The Secretary's Power (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
“Then I’ll handle it as you’ve instructed, Managing Director.”
The branch manager greeted Tae Beom after finishing the morning meeting.
They had wrapped up matters concerning compensation for the flight delay, as well as the complaint from passenger Jang Bong Nam—formerly referred to as Lisa Jang.
Passenger Jang Bong Nam had notified them of her intention to retain legal counsel, citing humiliation by Tae Beom as her reason.
Tae Beom swallowed a sip of lukewarm water and spoke.
“If you need legal counsel, please go through Attorney Kim Yang Hoon. He’ll be of great help.”
“Understood, Managing Director. By the way, the Vice President personally called this morning.”
Tae Beom, who had been lowering his water glass, paused abruptly.
The branch manager continued his report matter-of-factly.
“The Vice President expressed dissatisfaction regarding the lawsuit against passenger Jang Bong Nam. It seems he objects to the very act of suing a passenger.”
“So what?”
“Eh? Oh—no, nothing.”
The branch manager mumbled evasively. Caught between Tae Beom’s insistence on proceeding with the lawsuit and Ji Seok’s firm stance against it, he was deeply conflicted.
When headquarters couldn’t reach internal agreement, someone eventually had to choose a side—but for the branch manager, that decision wasn’t easy.
After all, even though a Managing Director stood right before him, above the Managing Director sat the Vice President.
Going against the Vice President’s wishes in this situation would clearly be insubordination.
“Perhaps, Managing Director, it would be best if you contacted the Vice President directly…”
“Branch Manager.”
“Yes, Managing Director.”
Tae Beom narrowed his brows and picked up his napkin, dabbing the corners of his mouth as if signaling the end of the meal.
“I believe perfect judgment is impossible unless you’ve experienced and witnessed it firsthand.”
“Ah—yes, of course.”
“If bureaucratic desk decisions were all I needed, I wouldn’t have put everything aside and come all the way here myself, would I?”
“But as far as I know, the Vice President has already reviewed the video footage…”
“CCTV recordings don’t capture the atmosphere of a place. It’s hard to truly feel through video alone the deep despair and frustration our employees must have endured.”
“Yes, you’re absolutely right, Managing Director.”
The branch manager immediately agreed—but he remained unconvinced.
He was confused: was it really acceptable to defy Vice President Ji Seok and follow Tae Beom instead?
After watching the branch manager’s still-uncertain expression for a moment, Tae Beom set down his napkin.
“If employees are forced to kneel or have their hair yanked and still receive no protection from the company, that’s deception. If the company pursues only its own interests, what loyalty can it possibly inspire to make staff willingly go the extra mile for passengers?”
He placed the napkin on the table with a soft thud and leaned forward.
“If, after weighing every angle, you still can’t find a solution, then just drop the lawsuit as if it never happened.”
“Ah… but…”
“Management is a difficult business, after all. It’s never easy to align everyone’s intentions.”
Tae Beom rose from his seat. The branch manager hurriedly stood as well, watching Tae Beom’s retreating back.
After pressing a hand to his forehead and sighing deeply following a long contemplation, he murmured, “The succession battle at Yusun Airlines has already begun.”
“He really is a tiger cub—a true tiger cub.”
He clicked his tongue in admiration at Tae Beom’s resolute demeanor—not coddling or appeasing, but walking away as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“No wonder Chairman Ha Baek Seung can’t let him go. That guy’s got guts.”
The branch manager remained seated a long while, then, as if making up his mind, picked up his phone.
“Hey, this is Branch Manager Kang Hak Seon.”
He grasped Tae Beom’s hand.
“We’re going ahead with the lawsuit against passenger Jang Bong Nam.”
After all, the branch manager himself was still a Yusun Airlines employee who needed the company’s protection in times of crisis.
The report meant for Ji Seok ended up being submitted a day late.
While Tae Beom was out of the room, Hye Won had brought in her phone and laptop and finally started writing the report.
Typing away while referencing her brief notes, she lifted her head suddenly.
She recalled Tae Beom standing in the lobby.
“He looked like he’d been working out—was it tough for him…?”
He’d sat down on an empty lobby sofa to catch some sleep. So exhausted was he that, despite his awkward posture, he fell deeply asleep.
