By Zephyria Since I threw the bombshell of hotel construction at the main family, the surveillance has intensified. It wasn’t just once or twice that the air around me became hectic whenever I stepped outside. I thought they used to at least try to hide, but now they openly followed and watched Do Hwon. I wondered if they thought I wouldn’t notice, or if they just didn’t care anymore. They even carried cameras like paparazzi, which made me laugh in disbelief.
Kim Mi-hee and Lee Gyu-hyeon were supposed to be on the same side, but they didn’t coordinate well at all. If they had the same goal, they should at least communicate a little to row the boat together, but it seemed they didn’t talk much, as they each assigned people to Do Hwon. For that reason, the people trailing behind Do Hwon were all employed by different people. Today alone, a couple of cars were following me, and it was obvious to Do Hwon how flustered they were whenever their paths overlapped. The two were pathetic, but it also hurt my pride to think that I was being pushed around by such people.
In any case, it was very uncomfortable to be followed around constantly, regardless of the time. They couldn’t even try to hide it. If I left it like this, they would follow me all the way to Wolhyeon-dong and cause a commotion, so Lee Do-hyeon decided to temporarily stop going to Wolhyeon-dong until the day he promised Ryu Jeong. Even if Ryu Jeong was careless, he would definitely find it strange if I brought a bunch of people who didn’t even seem to be trying to hide.
“…….”
My thoughts naturally drifted to Ryu Jeong. The young Omega who was working at the convenience store I happened to visit while surveying, avoiding surveillance. I didn’t help him out of kindness, but he thanked me on his own, and waited for me for days to return the small amount of money for the drink. He didn’t even try to hide his expression, as if he had been waiting for me, a naive kid with no caution.
Honestly, I knew that saying I wanted to get help because of the new business was a ridiculous excuse. Do Hwon also knew that it would be much easier to sit still and have Chief Yoon take care of the hotel site. But the reason why I repeatedly made appointments with Ryu Jeong was because of an impulsive pity that I couldn’t even understand myself.
Was it because he lived such a pitiful life that he kept bothering me? And to make matters worse, he was so good-looking. As I thought about his face, which was busy looking around cautiously like someone who had never had any expectations in his life, but couldn’t hide his blushing cheeks, the annoyance I felt seemed to subside a little.
What had he been doing for the past two days that I hadn’t visited Wolhyeon-dong? Had he been guarding the convenience store all night, waiting for me to come? Or maybe he was looking forward to the upcoming Saturday. I sincerely wondered if he would greet me the same way then.
“President.”
While I was lost in thought, Chief Yoon, who was standing behind me, suddenly spoke.
“…What.”
Frowning at the interruption, Do Hwon turned around to ask what was wrong. Chief Yoon pointed to the opposite side with a troubled expression. Do Hwon looked where he was pointing and was immediately startled, straightening his posture.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
Contrary to his words, his tone didn’t convey any sense of apology. Even his surprise was fake. Do Hwon buttoned up his casually unbuttoned jacket and smiled kindly. The person sitting across from him flared up.
“How dare you, you gangster bastard…!”
A roar erupted, matching his flushed face. Anyone else would have hesitated, but Do Hwon simply tilted his head as if nothing was wrong. Rather, the smile on his lips only deepened. Do Hwon glanced at the saliva that had splattered on the glass table, then looked up at the other person.
“I guess I look like a gangster bastard to you, Congressman. Even though I haven’t done anything gangster-like.”
“What the hell is this! How dare you deceive me and pull off something like this!”
“What do you mean by ‘something like this’? Did I assault you, Congressman, or did I extort any money from you? I just brought you here to have a conversation, but you’re being too harsh.”
“You son of a bitch!”
Surprisingly, the person who hurled vulgar insults at Do Hwon was a member of the National Assembly with a gold badge on his left chest. Congressman Kim, who was old enough to have gray hair, was beside himself with anger after hearing what could only be described as a threat from Lee Do-hyeon, who was young enough to be his son.
It was clearly a luncheon appointment that had been formally arranged through his aide. Prior to proposing a bill related to the regulation of large corporations, other large corporations besides Yeonggang Group had been trying to win over Congressman Kim, not only with luncheons but also with various other forms of contact, so he had readily accepted this one without much thought. But he was kidnapped on the way to the appointment. A kidnapping of a member of the National Assembly in the middle of Seoul. It was absurd, but when Congressman Kim found out who had orchestrated the kidnapping, he was beyond absurd, on the verge of fainting.
