his own bloodline, no matter how resentful he felt, rather than to a complete stranger.

“Then what will you do about the list of public officials who received bribes?”

Chairman Kwon silently glared at Jeho, who was persistently pushing to the end despite having already conceded a lot. He should be angry, but he didn’t dislike Jeho’s unyielding attitude. At least with Jeho, there would be no need to worry about KG Group’s future.

“If we release the list from our side, Assemblyman Chae Hyungsik, who knew the truth but kept it hidden, will also take a big hit. If a scandal breaks out, forget about being a presidential candidate, he’ll have a hard time even in the parliamentary elections…”

“The assemblyman told me to proceed to the end without regard for him.”

Jeho kept quiet about the fact that Assemblyman Chae was soon planning to resign from his position and retire from politics.

“Is that so? Has Assemblyman Chae grown old too? He’s become soft-hearted. …Alright. Consult with Lawyer Choi and handle it. I’ve entrusted everything to you.”

“Yes, then.”

“Jeho.”

Chairman Kwon called out to Jeho as he was about to leave the office. As Jeho turned back, Chairman Kwon avoided eye contact and spoke in a hesitant tone.

“When you go to America and see your father… please give him my regards.”

Despite having received a promise not to reveal that Chairman Kwon was behind the accident, it seemed he couldn’t bring himself to contact his son directly out of conscience.

“Yes, I will do that.”

Jeho briefly replied and then turned his back to walk out of the chairman’s office.

[This is the timeline separator]

Whether Chairman Kwon had intervened or not, all the corruption and embezzlement that Director Kwon had shouldered instead of Minwoo found their way back to their rightful place.

There must have been an agreement between Chairman Kwon and Director Kwon on this matter. No matter how much he was his own son, Director Kwon would no longer sacrifice himself for Minwoo, who was already a discarded card.

They hired experts and worked hard to restore the group’s image that had hit rock bottom, but they continued to face difficulties due to daily news of corruption, embezzlement, and bribery.

In the midst of this, when Chairman Kwon announced his plan to step down from his position taking responsibility for all the incidents and to hire a professional CEO, the worsening public opinion began to improve slightly, albeit minimally.

And sometime later, a brief news article about the divorce of Director Kwon Woosik and Lady Na Dohee appeared on the internet, but it didn’t attract much public attention.

Instead, the political circles and public opinion were stirred by Assemblyman Chae’s sudden withdrawal of his presidential candidacy registration and declaration of resignation from his parliamentary seat. High-ranking party officials visited his home almost daily to try to change Assemblyman Chae’s mind. But he never wavered in his decision.

Thanks to all the attention being focused on his resignation from the National Assembly, Assemblyman Chae and Lady An’s divorce also proceeded very quietly.

Assemblyman Chae secluded himself and spent most of his time in the study.

Although Assistant Kim stayed by his side, Yuri also visited the house every other day. For this reason, she couldn’t accompany Jeho who was going to America to see his father before Minwoo’s trial began in earnest.

Yuri couldn’t bear to leave her father solely in the care of Assistant Kim. Assistant Kim had also resigned when Assemblyman Chae stepped down.

“What are you going to do from now on?”

When Yuri asked worriedly one day, Assistant Kim replied with a calm expression.

“I became an assistant to be by the assemblyman’s side, so now I can work as his secretary. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“That’s a relief. It’s good that someone like you is by father’s side.”

Thanks to this, Yuri could leave the house with a somewhat lighter heart to meet Hyunkyung.

As she approached Hyunkyung, who had arrived first at the meeting place, her phone rang. It was a call from Jeho.

“Yes, Jeho.”

Jeho was originally planning to stay for only about two weeks, but a month had already passed. This was because Director Kwon’s condition had improved to the point where he could be treated at home under the condition that medical personnel were on standby.

[I don’t think I can come back the day after tomorrow. It seems I need to stay with my parents a bit longer.]

Jeho postponed his return date once again.

“Is your father’s condition stable?”

[Yes. He still needs to use a wheelchair, but he can walk by himself from the bed to the bathroom.]

“That’s good news then.”

Although she was disappointed that their reunion was postponed, Yuri smiled brightly at the fact that Director Kwon’s condition was improving.

“I’m fine, so spend a lot of time with your father.”

As Yuri hung up the phone, Hyunkyung, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, frowned.

“You say you’re fine, but your face looks like you’d burst into tears if someone touched you. If you miss him, go see him. Are you two Gyeonwoo and Jiknyeo? You don’t need the Magpie Bridge. Just get on a plane and go.”

“But father…”

“I’ll take care of the assemblyman. Go. While you’re there, greet your in-laws too. You know Jeho’s home address, right?”

“Yes.”

Before leaving for America, Jeho had given Yuri both the hospital address and his home address.

“They say even an ox horn can be pulled out in one go, so go tomorrow.”

“America isn’t Jeju Island, is it? First, I should call Jeho and…”

“Why call? Just go. You should surprise him.”

Hyunkyung shook her head as if frustrated and said in a loud voice.

“Chae Yuri, don’t you know what a surprise is?”

“A surprise?”

Hyunkyung’s idea wasn’t bad either.

Yuri blushed slightly as she imagined Jeho’s surprise at seeing her suddenly appear.