Minjae smirked.
"Let me guess… the public's comments got under your skin, so you had to act," she said, "All for my sake." she added
Mina crossed her arms, her voice calm but firm. "Should I have let you get into trouble because of me? The public's hate towards you skyrocketed after the news—they even demanded you be arrested for assault and removed from your seat at CHNs."
Minjae arched an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. "And… did that happen?" she asked, her gaze sharp, watching Mina stay silent.
"Look," Minjae began, a faint smirk tugging at her lips, "I'm not some celebeity begging for likes or public approval in order to thrive, I am a business woman. Every move I make, I weigh the risks, the benefits… and how it affects my work, Therefore there's no reason for me to be taken down from seat over this. And as for the hate? Thanks to the public, I've grown quite a thick skin, Their outrage is stale news. In the end, they still buy my products. So really… what's there to worry about?"
Mina's shoulders slumped, but Minjae didn't let up. She stepped closer, her voice lowering.
"It wouldn't be okay if your mother woke up and saw that video," she said deliberately.
Mina's voice was barely audible. "What if… she doesn't wake…"
"She will," Minjae said without hesitation, her eyes sharp. "And that—right there—is what you need to remember next time you think a crazy stunt like this is a good idea." she said
"I can't have my eyes on you all the time; I'm too busy to babysit." she added as she started walking off, her steps deliberate, confident.
She glanced over her shoulder,
"I've already had my team take down the video, Maybe next time, think before turning yourself into a headline." she added casually, as Mina threw her hands in the air in defeat.
"So all my effort was for nothing? Not even a single bit of help?" Mina groaned, exasperated.
Minjae's voice drifted back from her room, playful and sharp. "Don't be dramatic and Oh, my Instagram followers went up. I suppose I have you to thank for that."
Minjae watched Mina stomp off toward her room, arms crossed and lips pressed in frustration. She didn't need to admit it, but the girl had done something helpful—enough to calm the public's fury. Not that it really affected Minjae; she could handle the hate, as always. Still… who actually wants to be hated all the time? Indeed her little niece was brave than she taught
---
That Night
The Yoo family mansion loomed in quiet elegance, its marble floors and muted chandeliers reflecting the soft glow of evening lights. Expansive windows framed manicured gardens, and the faint hum of distant fountains added a serene rhythm to the sprawling estate.
In her private office, Mrs. Hee Do Jin sat behind a polished mahogany desk, eyes fixed on her laptop as her fingers tapped the keys with deliberate precision. She wore her nightwear, a sharp contrast to the authority her office radiated, yet somehow the mix of casual comfort and commanding presence suited her perfectly
While she was focused on her laptop, a knock at the door drew her attention.
"Come in," she said without looking up.
Julia, her assistant, entered promptly, carrying a neatly stacked file. She approached the desk with professional poise and placed it gently before Mrs. Hee. Despite her usual nonchalance, Mrs. Hee paused her work and picked up the file, flipping through it silently.
After a moment, a smirk curved her lips. "She's got quite the network?" she murmured, eyes lingering on Minjae's photo. She looked up at Julia. "What do you think Julia?" she asked
"Making a move on her… might not be the wisest option," Julia replied without hesistation. She continued "The Choi family may be the second richest in the country, but their connections and allies stretch across the globe…"
Mrs. Hee's lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk. "So you're saying that, despite our wealth, Choi Minjae is untouchable—even for me?" A soft, mocking scoff followed. "Connections don't exactly translate into currency, does it?."
"I'm just saying, Ma'am," Julia continued, her tone steady and precise, "any direct move against her could be chaotic—for you and the company. Given the kind of power she wields, and the fact that she leads the most influential house after the Blue House. Even her missteps are visible to everyone. I've scoured for weaknesses to exploit, but there's nothing left hidden; all her flaws are already in the open."
"And yet she's still the head of CHNs organization," Mrs. Hee concluded, her gaze returning to the file.
"It seems her board members are opposing her latest project," she read aloud, brow slightly furrowed.
"Yes," Julia confirmed with a nod.
"Why would the board be against it? It's in their own interest," Mrs. Hee muttered, a hint of curiosity creeping into her tone.
"Perhaps they simply don't want her in charge," Julia suggested.
"Based on my findings, it seems that not only is the public displeased with her position, the board members are as well," Julia added, her voice steady.
"Interesting," she said, tilting her head slightly, a slow smirk curling on her lips. "Then I take it none of them would be willing to claim a share in the new company. That would make things… complicated for her, wouldn't it? Perhaps my involvement might tip the scales. Who knows—maybe a few strategic moves could shift their loyalties, and they wouldn't even mind a new face pulling the strings." She raised an eyebrow at Julia, letting the implication hang.
"You want to own a share?" Julia asked.
"The largest one," Mrs. Hee replied smoothly, her eyes glinting with calculated intent. "Enough to have the real power. When the time comes, she'll see who's truly in control."
"See to it that the funds are ready," She said, her voice calm but edged with intent. "When the time comes, she will be paid a visit."
Just then, the office door creaked open slightly, and Jongin stepped in, moving slowly as his presence shifted the room's tension.
"It wouldn't hurt to knock," Mrs. Hee said casually, eyes fixed on the screen in front of her.
Jongin ignored her comment, standing silently in front of her.
"You called for me?" he said, hands in his pockets, unwavering.
