#68

Somehow, it had always seemed odd that President Lee Yongjun had been the one to provoke things first, yet remained completely passive no matter how aggressively I dealt with him. Now I knew why. At this point, even President Lee Yongjun seemed a little pitiful for having been used by her.

……No, wait. I couldn’t think like that. Not after everything that man had done to my children. Suppressing any lingering sympathy for President Lee Yongjun, I spoke in an icy tone.

“It was a pointless move. I would have won that fight regardless.”

“But thanks to me, the time it took to win was significantly shortened, wasn’t it?”

Hmm…… I couldn’t deny that. The reason I had left President Lee Yongjun alone in the first place wasn’t that I couldn’t deal with him—it was that, despite his lack of competence, his connections were formidable.

I could have taken him down at any moment. However, handling him without a proper justification would have led to troublesome aftermath, and it would have had some negative repercussions for Tartarus as well. That’s why I had chosen a long-term strategy—cutting off his connections one by one before making my move.

But then, thanks to Rep. Oh Hahyun’s prodding, President Lee Yongjun had foolishly made the first move against me. That gave me a legitimate excuse to retaliate. It provided the perfect justification for those who had hesitated to cut ties with him to finally let go.

Yes. To be honest, I couldn’t deny that Rep. Oh Hahyun’s actions had worked in my favor.

But so what? It wasn’t like I had begged her to do it. She had acted on her own, calling it a ‘gift’. I had no obligation to repay a favor I had never asked for.

“I never wanted this, Rep. Oh. Don’t expect compensation for a favor you offered unasked.”

“Hmm…… Moments like this really show what a true businessperson you are, Chairman. You’re as sharp as a blade, aren’t you? No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to put you in my debt.”

Instead of responding to Rep. Oh Hahyun’s amused remark, I simply took another sip of water.

“Are you not planning to eat?”

“I have no desire to share a meal with someone I find unpleasant.”

“Oh dear…… That won’t do. No matter how uncomfortable things are, you should always eat. There’s a reason people say Koreans live on the strength of their meals, you know. Besides, this place is exceptionally good.”

Rep. Oh Hahyun spoke in a regretful tone as she picked up the chopsticks in front of her. Then, with an air of elegance, she began eating.

The fact that she could eat so calmly in this atmosphere proved just how formidable she was. Meanwhile, I felt as if something was lodged in my throat, suffocating me. My mind was still filled with the image of Lee Daon storming out of the restaurant and Lee Gaon chasing after him. I couldn’t focus on anything else.

“How are Gaon and Daon doing at the company? Are they both doing well?”

As I sat there, eyes lowered, staring at the rice bowl in front of me and worrying about whether the twins and Secretary Sung Yoojun had made it home safely, Rep. Oh Hahyun suddenly broke the silence. I hadn’t expected that question at all. My expression twisted before I could stop myself.

“That’s quite a look on your face. Is it so strange for a mother to be concerned about her sons?”

“I heard something today. It would be a lie to say I didn’t find it strange.”

I fixed my gaze coldly on Rep. Oh Hahyun as I spoke. She swallowed the food in her mouth and tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“Chairman, are you actually taking what Daon said to heart?”

“I don’t see how I could possibly ignore something like that.”

A child claiming that his own mother sold him out—who could ignore that? Especially when those words came from someone I hold dear.

“That’s unexpected. You were never one to care about such things.”

I raised an eyebrow at Rep. Oh Hahyun’s remark, feeling displeased. She set her chopsticks down on the table and continued.

“I suppose two years really is a long time. If even the great Chairman Goo Won has changed this much.”

“…….”

“Or maybe you haven’t changed at all. Maybe it’s just because the ones involved are my sons?”

The playful teasing in her voice was obvious, but I remained silent. My lack of response only seemed to pique her interest further.

“I thought you’d deny it right away, but you’re not even bothering.”

“There’s no need to deny it.”

