His mind blanked. When vision returned, stars danced. The punk thought he was dying.
"Huff… huff… really, really…"
Smack~
Blood seeped from his ear, his cheek swelling red, then purple, black, like a pig's head.
"Pfft."
Spitting blood and teeth, he saw Jin-woo's hand rise again. That rough palm was death itself.
"I know, I know, pfft~"
Spitting more blood, he pointed to a back room.
His office. The original surveillance backup was in a safe.
"It was already deleted. That's the original… no more, really."
Swearing on his life, it was the last copy.
Smashing the USB and tossing it into the glass, Jin-woo tore up the 1-billion-won check.
He wrote a new one.
Rip~
Tossing it forward, he pocketed the checkbook. "This is yours. Don't bother her again, or next time, prosecutors will visit. Know what they'll do?"
"In prison, there's a thousand ways to make someone vanish, unnoticed. Got it?"
Shoving the half-dead punk aside, he extended a hand to Lee Boo-jin. "Noona, time to go."
Honestly, she was still dazed.
What happened? A fight broke out, then ended in a flash.
Those menacing gangsters were like chickens in a slaughterhouse before him.
Screaming, powerless!
"Jin-woo, wait, is this really okay?"
She worried about the fallout if this leaked.
Seeing her anxious eyes, he chuckled. "Noona, it'll be fine."
Her skepticism lingered, but he didn't explain. "Noona, let's talk in the car. Too many eyes here."
She stared, then nodded after two seconds.
In the car, he told the driver, "Go, to the hotel."
The partition rose again. Neither spoke.
Once sealed off, he continued, "Before leaving, I left a check for 100 million won."
"Compared to a failed extortion, getting beaten, and losing everything, 100 million in medical fees is the smart choice."
Without the footage, they had no leverage.
What could they use against a third-gen chaebol?
Who'd believe a gang's ramblings?
A gang flattened by one guy had no clout left.
Deterrence was their lifeline.
Far more vital than the USB's temptation.
High-ups often overcomplicate simple things, assuming everyone thinks like them.
In reality, most act on impulse, driven by profit or instinct, no deeper intent.
Like Jin-woo's approach: crush the gang, force compliance with violence.
It seemed reckless, but dig deeper—it was a straightforward fix.
"Thanks, Jin-woo."
Calmed, Lee Boo-jin saw the key.
As he said, deterrence was their priority.
Ending this smoothly was her luck.
Her feelings for the man beside her grew more complex.
Her mind replayed his performance in the room.
One man, a lion in a wolf pack, each punch dripping with raw masculinity.
For the first time, she wanted to be conquered.
And that man sat right beside her…
Wild fantasies made her clamp her thighs, subtly rubbing them.
Pretending not to notice, he placed a hand on her firm, shapely thigh, asking gently, "Noona, you okay?"
Her body jolted. "N-No, I'm fine," she squeaked.
Cough, cough~
Clearing her throat, she said earnestly, "Jin-woo, really, thank you."
"You said that already, noona… What's your plan?"
After this, facing home needed a strategy.
"…Nothing." Her reply was chillingly cold.
"Nothing?" He was stunned.
"Yes, nothing… Nothing."
True to her word, she did nothing.
But her clueless brother-in-law vanished from Samsung Electronics' management roster.
The former Business Team 1 leader took his spot.
When Jin-woo heard, he was at Sook Min-soo's home for a second invited visit.
This time, she was alone.
"President Lee, last night…" Sook hesitated. "The party rep suddenly contacted me, offering to be my sponsor… Was that you?"
She didn't want to believe it was him.
But she couldn't think of another explanation.
"A kind old man. Used to visit my house when I was a kid, always bringing my favorite chocolates."
At that, she knew the rest of the talk was pointless.
Now, she only needed to consider one thing.
How much could she offer to sway this far-bigger-than-imagined titan?
"President, want to see my room?"
"Oh~ Is that okay?"
"No issue. The maid's back in the countryside."
"Yoon's proxy…"
"Before year-end, a group's heading to Busan for exchange training. I asked my father to add his name… He won't be back before Lunar New Year."
At the discreet bedroom entrance, she opened the door.
Above the bed hung a massive wedding photo.
Sook Min-soo in a white gown, radiant, smiling happily.
Her innocent eyes brimmed with hope, a yearning for the future.
Now…
That hope and yearning remained, just aimed elsewhere.
The tearing pull on her hair forced her to face the wedding photo.
Her gaze met the photo's downward stare.
She let out a trembling moan: "Ah~~~"
With the party rep's support and Jin-woo's 2-billion-won campaign fund promise, Sook Min-soo could finally chase her ambitions.
The cost? Selling herself.
She felt no shame. The world was fair and unfair.
At this moment, she felt fairly treated.
In the brutal adult world, "equivalent exchange" was enough.
Before Lunar New Year, the Korea Supermodel Awards finale.
In his office, Jin-woo watched the vibrant Lim Jin-na on TV.
To outsiders, just a model contest.
To NANA, a transformative journey, flipping her life upside down.
On stage now, she was a different person from three months ago.
Bold confidence, steady gaze, a strong heart…
These forged a new Lim Jin-na.
Pop~
Son Yoon-joo, tying her shoelaces, crawled from under the desk, chugging a glass of water.
Setting it down, she dabbed her lips with a tissue. "NANA's rank set?"
"Soon." Beckoning her to sit on his lap.
Holding her waist, he chuckled. "Disappointed? You'll have plenty of chances. You won't earn less than her."
She shook her head, eyes dimming.
Money, everyone loved.
But when it wasn't the main worry, the spirit…
Inner desires trumped material. She too wanted to be the star, basking in applause, envy, jealousy, and fervent pursuit.
"Baby, don't forget I'm your superfan." He caressed her sheer black stockings, smirking.
Blushing, she nestled closer, shy but pleased.
Even if fake, she loved the sweet talk.
Buzz, buzz~
Picking up the phone, his face soured. "Yeoboseyo, Aunt."
"Lunar New Year… Better I don't go back. Seeing me, can you still eat?"
"My appetite might suffer… Ne~ Happy Lunar New Year."
Her unusual, frequent calls made him wonder if she knew something.
Or was there a family shake-up?
A married-off daughter was spilled water—more so for chaebols.
If not, there wouldn't be so much soap-opera drama.
But it didn't concern him.
He was just curious about the meaning behind her sudden moves after years.
What was she up to?
"Been… too reckless lately?"
To help Sook Min-soo, he'd tapped Chief Ahn's power again.
Running the secretarial office, Ahn was like a eunuch in the Jeonju Lee clan—second only to one, commanding all resources.
But only under the "king's" orders.
Jin-woo wasn't that king. The man in the study, deep as the sea, was.
So, Lee Kang-ho's leniency toward his antics worried some.
Sparking a chain reaction…
But a married-off daughter—was her reach too long?
(End of Chapter)