Mrs. Hee's eyes narrowed, scanning him with the precision from head to toe. "That stance," she said, sharp and controlled, "it's insolent,Completely inappropriate in my presence. Straighten up, Jongin—you know exactly how you're meant to carry yourself."
He remained still, meeting her gaze with a quiet challenge.
"I might as well believe you were among the bullies," Mrs Hee said, her tone sharp but measured.
"And if I was?" he replied evenly, unflinching.
"Were you?" she countered, tilting her head slightly, taking a deliberate inhale as she leaned back, composing herself with practiced ease.
"Jongin, I want to believe you had nothing to do with this," she continued, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto his, "but judging by your attitude recently, I'm beginning to doubt. Still… I refuse to believe it. Because i know that's not how I raised you…"
Her words were cut off by a soft scoff from Jongin, and she blinked, visibly offended.
"Sorry, Mum," he said, his voice calm but edged with steel, "my body can't help but react to a lie like this. I know you for everything but a liar. Stop it, It's embarrassing… and Julia is here."
Mrs. Hee's expression darkened, her lips pressing into a tight line. Julia remained silent, professional, as if she weren't even present.
He continued, his voice calm but cutting.
"Let's not pretend we have some average mother-son relationship. You raised me to be a 'good guy,' or whatever. Lucky for both of us, it's just Julia here—no need to keep up appearances. She Knows that much."
Mrs. Hee slammed her hand on the table, the sound sharp in the room. Her eyes blazed with fury, her composure momentarily shattered.
"You know what, Mum?" he continued, his tone sharp, unapologetic. "Yes, I took part in the bullying. In fact, I'm the leader of the group. Shouldn't you be proud of your ambitious son, climbing to the top of… something? Isn't that what you've always wanted? You look disappointed thou… don't like it? Well, Here's an idea, maybe you should just adopt Julia, i believe she'd do a better job than me at pleasing you and be the successor you never had."
"Jongin!" Mrs. Hee's voice cracked with anger, her chest rising and falling as she took a deep, steadying breath. "Go to your room. We'll have this conversation later, and you will explain exactly where this attitude is coming from—"
He cut her off, voice rising, unrestrained.
"No. Let's have the conversation now," Jongin shot back, his voice sharp. "You want explanation? Well here's your explaination Mum, I dislike you. I don't even get why you're back. Shouldn't you be off on another business trip or something? My life's been just fine without you here."
Mrs. Hee's eyes narrowed, a mix of irritation and disbelief flashing across her face. She fought to keep her composure, trying to process his words.
"Where is all this coming from?" she asked, her tone calm but probing, genuinely curious. She had never seen her son lose his cool like this—he was always composed, always measured. What had changed?
"Everything was fine before you came back," Jongin said, his voice low but tense. "Then you went on and fired Mrs. Ming… for no reason good at all."
"And getting involved in a bully is no good reason?" she asked coolly, arching an eyebrow__ now she know what triggered his anger.
"What does that have to do with her?" he shot back, his frustration bubbling over.
"She didn't give you the up bringing I demanded of her, If she had done her job properly, you wouldn't have been caught up in a disgusting mess like that," she replied, her tone measured, though firm.
"Yeah and that was my mess," he said sharply, "It had nothing to do with her."
"Of course, son. I see it clearly, and that's precisely what I intended," she said, her eyes calm but piercing. "This has nothing to do with her—it's all about you, the turmoil you're feeling right now." She gave a slow, deliberate nod. "That… is exactly the punishment for your transgression. And your dear nanny? She had to bear part of the consequence as well."
Silence hung in the room. He just nodded slowly, like he was bracing himself.
"Why didn't I see this coming…" he muttered, his voice low, eyes glinting with a mix of anger and something he wouldn't admit—pain. He looked at his mother, unafraid.
"You… you're good at this," he said, his jaw tight. "Making me pay for every little thing, taking away what I care about most."
"And I'll keep doing it," she said, her gaze steady, unwavering. "Until you get your sense's together and become just as you should be." She said as she watched him wipe at the tears that hovered too close to his eyes, holding her ground, letting him feel it without a word of mercy.
She continued, her voice steady but edged with authority.
"Don't worry, son. Now that I'm back, I'll make sure things get set straight," she said, eyes locked on his. "Tomorrow, you prepare for school. You can't miss a single day. I let it slide today because of the…incident, but I expect it never happens again. Understood?"
His jaw tightened
"You're the worst," he shot back, his tone sharp. "Mrs. Ming's been a better mom than you could ever dream of." Without another word, he stormed out, leaving the door wide open. Mrs. Hee let out a slow, heavy sigh, the weight of his words settling around her.
"Mrs. Hee," Julia said, her voice came in, cutting the silence, "regarding his school… it has been permanently shut down."
Mrs. Hee's gaze snapped up. "What?"
"Mrs. Choi ensured it," Julia explained without hesitation. "Over half the parents, as well as the school's sponsors, are under the Choi family's influence. I believe that is how she was able to orchestrate this within a single day."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Mrs. Hee let out a soft, controlled scoff, followed by a faint, sharp chuckle. "Choi Minjae," she murmured, the edge in her voice unmistakable. The laugh was dry, detached—anything but genuine.
Turning her focus back to Julia, her eyes cold and calculating, she said, "Enroll him in the next best school. He will not miss a single class tomorrow."