He woke just as cramps seized his right arm and leg. Noticing people beginning to pass through the lobby, he quickly got up.
A hotel employee, seemingly having waited solely for him to wake, rushed over to inform him of a missed check-in, and only then was he able to get his room assignment.
He’d hoped a hot shower might clear his mind. With some time to spare, he’d considered taking a walk along the garden path—but then ran into Tae Beom on the way out.
Without realizing it, a genuinely happy smile appeared on her face. She felt a fleeting warmth—as if recalling Tae Beom collapsing into her arms the previous night.
This wasn’t a forced, polite smile; it was real. So much so that, though she didn’t need to run, she sprinted anyway.
Worried that Tae Beom might be surprised to see her luggage left behind in her haste, she started to explain—
—but Tae Beom passed by her as indifferently as if she were a complete stranger.
“Does he even remember what happened last night?”
As he brushed past her, a cold gust of wind surrounded her, and she abruptly cut off her hurried words.
Hye Won stared blankly at the phone and luggage she’d brought from Tae Beom’s room, then propped her chin on her bent knee.
That icy gaze had pierced her heart like a needle; she rubbed her chest in a circular motion. All her energy drained away for no reason, leaving her with no desire to do anything.
After a moment, Hye Won lifted her head from this groundless melancholy.
“This mood… this feeling—it’s wrong.”
“I’ve gone mad. Lost my mind completely. I’ve got a mountain of work—better send the report first…”
She exhaled a sharp breath, straightened her posture, and placed her hands on the laptop keys.
As she typed out Tae Beom’s schedule again, she paused.
“Why was he in such a bad mood…? Did he have a nightmare…?”
She lowered her head. No matter how hard she tried to lift her spirits, her mood wouldn’t improve. Slowly, she blinked her heavy eyelids.
…I’ve been recklessly swept up in his emotions again.
Despite having neither responsibility nor authority.
No—rather, I’m the one who should be hoping for his downfall.
Since it had been years since his last visit to the branch, Tae Beom’s day flew by in a blur.
A team dinner was arranged to boost morale after the previous day’s incident, which had left staff disheartened.
Attendance was voluntary, yet most employees showed up—a gesture of gratitude toward Tae Beom, who had stood by them despite the risks.
They rented out an entire large barbecue restaurant nearby for the dinner.
The mingling sensation of last night’s alcohol and today’s fresh drink filled him as Tae Beom, surrounded by senior executives on both sides, raised his glass—and unconsciously furrowed his brows deeply.
With a respectful, steady hand, he lowered his glass and glanced around. The dinner had quickly turned boisterous, with employees comfortably clinking glasses with their colleagues.
“Um… Managing Director Ha Tae Beom?”
He turned toward the voice calling him.
An employee who’d been hovering nervously with a soju bottle extended his arm.
“I’m Assistant Manager Lee Hyun Tae from the Finance Team. It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
“Ah, yes—Assistant Manager Lee Hyun Tae.”
Tae Beom quickly lifted his glass. The employee, hands trembling slightly, filled it to the brim and bowed deeply.
“I’ll work hard for the company. Thank you, sir.”
“Yes, thank you for your continued efforts.”
After exchanging greetings, Tae Beom downed his drink lightly. He briefly frowned, then immediately relaxed and set his glass down—only to unconsciously freeze his fingertips.
Starting with the assistant manager, employees began lining up. The moment he saw staff members, one after another, holding soju bottles, a long sigh escaped him involuntarily.
“Seriously, why are you all doing this to the Managing Director? Can’t you wait until later…?”
“Let them. It’s fine.”
When a senior executive grimaced at the ever-lengthening queue, Tae Beom raised a small hand to stop him.
He emptied his glass cleanly, as if prepared, and welcomed the next employee.
Hye Won was somewhere among the dining staff.
“Assistant Manager, is your head all right?”
“My head?”
Hye Won was chatting with a fellow hire who’d just been assigned to the branch when a group of colleagues gathered around her.
One employee, who’d witnessed her hair being roughly grabbed, spoke up with concern.
Hye Won touched her hair and smiled.
“I’m just glad I have thick hair—nothing’s wrong.”
“But they really yanked you hard yesterday! You were swinging all over the place!”
