The Secretary's Power (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
“Have you appointed a lawyer yet?”
At Tae Beom’s unexpected question, Lisa Jang looked dumbfounded.
“Huh? A lawyer?”
Recalling how she had loudly threatened to sue the staff, Lisa Jang finally cleared her throat with a couple of awkward coughs.
Tae Beom maintained a respectful posture.
“I deeply regret the inconvenience you experienced due to the flight delay. Please accept my sincere apologies once again.”
“Oh, no—there’s no need for apologies. Just give me your compensation offer. It’s not like I’m doing all this just to hear an apology from you, Managing Director.”
Hearing the genuine sincerity in Tae Beom’s apology, Lisa J’s tone lost its venom.
“Because the damages you’re claiming are substantial, I can’t make a unilateral decision myself. We’ll need to return to headquarters and conduct an internal review.”
“So, does that mean compensation will actually be provided?”
Lisa Jang’s expression changed instantly, as if she had just caught him in a trap—only to immediately stiffen her back again, realizing she’d asked something too crude.
Tae Beom watched her quietly for a moment, then asked,
“You know Mr. Park Moon Hyuk, right?”
“Huh? Who? Park Moon Hyuk? No. I don’t know anyone by that name.”
Lisa Jang quickly denied it without hesitation, prompting Tae Beom to tilt his head slightly.
“You must know him.”
“I told you, I don’t! Who is he? Why should I know him?”
Though Lisa Jang insisted she didn’t know, tension flickered instantly in her eyes.
Tae Beom nodded, as if conceding that might be possible.
“Through my rather limited connections, I happened to consult someone from the trade association—and they said they knew you quite well.”
Lisa Jang, who had been crossing her legs, unconsciously straightened her posture.
This time, Tae Beom leaned back against the sofa.
“I even heard the glad news that your problematic contract was successfully renewed.”
“I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“I’m simply stating the facts. You managed to postpone your contract deadline to tomorrow, didn’t you?”
Lisa Jang gulped hard, her Adam’s apple bobbing visibly.
Tae Beom crossed his legs.
“The world really is small—you’re never more than a few connections away from someone you know.”
“…….”
“And that’s especially true in tiny South Korea, isn’t it?”
Lisa Jang watched as Tae Beom threw back her own words at her, then forced a laugh—hollow and tense—to buy herself time to think.
After a brief pause, she spoke again.
“Are you digging into your customers’ private affairs now?”
“I only wished to help you.”
“So you’re saying, since your contract was extended, you won’t compensate me?”
“A standardized compensation proposal will be prepared according to established guidelines. However, it would strictly represent the airline’s moral obligation—an expression of empathy for each passenger’s individual hardship.”
“Oh my! Oh my goodness!”
“Transportation systems always entail exceptions, as safety must be our absolute priority. We ask for your understanding.”
“What kind of cheap, bone-headed nonsense is this? ‘Moral obligation’? You’re the reason I was late! How is that just a ‘moral’ issue? If my deal had actually collapsed, would you still be spouting this garbage?”
Hmm. Tae Beom rubbed his palms together and stood up.
Though she hadn’t finished speaking, his move to leave first startled Lisa Jang into rising as well.
“I guess I have no choice but to take legal action. It’ll only tarnish your corporate image if this ends up all over the news. I was actually trying to cut you some slack!”
“We’ll handle any further issues through legal channels. I’ll be waiting.”
Tae Beom lifted his gaze as he finished speaking. Lisa Jang’s eyes followed his to the corner of the room.
It was the CCTV camera.
Suddenly remembering she had slapped him, Lisa Jang waved her hands frantically.
“No, look—I’m sorry about slapping you earlier! I wasn’t trying to assault you, Managing Director! I just got carried away and stepped in recklessly!”
“…….”
“And who’s that assistant woman, anyway? Huh?”
The moment Lisa Jang brought up Hye Won, Tae Beom’s eyebrows twitched.
“Where does she get off, acting so cocky and offering an apology with no soul in it? In a situation like this, she should’ve been crying, groveling, begging—but she acts like she’s the weird one! Honestly, she scared me more in the end!”
Ah yes—the soulless, robotic way of speaking. Absolutely maddening.
For the first time, Lisa Jang and Tae Beom found themselves in complete agreement.
“The CCTV footage will be used as evidence if necessary.”
“Oh, come on! Are you seriously threatening to sue me over this? Hey, look—I already apologized! Right now, to your face! Isn’t that enough?”
Lisa Jang’s voice rose explosively.
At her claim of “enough,” Tae Beom gave a faint smile.
“Madam, it’s the person receiving the apology who decides whether enough has been done.”
