Once it’s peeled off
Chapter 30
“You said you’d give it back if Jung Hana asked for it, didn’t you?”
Something Tae-oh had said once before. Tae-oh, who had been staring at his monitor, replied in a low voice after a brief pause.
“I did.”
Secretary Han watched Tae-oh work in silence. Tae-oh’s expression remained almost unchanged. Still, Secretary Han continued.
“She will reveal her desires one by one.”
He knew that even when Tae-oh appeared to be ignoring him, focusing on other things, he was hearing every word.
“Honestly, that’s not what I’m worried about.”
The idea that he would go beyond JK Furniture and erase the entire JK Group from the world. If Seo Tae-oh set his mind to it, it would certainly be possible.
If he set his mind to it.
“You seem to be thinking of Jung Hana as Hoyeon more and more.”
“…….”
“What if you know the truth but can’t pull yourself out of it?”
Hoyeon was already dead. Yet, Tae-oh kept searching for traces of Hoyeon in Hana.
Attaching meaning to every little thing, building up his conviction.
What if, at some point, he realized the truth—that she wasn’t Hoyeon—and found himself wanting to deny it?
In the traces of Hoyeon that he found in Hana from time to time.
“What if you don’t want to pull yourself out?”
What if he became bound to the shadow of an illusion and chose to settle for it?
What Secretary Han feared was Tae-oh’s mental health. He was terrified that by loving a phantom that didn’t exist, Tae-oh might make an irreversible choice.
“I hope you stop before that happens.”
Tae-oh was a man whose body temperature would rise and whose eyes would glaze over due to involuntary brain activity.
It had been manageable when Hoyeon was alive. But after she died, whenever his fever spiked, he truly didn’t seem human. Calling him “crazy” was an understatement. Even the medication he took had stopped working.
“Please.”
Seo Tae-oh looked precarious.
He was a genius whom others praised, but he was a madman. He had still been within the realm of humanity, but the fever that had consumed him after Hoyeon’s death was as if…
“Secretary Han.”
Tae-oh was still staring at the monitor, but a faint smile played on his lips.
Secretary Han let out a deep sigh. Ever since the doubt had crept in—the question of whether Hana might actually be Hoyeon—that specific fever hadn’t returned.
No, was it a doubt, or a conviction? Secretary Han closed his eyes tightly, unable to shake off the stifling feeling in his chest.
“Did you look into Jung Hana’s lover?”
He was terrified that if things continued like this, something truly terrible would happen.
It seemed Tae-oh intended to let his words go in one ear and out the other, as he didn’t even answer, simply continuing to talk about what he wanted.
Secretary Han raised the hand he had been resting on the desk and pulled at his hair.
“Haa… I looked into it.”
*I’m going to die before my time at this rate.* Secretary Han grumbled as he spoke. No matter how much he disapproved, he never ignored Seo Tae-oh’s orders.
“There wasn’t really any man she’d been seeing for a long time.”
In a heavy voice, Secretary Han recited the facts he had uncovered.
Jung Hana hadn’t dated a man for more than a year.
This was already included in the 15-minute report he had investigated previously.
Following that, Secretary Han had compiled the answers to the questions he’d asked about the men in Jung Hana’s life. With a few clicks, he sent the relevant data to Tae-oh.
“I’ve summarized everything there.”
Everything from her behavior, tone of voice, and habits as seen by others, down to the most intimate details.
“Hmm.”
*Click, click.* Tae-oh scanned the data as if he found it interesting.
“Please pull yourself out of this as soon as possible.”
When he said it firmly, emphasizing every syllable, Seo Tae-oh finally looked back.
He knew full well that his secretary was worried. With a smirk, he turned his attention back to his work. *He seems fine for now.* Secretary Han, clicking his tongue inwardly, looked away as well.
Ever since Jung Hoyeon died, it felt as if a massive boulder had been placed on his chest because of his boss.
He wished he would just ditch the delusions and return to the original Seo Tae-oh.
The cold, decisive man he used to be.
***
JK Furniture Representative’s Office. Hana stood up from her seat to take a break from her work.
It was already mid-September. Sales were continuing to rise, and the sell-off was proceeding smoothly.
“Still in New York?”
According to Secretary Park, Jung Jisu was still staying in New York. Hana’s brow furrowed at the thought that she seemed to be constantly looking for an opportunity to meet Jayden.
Jung Jisu seemed to have neither guilt nor a conscience.
When she contacted Jayden, he said he had already filed for a restraining order. Even so, a lingering sense of unease wouldn’t go away.
Jayden’s voice had been heavy, and he had asked about “revenge.”
He asked what she could do for him if he changed his mind, though he didn’t want it yet. His tone had been one of resentment and utter disgust.
*Tsk.* She clicked her tongue and opened the window to the side. Her hair fluttered in the now-cooler breeze.
“This is unsettling.”
Despite her words, Hana’s expression remained relaxed.
It seemed that the greedy Jisu wouldn’t be able to let Jayden go and would end up causing a scene.
If Jayden stopped holding back and truly wanted revenge, she would be able to decorate the end of the second quarter with a spectacular finale.
“Revenge, huh.”
Jayden’s anger at Jisu’s behavior was only natural. However, Jayden was the victim. He had finally overcome a long period of obscurity and was just now spreading his wings.
“I don’t want to cause him any more harm.”