At my composed reply, Rep. Oh Hahyun widened her eyes in surprise.

“Are you actually admitting that you’re lenient with my sons? Right in front of me?”

“If I denied it, would you even believe me?”

“Of course not. I’m not blind, you know.”

Rep. Oh Hahyun spoke in a confident voice, flashing a self-assured smile. I let out a quiet sigh as I watched her.

“They are children I cherish. Naturally, if something is causing them distress, it’s only natural for me to take an interest. And if circumstances allow, I’m willing to remove the cause.”

“Oh my, I never realized you were such a warm-hearted person, Chairman.”

“If not for the children, you never would have.”

It was a statement that clearly drew a cold line between us—something that should have been offensive. Yet, Rep. Oh Hahyun only smiled in amusement.

“To think my sons have managed to get this deep into your heart…… What an unexpected gain.”

It wasn’t difficult to figure out that Rep. Oh Hahyun was already calculating how she could twist this situation to her advantage.

“If I had known this earlier, I should have taken them with me when I came to meet you two years ago. Perhaps then, I wouldn’t have been rejected so mercilessly.”

I frowned as I recalled the sponsorship request that Rep. Oh Hahyun had made back then, which the in-game Goo Won had coldly refused. Even if she had brought Lee Gaon and Lee Daon along, I doubted she would have received any better treatment.

No, if anything, the rejection might have been even harsher. The in-game Goo Won didn’t just dislike Tartarus—he loathed them.

“Maybe I should try again now? Would you consider my proposal more favorably this time?”

Though her tone was playful, the intent behind her words was entirely serious. My expression grew sour as I responded.

“You’re still not giving up?”

“Of course not. I absolutely need your name and your money.”

“There must be plenty of other people who can fund you.”

“Among all those people, the most advantageous choice is undoubtedly the chairman of Haje Group. Wealth and influence—you lack neither.”

……Was conversation always this exhausting? By now, she should have fully grasped that I had no intention of sponsoring her.

Or maybe she had already understood but was simply pretending not to? Knowing her, that wouldn’t be surprising in the least. The thought alone made me sigh heavily. Whatever the case, I was completely drained.

“No matter what you think, Rep. Oh, I have absolutely no intention of working with you.”

“That’s quite the cold rejection. I thought I made a decent effort to appeal to you…… What could I be lacking? Should I completely crush President Lee Yongjun and serve him to you on a silver platter? Would that spark your interest?”

“There’s no need.”

“Then, is there any aspect of your business where you could use some assistance? Perhaps regulatory easing or difficult legal constraints? Just say the word, and I’ll take care of it. Or maybe there’s a company that’s been bothering you lately? Give me a list, and I can apply pressure—maybe even get them a front-row seat at the prosecutor’s office.”

The flood of proposals pouring from Rep. Oh Hahyun’s mouth made my expression twist in irritation. Every single offer was something I had absolutely no interest in and certainly didn’t need. Though I didn’t respond immediately, she must have read the answer from my face, because she muttered with a troubled look.

“Do you really dislike all of them? I thought they were pretty decent offers, but for you to reject every single one…… You’re a hard one to please.”

“It’s not that I’m difficult to please. It’s that you lack the ability to offer anything that satisfies me.”

“That may be true, but hearing it so directly does sting a little.”

Despite her words, Rep. Oh Hahyun didn’t look the least bit affected. Still smiling, she met my gaze, and I responded evenly.

“Everything you’ve suggested is completely unnecessary to me. And even if I ever do need such things, I can easily find someone else to handle them. You may find me indispensable, but I don’t feel the same about you. That is my final answer to your proposal.”

My voice was firm, leaving no room for reconsideration. Rep. Oh Hahyun let out a quiet hum as if assessing something. She studied my face intently, but if she was looking for hesitation, she wouldn’t find any. She could stare all she wanted—nothing would change.

With that thought, I reached for the pitcher on the table and poured water into my empty glass.