Jin Seo-yoon confirmed her place in her husband’s life through his attitude, gestures, and tone. Memories of him during their courtship and early marriage flashed before her eyes.
Back then, he was like a servant to a princess, always accommodating her moods and whims. But after marriage, sharing a bed, and having a child, he began to change.
He no longer saw her as a princess but as a ladder for his own success, and she, in turn, viewed him as a tool to secure control of the Sunyang Group.
If they had been tools that supported each other, they might have been a perfect match, but it was too late for that.
Jin Seo-yoon chose to ally with her nephew, Jin Do-jun, while her husband, Mayor Choi Chang-je, decided to hedge his bets with Daehyeon. If things couldn’t be fixed, they could be severed.
“You should have just done as I said. That was the best path for us. But you got drunk on that petty power and crossed a line you shouldn’t have. Do you really think you became the mayor of Seoul on your own?”
“Honey, it’s a misunderstanding. That’s not it! I was just trying to broaden our options…”
“Don’t make me laugh. I was the one who secured the 40 billion won for your campaign, and it was President Oh Se-hyun who exposed Go Kyung-yeol’s illegitimate child. Do you even know that?”
“What? That’s…”
“You thought it was just luck, didn’t you? There’s no such luck in this world. Everything happens because someone makes it happen. I don’t want to talk any longer, so let’s end this. If you keep bothering me, I’ll file for divorce tomorrow. Consider this your last chance.”
Leaving her husband in the bedroom, Jin Seo-yoon walked out of the house. The thought of staying in a hotel until he packed and left felt liberating.
Alone, Mayor Choi sat on the bed, stunned. As he contemplated the future, everything seemed to turn white before his eyes.
The news of his abandonment by the Sunyang Group would likely be leaked by their information team, and rumors of the Seoul mayor’s separation would spread through the tabloids.
His family’s law firm, primarily dealing with Sunyang-related matters, would soon lose its main source of income. And most importantly, his chances for re-election were gone. The party wouldn’t re-nominate someone without backing.
Mayor Choi knew that to prevent all this, he couldn’t let the divorce happen.
“Isn’t it a good idea? It makes separating the affiliates easy, and bundling them together is simple too.”
“If you’re willing to give it all away, it’s not a bad idea. But are you saying this was Jin Seo-yoon’s idea?”
“Yes. She’s got a knack for looking out for herself.”
Lee Hak-jae couldn’t agree with Chairman Jin’s assessment. The Jin Seo-yoon he knew was too greedy, often making mistakes and missing important things because she wanted the entire group.
If things continued this way, she’d end up with a few affiliates and a complete break from Sunyang. Why the sudden shift to a more realistic approach?
Chairman Jin clicked his tongue at Lee Hak-jae’s contemplative expression.
“Tsk, tsk. You’re overthinking it again. Stop it. I’ve made up my mind this time. I’ll give it away and consider her an outsider.”
“Chairman, there’s one more thing.”
“What else?”
“A simple governance structure is easy to take back. All you need to do is secure the shares of Sunyang Distribution.”
“As expected of you, Hak-jae. You’ve thought it through.”
Chairman Jin clapped his knee in admiration.
“Are you planning to take it back?”
“Depends on how things go. If the performance of the large discount stores is good, I won’t bother taking back what I’ve given.”
It’s a matter of people and Chairman Jin’s will. If they inject good talent into the large discount store business starting next year, the chances of success are high.
If they strip away the good talent and only give away the company, Jin Seo-yoon will fail. What is Chairman Jin’s true intention?
“Then I’ll proceed.”
“Just set it up so that Sunyang Distribution becomes the parent company. We’ll hand it over to Seo-yoon once we’re sure she’ll keep her promise.”
“Do you mean the divorce from Mayor Choi?”
“Yes.”
“There’s also the possibility of a fake divorce. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It sounds like I’m hoping for a divorce.”
Lee Hak-jae blushed with embarrassment.
“No, I have my suspicions too. It’s suspicious that they dragged it out for months and then suddenly decided.”
“Should we keep an eye on them?”
This meant deploying people to verify the situation accurately, and Chairman Jin nodded, understanding the implication.
“Keep a close watch. Report immediately if anything strange happens.”
“Understood.”
As Lee Hak-jae was about to stand, Chairman Jin suddenly remembered something.
“How’s that friend? Has it been a week since you started working with him?”
“Who? Oh, you mean Kim Yoon-seok?”
“Yes.”
“I’m trying him out with various tasks…”
“Why? Is he not as expected?”
“He’s showing more strengths than I anticipated. He’s diligent, sincere, and discreet. But he’s not very sharp.”
“Not smart?”
Lee Hak-jae nodded slightly.
“He’s reliable enough to keep around, but not capable of handling big tasks.”
“Even a simpleton has his uses.”
“Yes, that’s about right.”
For someone his grandson first chose as a close aide, it’s disappointing. While he was chosen out of affection, distinguishing between people and their uses is necessary, and it’s worrisome whether that’s possible.
“Try teaching him. Keep checking if he shows potential. And find someone else suitable to assist Do-jun.”
“Understood.”
When Oh Se-hyun and I went home to discuss the DMC tenant issue with my father, we walked into an absurd situation.
A couple whining together? Do they think my father is that easy to approach, or is this the only place they can turn to?
It seems like the latter.