She pondered how she could bring Jisu down without turning the fire on Jayden.
The second quarter would end soon, and the Royal Family’s family dinner was scheduled.
“I need to move up the timeline.”
The default on the JK Mart debt. She had intended to trigger it in time for the family dinner, but she could just move it up.
The moment she pressed the intercom to convey her thoughts to Secretary Park,
“Yes.”
A call came in from Secretary Park.
-The Chairman is asking for you.
“Ah.”
She had heard that she had come into the main office for the first time in a while. Ever since she had leaked information regarding Jisu’s flaws, Mohyeon had been calling for Hana continuously.
However, Hana, who was stepping down from JK Furniture after this quarter, had used the excuse of being busy to avoid going to the main house.
“Understood.”
Rubbing her brow as if annoyed, she answered perfunctorily.
“Tonight. Execute the M2 matter.”
It was an order to trigger the JK Mart debt default.
Encryption had been a habit of hers since she worked in the Management Support Office. Even the intercoms could be tapped, after all.
After a brief silence, Secretary Park’s confirmation came through.
“Then, shall I head to the main office?”
-I will prepare.
After ending the call, she threw on a thin suit jacket. As she approached the door of the representative’s office, Secretary Park opened it right on cue.
“Let’s go.”
She buttoned her jacket, gauging how much information she should reveal to Mohyeon to keep her on edge.
Chief Secretary Seon-ju followed behind her, and the staff of the secretary’s office, who had risen together, greeted her with bright voices.
“Have a safe trip!”
Hana, who glanced at the watch on her wrist, opened her mouth with a faint smile. It was almost time to leave work.
“Wrap things up and head home.”
At her instruction to finish up and leave since there was nothing special left to do, the chorus of “Yes!” was loud and clear.
The JK Mart debt default would be reported anonymously, so there was no need for the secretary’s office to do anything more. Leaving the energetic murmurs of the staff behind, Hana exited the representative’s office.
***
JK Group Main Office. As she stood in front of Chairman Kang Mohyeon’s office on the top floor, the door opened as if she had been expected.
Hana acknowledged Mohyeon and bowed her head. The door closed softly behind her.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your grandmother calls, and you only show your face now.”
The sound of her clicking her tongue in disapproval echoed through the chairman’s office.
She had expected a scolding the moment she saw her face, but the reaction was quieter than she had thought.
The secretary, who had guided her to the black, luxurious sofa, placed a bittersweet Vienna coffee in front of Hana.
A cup of hot Oolong tea was placed at the head seat where Mohyeon would sit.
“You’ve done something this time.”
Mohyeon, who rose from her seat with a groan as if movement were difficult, walked over to the sofa and sat down.
Even though it was a short distance, it took a long time, as if she were feeling increasingly burdened.
“Hmm.”
After sitting in the head seat and catching her breath, Mohyeon picked up her teacup. The clear, amber-colored tea rippled.
After drinking the tea with a slurping sound, Mohyeon stared intently at Hana from behind her glasses.
“Why on earth did you hand that over to Seohan?”
It was already the number one group in the business world.
She had raised it well and sold it off at a high price, but for some reason, it made Mohyeon’s stomach churn. She felt like she should have just kept it.
“If you aren’t going to utilize it, it’s just baggage.”
As if seeing right through that thought, Hana delivered a sharp retort.
“No. Once it gains some footing, find an opportunity and bring it back. Then I’ll forgive you this time. Hehehe.”
*Since he’s your husband, wouldn’t it be easy to bring up?* Mohyeon thought. Even at her age, her eyes flashed with insatiable greed.
*Who did Dong-yun take after?* Hana wondered to herself.
“That aside.”
Mohyeon, who had set down her teacup, took off her reading glasses. Her narrowed eyes turned toward Hana.
“You are very shrewd.”
Hana accepted that gaze with composure, as if she had nothing to hide.
“And quite capable, too.”
A low laugh escaped Mohyeon’s lips.
She felt resentful and furious that Hoyeon had deceived her. But she thought it was quite impressive that her own granddaughter, Hana, was holding onto that information and utilizing it.
“I thought you were just a greenhorn.”
Chuckling, Mohyeon asked in earnest.
“So. How did you know?”
There was no way Hana could have known how Hoyeon had deceived Mohyeon’s eyes. Since she couldn’t ask the dead, she decided to bury that question.
“You seemed strangely like a different person. I suppose you looked after your master like a loyal pet, didn’t you?”
Mohyeon believed that Hoyeon had left something for Hana before she died.
*As expected. This is normal.*
Hana gave a slight nod.
Who would ever imagine that another soul had entered someone else’s body? People only saw that kind of thing in dramas or novels.
Unconsciously, her gaze drifted to the Vienna coffee the secretary had left behind, her mind wandering to Seo Tae-oh’s words and actions.
“Hehehe.”
Taking Hana’s nod as an answer, Mohyeon leaned forward.
“Is there anything else?”
*Just as I thought.* Greed swarmed in Mohyeon’s eyes.
She was someone who would have been more than capable of scolding her when she first walked in, so it was strange that she had accepted her so gently. She had thought it was because she was her granddaughter, but it seemed she had intended to coax and manipulate her all along.
Hana, who had been lost in thought for a moment, curled the corners of her lips upward.
“Well. I’m not sure if there’s anything else.”
At her teasing tone, a roar of anger erupted from Mohyeon’s lips.
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