“Hey! Managing Director Ha Tae Beom! Honestly! Good grief, for heaven’s sake!”
“When you grab another company’s valued employee by the hair, surely you were prepared for consequences like this?”
Lisa Jang clamped her mouth shut. The thought that the airline might actually sue her sent her heart racing.
She’d only intended to blow off some long-held stress and cause a scene before leaving, but things were spiraling out of control.
“I said I’m sorry! I’m sorry already! What more do you want? Should I get down on my knees and beg?”
“Force you to kneel? Of course not. That sort of vulgar, disgraceful behavior isn’t something just anyone would do.”
His words carried a sharp edge, causing Lisa Jang to narrow her eyes furiously. He spoke with perfect courtesy while cutting her down—leaving her utterly speechless, chewing angrily on her own lips.
Tae Beom straightened his jacket and gave a respectful bow.
“I’ll investigate the extent of the damages suffered by my staff and get back to you. I hope we can meet again soon.”
“Wait, hold on—”
“Please return home safely, Ms. Lisa Jang. No—”
“…….”
“Ms. Jang Bong Nam.”
Peace finally returned to the customer consultation room after the earlier commotion.
Tae Beom ordered the emotionally drained staff members to go home immediately from the consultation room.
He also granted stress-based leave and issued psychological distress compensation.
If a company ignores the risks its employees face, it will inevitably suffer losses in the end. Through an unprecedented round of personal meetings, Tae Beom personally thanked each staff member one by one.
Meanwhile, the sun set.
Knock knock. A knock sounded. Tae Beom, who had been battling paperwork all day, lifted his head.
“Managing Director Ha. I knew you’d be like this.”
“Oh—Uncle.”
Tae Beom smiled warmly at the man who entered. It was Chief Pilot Yang Yong Jin of Yusun Airlines.
Yang Yong Jin, whom Tae Beom had looked up to since school days, was the symbolic face of Yusun Airlines.
“Managing Director Ha. Haven’t eaten yet, right?”
“What’s this? No warning, and how did you even know I’m here?”
“The rumor’s already spread everywhere—how could I not know? Just sit down.”
Chief Pilot Yang walked in carrying a sushi bag and plopped down on the nearest chair.
As the lustrous tuna revealed its gorgeous sheen, Tae Beom shook his head.
“Uncle—it’s not even sushi, and you expect me to eat a meal of pure tuna like this?”
“Who said anything about a meal, kid?”
Chief Pilot Yang pulled a bottle of soju from his coat pocket.
Tae Beom burst into rare laughter and sat down opposite him.
“Who’s that bottle for?”
“There’s another one in the other pocket.”
“Seriously? Two bottles?”
“Don’t worry—I brought snacks in my inner pocket too.”
They filled and emptied their glasses. Mostly, Tae Beom drank alone.
Because of his profession, Chief Pilot Yang could only pretend to sip, barely touching the drink to his lips.
“Have you seen your father?”
Chief Pilot Yang also knew Tae Beom’s father.
Tae Beom shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“You know exactly where he is. Now that you’re back in Korea after so long, you should visit and pay your respects. Isn’t that what a son should do?”
“He clearly knew I was coming but didn’t even send a single message. Is that how a father should act?”
“You stubborn brat. What good does it do to try and win against your own father?”
At the affectionate scolding, Tae Beom simply grinned in response instead of answering.
His father was Chairman Ha Baek Seung’s second son—an exceptionally clever man.
Chairman Ha had firmly believed his second son would be the rightful heir to Yusun Airlines, but his son defied him by choosing love over duty and left the family.
Despite the chairman’s desperate attempts to block the marriage, Tae Beom was eventually born from the union.
“It’s not really my place to meddle, but be good to your father, Tae Beom.”
“He’s too busy living his own life to care about anyone else.”
Furious, Chairman Ha declared a complete break with his son, and Tae Beom’s father moved to the countryside with his wife.
He had always dreamed of an ordinary life, so he held no regrets—until his wife passed away from a chronic illness.
After sending young Tae Beom back to Chairman Ha, his father withdrew into seclusion, his life crumbling after losing his wife.
Tae Beom had viewed his father as a failure in life.
Chief Pilot Yang refilled Tae Beom’s glass and spoke again.
“Still, your father was brave. Choosing the woman he loved over everything he had—that’s not easy to do.”
“…….”
“You know that better than anyone, Beomi.”
Though he hated his father deeply, Tae Beom once realized, to his shame, that he was walking the same path.
Determined not to become like his father, he failed to hold onto the love he lost five years ago.