“Brother-in-law, what kind of disaster is this? Please talk some sense into your sister. This is all a misunderstanding.”
“Brother-in-law, please calm down…”
It seemed like my uncle’s primary goal was to vent his frustrations. He kept pleading, saying he didn’t understand what was happening and that he’d fix any mistakes if only he could meet my aunt.
My father, clearly exhausted, stood with his arms crossed, waiting for my uncle to finish. Once he quieted down, my father spoke.
“Brother-in-law, I don’t know where my sister is either. And frankly, I’d rather not get involved in marital issues.”
At this point, my uncle noticed Oh Se-hyun watching from the entrance and quickly approached him.
“Mr. Oh, you know something, don’t you? You warned me to be careful before. How could this happen right after you said that?”
We had to listen to more of his irrational whining.
“Mayor, this isn’t a personal issue; it’s a public one. Can’t you see that?”
“What?”
“Instead of trying to persuade your wife, you should be seeking out Chairman Jin. This is the result of turning your back on Sunyang and shaking hands with Daehyeon, isn’t it?”
Doesn’t my uncle know this? He’s just looking for an easy way out.
He thinks it’s easier to talk to and persuade my aunt than to face my grandfather, so he’s asking my father to act as a mediator.
It’s frustrating.
Anyone can take the easy path. But to find a solution, you have to tackle the core of the problem, no matter how difficult or challenging it is.
“Retaliating personally over a public issue is also a problem. Isn’t Chairman Jin going too far?”
“Did you not know this when you got married?”
“What?”
My father’s expression turned grim. Even if relations aren’t good, it’s hard to hear someone badmouth your parents.
“Brother-in-law, let’s be clear. Did you marry because my father is kind and gentle? You married because he’s the head of Sunyang Group, right? So whether he’s too much or ruthless, keep quiet! The only time you can criticize my father is when Sunyang Group collapses and he’s no longer a conglomerate head.”
My uncle, who had only seen my father’s gentle and mild side, was at a loss for words. Marrying for money and being told to endure the rest wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Mayor, if you acknowledge this as a public issue, let’s talk. Yoon-gi, calm down.”
Oh Se-hyun interjected, signaling to my father with his eyes.
My father, with tightly pressed lips, went upstairs without saying a word. My uncle could only watch him go, unable to stop him.
“Mayor, first, you need to appease Chairman Jin’s anger. Talking to your wife comes after that. You know this, don’t you?”
“With divorce on the table, do you think my father-in-law will meet me?”
I spoke to my uncle, who was on the verge of tears.
“Aren’t you the one who shook hands with voters who tried to pull away? You have to find a way to meet him.”
I had no desire to prevent my uncle’s divorce. Their relationship had run its course. But before it ended, wouldn’t it be better to salvage something? If not, so be it; there’s nothing to lose.
“Prepare a gift and go see him. At least you can get into my grandfather’s study, right?”
“A gift?”
“Yes. Were you planning to go empty-handed?”
“Oh, no, it’s just that I have no idea what kind of gift to give my father-in-law.”
Seeing my uncle’s perplexed expression, Oh Se-hyun began to drop hints. Or was he just stirring the pot?
“Mayor, you can’t be indecisive. Prepare something grand enough for Chairman Jin to consider taking you back as his son-in-law.”
As my uncle pondered what kind of grand gift he could prepare, I also started to think. Oh Se-hyun must have something in mind, but I couldn’t figure it out.
I quietly stood up.
“Uncle, would you like a glass of water?”
I gestured to Oh Se-hyun and headed to the kitchen, and he subtly followed me.
“What is it? Do you have something in mind?”
As I poured water into a glass, I asked quietly, and a sly smile crept onto his face.
“We should really get started on that apartment project. You don’t have much experience in that area, do you?”
Oh Se-hyun gave a quick wink and turned away swiftly.
“Do-jun, Mr. Oh, any bright ideas? You two meet with the chairman more often than I do, so you must have some insights.”
“Mayor, first, you need to make it clear that you’re cutting ties with Chairman Joo. That’s the priority.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, his expression turned troubled.
I could guess how much he had taken without even seeing it.
Seeing the look on my uncle’s face, Oh Se-hyun clicked his tongue and spoke.
“Mayor, if you keep acting like this, I have nothing more to say. I don’t stand to gain anything from this, and I don’t want to waste my energy. Just handle it yourself. I need to discuss business with Yoon-gi, so I’ll be going now.”
“Wait, just a moment.”
My uncle grabbed Oh Se-hyun’s arm as he was getting up.
“Do you really think that would appease the chairman?”
“How can I guarantee that? It’s just my opinion. I’m busy, so I’ll be off.”
Oh Se-hyun shook off the hand holding him and headed upstairs, leaving my uncle to let out a deep sigh.
It was my turn to step in. Clearly, he hadn’t picked up on Oh Se-hyun’s intentions.
“Uncle.”
“Yes, Do-jun. Let’s hear what you think.”
“The thing that made Grandfather the angriest was…”
“Yes, go on. What was it?”
“The New Town development is part of next year’s plan for Seoul, right? The fact that you didn’t mention it and secretly proceeded with Daehyun Group was the last straw. Rumor has it he overturned his study…”
Seeing my uncle’s face turn pale, it was clear he understood the gravity of the situation.
That’s as far as I’ll go with the warnings.
Now, all that’s left is to watch and see what choice he makes.