Yuri, who was about to get into the car without thinking, frowned slightly when she saw the man’s face.

“…Who are you?”

He looked familiar, and it turned out to be Secretary Nam, who had been Minwoo’s assistant until recently. When Yuri recognized him, Secretary Nam scratched his head with an embarrassed smile.

“Manager Kwon was transferred overseas, and I was assigned to work under Executive Director Kwon.”

“Ah, I see.”

As Yuri got into the car, Secretary Nam climbed into the driver’s seat and quickly started the vehicle. After driving onto the main road for a while, Secretary Nam looked at Yuri through the rearview mirror and said,

“Just to let you know in advance, we’ll be going quite far on the highway.”

“How far?”

“I was instructed to take you to a villa in Gapyeong. They said it’s a very important matter, so it had to be somewhere where absolutely no information could leak out.”

How important could this matter be…?

Though nothing bad was likely to happen, she still had an ominous feeling. Yuri lowered her gaze and fiddled with the phone in her hand.

Should I let Jeho know that I’m going to the Gapyeong villa?

But she quickly changed her mind and put the phone in her jacket pocket. Relying on Jeho at every moment was a very bad habit.

Moreover, she had just lied to Jeho during their phone call, saying she would have dinner with Hyunkyung.

Yes, don’t worry.

No matter how hot-tempered Executive Director Kwon was, at least he wasn’t a psychopath like Minwoo who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.

And given Assemblyman Chae Hyungsik behind her, he wouldn’t dare to do anything rash. As resentful as she was, she couldn’t deny that her father’s existence served as a solid shield.

Yuri tried to relax her body and leaned back against the seat.

The car seemed to have just entered the highway, as its speed was gradually increasing.

[This is the timeline separator]

The car carrying Yuri was sent by Executive Director Kwon. Jeho, who had parked his car in a secluded spot next to the company building, followed discreetly as soon as Kwon’s car departed.

The face of the man opening the car door for Yuri also looked familiar. If his memory served him right, it was Secretary Nam, who used to work under Minwoo. Fortunately, the car carrying Yuri didn’t seem to notice that Jeho was tailing them.

Jeho had known it was a lie when Yuri answered that she had dinner plans with Hyunkyung when he asked.

He had been with Hyunkyung until an hour ago. Jeho had been shopping for a gift for Yuri with Hyunkyung’s help. He hadn’t properly given her even a bouquet of flowers until now.

Though it wouldn’t make her forgive him, he wanted to give her a gift before it was too late.

Before their precarious relationship came to an end… It could end at any moment if she decided to reveal everything tonight.

Hyunkyung was delighted and actively helped Jeho.

After finishing shopping, Hyunkyung hurriedly left, saying she had dinner plans with a college friend. With advice to spend a fiery Friday night together with Yuri, since she would bow out today…

Judging by Hyunkyung’s attitude towards him today, it seemed Yuri hadn’t told Hyunkyung anything yet.

Perhaps Yuri would keep her mouth shut until the end. Just as she had been hiding from Hyunkyung whatever family history there was.

What was she trying to go through alone this time…

A dark shadow fell over Jeho’s face as he followed the red taillights of the car ahead.

[This is the timeline separator]

Executive Director Kwon, leaning against the window, sipped his whiskey as he looked down at Yuri getting out of the car. As she approached the villa, a smile gradually appeared on Kwon’s lips.

Huh, they say there’s always a way out even if the sky falls – that saying fits this situation perfectly.

Before he could even lose his mind over the news of his son’s unbelievable mishap, an even more threatening matter awaited Executive Director Kwon.

The news was that Manager Yoon, who had been in charge of overseas construction project management 10 years ago, had handed over a secret ledger containing evidence of corruption from that time to Jeho.

This information had leaked from the mouth of one of the major shareholders who had met with Jeho recently.

—Jeho told me directly. He said he’s keeping the secret ledger in the safe in his home study.

Jeho reportedly planned to expose the existence of the secret ledger to everyone at the regular board meeting early next month.

It seemed clear that Jeho was working on pulling him down from the executive director position.

“That crazy bastard.”

Executive Director Kwon cursed and gulped down his whiskey.

He had ordered everything to be burned, but Jeho had been keeping it all this time.

He had been at ease, thinking that if the existence of the secret ledger became known, Manager Yoon, who had been the on-site manager, would be in more trouble than himself who had given secret orders. Yoon wouldn’t want to end up in prison for some conscience declaration or whatever.

The statute of limitations for embezzlement in the course of business is 10 years, but when applying the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, if the amount exceeds 5 billion won, the statute of limitations is extended to 15 years.

Yet if Manager Yoon had handed over the secret ledger to Jeho, there must have been some kind of significant deal between them.

Just then, the car door opened, and Yuri entered the villa, guided by Secretary Nam. Executive Director Kwon turned from the window towards Yuri with a bright smile.

“Thank you for coming all this way. Have you had dinner?”

“No.”

“I see, you must be hungry. I’ll try to finish this as quickly as possible. Secretary Nam, you wait outside. We need to have an important conversation, just the two of us.”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

Secretary Nam bowed and immediately walked out.

Though she was uncomfortable being left alone with him, Yuri acted as if nothing was wrong and sat on the sofa as Executive Director Kwon gestured. Kwon sat across from Yuri and drained the whiskey glass in his hand in one gulp.

“I’m sorry. It’s a bit difficult for me to speak about this sober.”

What on earth is he trying to say?

Yuri maintained an expressionless face and gripped her hands tightly on her lap.

“To tell you the truth, I initially wanted to meet you for a different reason. Well, you probably guessed on your way here, it was about Minwoo. Because our Minwoo ended up being sent abroad because of you.”