“Your father sent you back to your grandfather’s home for your sake—he didn’t want you to lose out on what you deserved.”
Just like his father, who vanished into a tiny unknown village, Tae Beom fled to the other side of the globe and hid away.
“Uncle… this liquor suddenly tastes bitter.”
“Yeah, yeah—I’ve lectured you enough. You’re an adult now. You’ll figure it out yourself. Right?”
Chief Pilot Yang wrapped things up hurriedly, offering Tae Beom a warm, reassuring smile.
By the time Tae Beom emptied every bottle—from both outer and inner pockets—night had fallen deep.
“Do you have a plan? A strategy to defeat Deputy Director Ji Seok?”
“What kind of plan could I possibly have? I haven’t even secured my footing yet.”
“Really? From what I heard around the office today, you absolutely crushed it.”
Chief Pilot Yang gave a thumbs-up to encourage him, and Tae Beom chuckled softly.
His grandfather’s gaze full of distrust. Ji Seok, unwilling to relinquish his position, had even planted a spy.
……A spy.
Come to think of it—had Assistant Manager Yoon even eaten dinner?
Checking the time with alcohol-dulled eyes, Tae Beom saw it was nearing ten.
“Uncle.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“If there’s someone beside you whom you can neither reject nor accept… what would you do?”
“Huh?” Chief Pilot Yang looked flustered, as if bewildered by the question—then replied casually.
“What can you do? It’s entirely up to your own heart.”
“…….”
“You’re past the age of seeking life advice from others. Just make your own judgment and choose well. That’s part of the process, too.”
“You sure know how to say ‘I don’t know’ in a long-winded way.”
Chief Pilot Yang burst out laughing.
Tae Beom emptied his final glass. His mind was already filled entirely with thoughts of Hye Won.
Yoon Hye Won—the enigmatic woman whose every word and expression felt like a lie, yet drew his eyes again and again.
“Ahh… it hurts….”
After her shower, Hye Won gently rubbed her head with a towel, frowning in pain.
So much hair had been ripped out that a whole clump came loose. Tiny scabs dotted her scalp, still painfully tender to the touch.
After drying herself as best she could, she sat down at the room’s vanity.
She stared blankly at the hairdryer, then shook her head—just imagining drying her hair sent shivers of anticipated pain through her body.
Though uncomfortable, she decided she’d let it air-dry today. Resolved, she began applying her basic skincare.
……Whew.
As she smoothed on cream, Hye Won’s expression went blank. Her hand slowed noticeably against her cheek.
Then, in that lounge—
Slap!
At the sharp, heavy sound, the moment she realized Tae Beom had taken the hit for her,
her heart dropped. Though she hadn’t been struck herself, her own cheek burned hot.
It felt as if the ground had vanished beneath her feet and she was plummeting—only to be yanked upward by the scruff of her neck.
In that chaotic whirlwind of emotions, their eyes met.
“Assistant Manager Yoon. Step back.”
For a fleeting instant, you felt like my savior.
Hurry.
Trapped in that mad thought, unable to act, she fled the consultation room and returned to reality.
Yet the image of Tae Beom’s broad back shielding her kept replaying—forcing her to pace restlessly around her room.
“Oh—right! I need to submit my report to the vice president.”
Still staring dazedly into the mirror, Hye Won slapped her own cheek hard enough to make a sound.
She capped the cream jar and rose from the vanity.
Submitting a report felt unusually heavy today. A simple chronological account suddenly seemed daunting.
“This is work. Just work. It’s your job, Yoon Hye Won.”
She muttered to herself like a self-hypnosis as she pulled out her laptop. She’d already promised she could handle it—if she backed out now, Ji Seok would surely turn terrifyingly cold.
Just then, the sound of someone roughly rattling the doorknob made her turn.
“Who is it?”
She hurried to the door and opened it.
Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of Tae Beom swaying unsteadily outside.
“M-Managing Director!”
Before she could say more, his alcohol-heavy eyelids fluttered shut, and his body immediately slumped toward her.
She stumbled backward, catching his upper body in her arms.
Thunk. The door shut behind them.
“Managing Director! Managing Director!”
The full weight of an adult man nearly knocked her over. She tightened her grip and leaned him against the wall.
“Managing Director. Hey? Managing Director. Please wake up a bit, Managing Director.”
“…….”
“Managing Director… it’s me, Hye Won… please come to your senses….”
As she patted his solid back and called out to him, her eyes drifted downward to his broad shoulders—and slowly, she closed her lips.
……It felt as if her heart was silently aching for a reason she couldn’t fathom.
Someday, it seemed certain—someday she would plunge a knife into that defenseless back he’d so openly shown her.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
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