Chapter 45.2

Chapter 45.2

The easy smile on Seokchan’s face cracked for a brief moment, his expression stiffening as if something had split beneath the surface. He darted a quick glance at the men standing by, gauging their reactions.

“You don’t love Kwon Joo-ah. Probably never did. That’s what surprised me most is that someone as selfish as you is even capable of a relationship.”

“…You done talking sh*1~t?”

“I haven’t even said much yet. What, something hit a nerve?”

“You f1’*k!ng-!”

Seokchan’s face flushed red, then pale, as he snatched the jackknife he’d kicked away earlier.

“I wasn’t gonna take it this far, but you just love paying back kindness like this, don’t you?”

“Do what you want. Just quit running your mouth.”

Seokchan twirled the knife once in his hand, then swung it wide. Swiik! The sound of air splitting. A thin line of blood beaded across Gukhyun’s cheek.

“Wonder who’ll be the most upset if that pretty face of yours gets wrecked. Maybe I should carve you up like Gang-ah? Split you from forehead to chin? How’s that sound?”

“That’s one long f1’*k!ng trailer.”

Gukhyun’s bored tone made Seokchan’s expression twist in anger. He gripped the knife tighter, drawing it back again-

Bang! The fishing hall door burst open.

“That’s far enough.”

An ornate cane struck the floor with a heavy tok. The deep, commanding voice belonged to Chairman Kwon Jungman.

“That’ll do, Director Yoon.”

At the sudden appearance of the chairman, every man in the fishing hall bowed deeply. Jungman tapped his cane against the ground as he walked toward where Gukhyun and Seokchan stood.

He looked down at Gukhyun, kneeling with his arms bound behind him, and clicked his tongue.

“Why are you here when you should be sitting at the shareholders’ meeting listening to the announcement?”

Gukhyun answered in a surprisingly calm tone for a man with his hands bound.

“You’re the one who didn’t want to see me called CEO at the meeting, Chairman. You set this whole thing up for that reason.”

When Jungman glanced at Yoon Seokchan, Seokchan grabbed the overturned fishing chair from the chaos and dragged it close.

“How can I blame the boys for getting a little enthusiastic down there?”

Jungman made a grunted sound and sat. He propped his cane against the chair, then studied Gukhyun’s face with a wildcat’s stare. A thin line of blood traced the shallow cut along Gukhyun’s cheek.

“If you’re going to hurt someone, pick somewhere out of sight. What good is leaving a scar on the face? Tomorrow the company will be full of people looking. Do you want that kind of talk?”

Seokchan, standing at attention, bowed his head.

“Apologies, Chairman. I only meant to scare him. I never intended to actually carve a mark into Director Kwon’s face.”

“Right. You two grew up practically inseparable. You ought to behave. I gave you both a seat to run the company, and you brawl like kids inside it? Maybe I’m getting old, but I don’t enjoy needless bloodletting.”

Jungman tossed a neatly pressed handkerchief down from his coat. It landed on Gukhyun’s thigh.

“Wipe it off. Then don’t just sit there.”

Gukhyun loosened the ropes binding his arms himself. He cut through them with the jackknife he’d hidden somewhere, rose, and wiped the blood from his cheek with the handkerchief in an indifferent motion.

“The CEO appointment has been put on hold for now. Since the candidate personally didn’t show up at the shareholders’ meeting, it was effectively treated as a refusal and would have been rejected, as you know.”

“Either way, Chairman, one word from you and it’s done. Why make such a fuss? There’s plenty else to do.”

Gukhyun flicked the rope marks from his wrists, then tossed the handkerchief and jackknife aside.

“That won’t do.”

Leaning back comfortably in the fishing-chair, Jungman smiled slowly.

“People already talk about us being a gangster-run company. Imagine if you, who climbed up from the bottom and built your reputation, got pushed aside because you only rose by force. If word gets out that the chairman bends the company to his whim, it doesn’t look good.”

“What is there to worry about? What’s going on here looks exactly like a gangster company.”

“Haha… Director Kwon. No, Gukhyun.”

Jungman leaned forward, elbows on his thighs. Deep creases fanned out from the corners of his eyes as he fixed Gukhyun with a long look.