“That’s because Minwoo bugged my officetel…”

As Yuri started to object, Executive Director Kwon raised his hand to stop her.

“I’m not finished yet. It’s rude to interrupt when an adult is speaking. Isn’t that right?”

As Yuri promptly closed her mouth, Executive Director Kwon smiled gently at her.

“Good, you understand better than I thought. If we play our cards right, this could be very beneficial for both of us…”

Yuri furrowed her brow as if to ask what he meant. However, instead of explaining, Executive Director Kwon filled his empty glass with whiskey.

What exactly is he trying to do?

Executive Director Kwon drained the glass in one go and poured himself more whiskey as Yuri watched him silently.

[This is the timeline separator]

As they approached a place where the destination could be easily guessed, Jeho increased his speed and overtook the car in front. A little further ahead, they would exit the highway, and the road to the Gapyeong villa would continue as a narrow single lane.

If he maintained his current position, it was obvious he would be caught tailing them. He needed to arrive at the location first and hide inconspicuously.

The Gapyeong villa that Yuri was heading to now was a special place prepared by the KG Group for secret meetings.

Interference waves flowed in all directions, making it impossible for any communication devices other than landline phones to work, and detectors were installed throughout, preventing any eavesdropping, recording, or filming.

The fact that Executive Director Kwon had called Yuri to such a place meant that they would be discussing something very important that absolutely must not leak to the outside.

As he had expected, the car carrying Yuri soon arrived at the villa.

Yuri and Secretary Nam entered the villa, and shortly after, Secretary Nam came out. He carefully looked around and got into the car. He must have been instructed to wait in the car.

What on earth does he want to say?

Jeho stared anxiously at the light emanating from the villa building.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What is this?”

“Well, what does it look like to you?”

Executive Director Kwon smiled cruelly as he watched Yuri turn pale looking at the document he had handed her.

“Looking at that, I thought, ‘I guess bad blood doesn’t go away.’ With a family like that, you must have straddled both Minwoo and Jeho while proceeding with the marriage to Minwoo.”

“Jeho and I weren’t in any relationship until the wedding with Minwoo fell apart.”

Though trembling while holding the document, Yuri refuted Executive Director Kwon’s words.

“Rather, it was Minwoo who was having an affair with another woman.”

“Huh, what affair? It was just a few times in bed. Besides, Minwoo didn’t give his heart to her. It was just a pastime. Ah, enough. Let’s stop talking about that.”

Executive Director Kwon waved his hand as if annoyed and leaned back on the sofa. Anyway, he was the one in power in this situation, and she was the subordinate.

“Let’s say that’s true for you, but how will you explain your father’s affair? With such clear evidence here. Hmm?”

Yuri glared at Executive Director Kwon while keeping her mouth shut. The document in her hand was a paternity test result for Yuri and Mrs. An.

She had no idea how this document had ended up in Executive Director Kwon’s hands, or who had even conducted the paternity test.

As Yuri remained silent this time, unable to refute, Executive Director Kwon recalled the dramatic events from a few hours ago with a victorious smile.

He had rushed back to the company to handle the situation, but there was no good solution. Manager Yoon had already left the country, and if the secret ledger had indeed fallen into Jeho’s hands, there was nothing he could do about it.

That’s when Secretary Nam appeared with an excited face, bringing an unbelievable stroke of luck.

While investigating Assemblyman Jung Tae Hyuk’s side, a man who had been fired from his position as an aide last year approached Secretary Nam first. He had been investigating Assemblyman Jung suspecting a relationship between Yuri and the assemblyman, but the man brought Executive Director Kwon an even bigger fish.

—Chae Yuri is not the daughter of the legal wife, but the daughter of An Misook. Born from an affair.

Considering it the best weakness to attack Assemblyman Chae, he immediately reported it to Assemblyman Jung, but was thrown out the moment he reported it.

The reason given was that he couldn’t keep someone who worked in such a cowardly way around him. And he was warned that if he disclosed this secret, he would never be able to set foot in this world again.

The former aide provided all the information he knew out of resentment, not for money. He said he wouldn’t be able to survive in this world anyway after being thrown out by Assemblyman Jung.

Though it had started as an attempt to bring Minwoo back to Korea, Executive Director Kwon was now more worried about his own safety than his son’s. This was a matter of his own neck on the line.

“I guess I’ll have to use this card elsewhere. Don’t breathe a word of this to my wife.”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

“Oh, by the way, did you say Jeho and Yuri are living together now?”

“It’s not certain, but it seems so. They’ve been seen going in and out of each other’s homes several times.”

“How long has it been since the wedding was called off, and already… Tsk tsk. Tch, indeed worthy of the noble Chae Hyungsik bloodline.”

But it wasn’t a bad thing. The goddess of victory was smiling upon him.

Snapping out of his reverie, Executive Director Kwon leaned towards Yuri and spoke in a gentle tone.

“I haven’t shown this to Assemblyman Chae yet. It depends on how you respond.”

“Are you asking me to beg the Chairman to bring Minwoo back?”

“As I said earlier, that was my initial intention, but I’ve changed my mind now. Something more urgent has come up for me.”

Filthy bastard.

A light of contempt flickered in Executive Director Kwon’s eyes as he looked at Yuri.

Not only did you reject my son, but you’re also cozying up to that thorn in my side, Jeho!

He could barely contain his disgust. But ironically, because of that, Chae Yuri would become his goddess of salvation.

“There’s a ledger I need that’s currently in Jeho’s home study safe. If you bring it to me, I’ll make everything disappear.”

“What?”

Yuri asked back with an incredulous look.

“Are you asking me to spy?”