“Well, if you had accepted our offer earlier, you wouldn’t have had such a rough time.”
Lee Do-hyeon, who was leisurely crossing his legs, said with a sigh. His appearance, which resembled Chairman Lee Kang-sun to some extent when he was younger, proved that he was indeed a member of Chairman Lee’s family, but the fact that he was engaging in such vulgar acts was proof that he was only half of what he should be. That’s why he’s getting his hands dirty. Lee Do-hyeon was right in front of him, but it was Lee Kang-sun who was moving him. Congressman Kim glared, panting.
“Are you telling me to take dirty money!”
“Dirty? You’re saying hurtful things, Congressman.”
Congressman Kim tensed up as he saw Lee Do-hyeon’s smile disappear and his expression turn cold.
Lee Do-hyeon, the President of Yeonggang Construction, was famous in many ways. Everyone in this industry knew that he was Chairman Lee Kang-sun’s illegitimate son, and those in the know were aware that he wasn’t just managing the company as the head of an affiliate.
Since ancient times, construction has been something that gangsters do. Although it doesn’t devour the construction company itself, it has a history of handling dirty work on behalf of the original contractor as a subcontractor. Lee Do-hyeon was secretly rumored to be sitting in the position of President of Yeonggang Construction and directly engaging in the kind of dirty work that gangsters do. If that’s not a gangster, then what is it? Congressman Kim recalled Lee Do-hyeon’s nickname among the congressmen.
“This is why bloodline is important, you see. Look at what you’re doing now! Is that something a human being would do, or is it something a dog would do?”
Dog. Lee Do-hyeon was a loyal dog to Chairman Lee Kang-sun of Yeonggang Group, as well as to Madam Kim Mi-hee and Vice President Lee Gyu-hyeon. The insults like “son of a bitch” that Congressman Kim hurled at Lee Do-hyeon’s face were all for a reason.
“I thought your mind might change if you saw it with your own eyes, so I asked to see you.”
Lee Do-hyeon shrugged as if whatever he said was irrelevant to him, and brought up the main point. He raised his hand and gestured, and Chief Yoon stepped forward. He placed something heavy on the table. It was an apple box. Seeing Congressman Kim’s puzzled expression, Lee Do-hyeon burst out laughing.
“Are you pretending not to know when you know everything? I prepared it just right, considering your age, Congressman Kim.”
“What is this…”
“It’ll be faster to see it with your own eyes, right? Chief Yoon.”
At Lee Do-hyeon’s instruction, Chief Yoon took out a box cutter from his jacket pocket. With a click, Congressman Kim, frightened by the sharp blade, was sweating profusely. Fortunately, the blade was directed at the apple box, not Congressman Kim’s neck. Chief Yoon tore the carefully wrapped box tape in one swift motion and turned the box towards Congressman Kim so that he could see the inside clearly.
“What is this…”
“Oh my. You must be very surprised.”
The box was full of cash bundles. Congressman Kim’s eyes widened at the sight of the bright yellow bills. The redness that had been on his face from anger just a moment ago quickly faded, turning pale. He didn’t seem to realize it, but Congressman Kim’s eyes were filled with greed as he looked at the bundles of cash. Lee Do-hyeon, who quickly noticed this, chuckled and picked up a water bottle. He kindly pushed a crystal glass filled with water towards Congressman Kim. The eyes that met his were pleasantly curved.
“It’s a political donation.”
“What, what…”
“That’s what I call it instead of ‘dirty money,’ isn’t it healthy?”
“Ahem…”
Leaving the grim atmosphere behind, Congressman Kim cleared his throat as he spoke with a smile that was pleasing to the eye. Seeing that his anger had subsided, it seemed that things would end well enough to make all the hard work he had put in so far seem pointless.
Congressman Kim kept clearing his throat, unable to meet the unwavering gaze. Thinking that this was enough, Lee Do-hyeon withdrew his persistent gaze.
“I’ve heard that Congressman Kim is a great golfer.”
“Oh, well… I wouldn’t say great.”
“Chairman Lee asked me to tell you that he’d like to go park golfing with you next week. I went once, and the jjambong you eat at the clubhouse is amazing.”
Even though he deliberately got up slowly, Congressman Kim didn’t tell him to leave immediately. Rather, he seemed to want him to leave as soon as possible, fidgeting anxiously like a dog that needed to pee. Do Hwon leisurely checked his wristwatch.
“Then I’ll get up first.”