“I thought all my hair would come out—but hey, it didn’t!”
“Does it hurt?”
“Only a little when I comb it?”
“Geez!” The employee made a pained face, looking at her sympathetically, and Hye Won responded with a little nose scrunch.
Her fellow hire, sitting beside her, twisted his tie and refilled her empty glass.
“Why’d you have to stir up trouble? Since you’re from headquarters, you should’ve just stayed quiet and left.”
“Exactly because I’m from headquarters, I had to step in.”
“Oh, come on! Does your HQ salary come in gold bars? You’re just an assistant manager like the rest of us. Take care of yourself—don’t burn out before your time.”
Hye Won rolled her eyes at fellow hire Seung Seop’s scolding—something she always heard whenever he returned from advanced training. Then, with a flushed face, she emptied her glass.
“You’re looking good.”
Seung Seop, who’d also just finished his drink, added bluntly. Hye Won’s eyes widened.
“Me? I look good? No way!”
“What do you mean ‘no way’? Something happen?”
“Well… not really anything.”
Seung Seop quickly refilled her glass and paused for a beat before lowering his voice.
“Why’d you go to the Managing Director’s office?”
“Why do you think? Because I was told to.”
If he found out that the “higher-up” was none other than Vice President Ha Ji Seok, Seung Seop would probably faint on the spot.
Hye Won gave a small smile.
“Do you even realize that Managing Director Ha Tae Beom stands no chance against Vice President Ha Ji Seok?”
…Her words caught in her throat.
“Hye Won, I’m worried about you. I’m scared you’ll get tangled up in some internal power struggle and lose everything.”
“What are you talking about?”
“If Managing Director Ha Tae Beom gets fired, you’ll go down with him too. That’s just how it works.”
Hurt that his friend’s future seemed so uncertain, Seung Seop scowled and drank.
Hye Won looked down at her full glass.
“Don’t worry. It’s not like that.”
“Rumors are flying everywhere—do you really not know, or are you pretending?”
Seung Seop placed a hand on Hye Won’s head. Startled, she closed her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again.
“Getting your hair pulled again—makes this oppa sad.”
“O-oppa? What’s gotten into you? Are you drunk?”
Hye Won smiled evasively. Her heart was already heavy with thoughts of Tae Beom, and hearing this from someone else only weighed it down further.
Today, Tae Beom hadn’t spoken a single word to her all day—no instructions, no sarcastic remarks, not even baseless suspicion.
He must just be busy. Of course he’s busy—so many people are looking for the Managing Director.
She kept telling herself this optimistically, trailing loyally behind him all day. Though he never once glanced her way, she couldn’t bring herself to step away.
Like it or not, she was the one assigned to monitor his schedule.
Suddenly, she turned to look at him.
“…Ah.”
When had he started watching her? Their eyes met.
Startled by Tae Beom’s steady gaze as he sipped his drink, Hye Won quickly looked away.
Then she hurriedly brushed off Seung Seop’s hand from her head.
“Assistant Manager Yoon, where are you going?”
“T-to the restroom! I’ll be right back!”
Hye Won abruptly stood and slipped away from her seat.
Though he was far away and his intentions unreadable, her chest prickled faintly.
The mere fact that he’d been looking at her made her breath catch.
Once in the restroom, Hye Won killed time aimlessly, washing her hands over and over.
She stared at her flushed reflection in the mirror, then pulled out her phone to scroll through uninteresting news articles, waiting until her racing heart finally calmed before finally stepping out.
Should she go find him first? Maybe buy him some hangover relief drink?
“…Ah!”
Lost in these thoughts as she walked, Hye Won was suddenly pulled by an outstretched hand into the emergency exit stairwell.
The door slammed shut, instantly triggering the motion sensor, which lit up a yellow bulb.
Leaning against the door, Hye Won looked up at Tae Beom, who was glaring at her as if ready to swallow her whole.
“What’s wrong with you?”
…Whether he was scolding her or not,
the simple fact that he’d spoken to me brought relief—
am I really so foolish?
“What the hell is your problem?”
Amid the strong scent of alcohol, a rich woody fragrance filled the air.
Drowning in this overwhelming scent, she could only think absurd thoughts—should she live… or die?
Truthfully, her heart had already stopped listening to reason.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)