Chapter 93
Has It Been Three Years?
【Hwain Techon Insolvency: Cause is Not Investment Failure or Poor Management, but Embezzlement and Breach of Trust? Are South Korean Companies Really Okay? As problems continue erupting from major conglomerates to medium-sized companies that serve as market links... If Hwain Techon goes into final cut insolvency, countless related companies and financial institutions are expected to be affected...】
【Prosecution and National Tax Service Announce Reinvestigation into Hwain Techon Insolvency! The estimated damage over several years is at least 1 trillion won, with incidents of embezzlement and breach of trust, as well as false documentation, duplicate payments, account theft, and fund outflow through the operation of shell companies...】
【Hwain Techon's CEO Yang Do-sik Missing?! Prosecution has not yet located CEO Yang Do-sik...】
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In-hyuk checked the news articles on his phone while riding in a car.
Then, out of the blue, he casually asked Baek Si-hwan, who was sitting next to him.
"This situation looks pretty serious. What do you think, manager Baek?"
Baek Si-hwan, who had been quietly looking at his tablet, turned his gaze to the phone screen that In-hyuk slyly held out.
"Oh, you're looking at the Hwain Techon incident. I also thought the problem was significant."
"Do you think it can be resolved?"
After pausing to think, Baek Si-hwan spoke slowly.
"The CEO is missing, and a shell company was being operated—if that's the case, he planned it out deliberately. If so, I think even tracking the funds will be difficult."
In-hyuk slowly nodded at this.
"You have a good grasp of the situation."
"I'm doing my best so that I won't become a burden to anyone."
Baek Si-hwan seemed to look proud, as if feeling that he was finally being recognized by In-hyuk now.
Of course, In-hyuk was not someone who could be trusted so easily.
"That's good."
"By the way, are you interested in Hwain Techon?"
The intent to fish for information was obvious.
"If things continue like this, it's a company that will be sold off for peanuts. If I can find some value there that others haven't noticed, it could become a profit."
"You're talking about things like patents or technology."
"That's right. But it'll get complicated if CEO Yang Do-sik, the main culprit in the embezzlement, isn't caught."
"Should I look into Hwain Techon for you?"
In-hyuk looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression.
"You want to look into it yourself?"
"If it's something you need, director, I'd like to try."
"Then I'll leave it to you. Considering Hwain Techon's current situation, you'll have about a week."
"Thank you."
A little later, the place they arrived at was Seoran Gallery, located in Hannam-dong under Taeshin Group.
Today, a charity auction was being held at Seoran Gallery for VIPs, and they had been invited.
"Let's go in."
Leaving Hong Yu-geon and Van Hester waiting in the car, In-hyuk followed Baek Si-hwan's lead and walked to the gallery.
The atmosphere was not so different from the last KQ Group founding party. Company CEOs and executives, politicians, senior government officials—all attended with their husbands or wives.
Of course, Taeshin Group's current situation was far from ideal.
Still, the name Tae Gun-seung of Taeshin remained formidable to the attendees.
So, as of yet, people could not easily ignore an invitation bearing the Taeshin name.
"As expected..."
"Why do you say that?"
At Baek Si-hwan's question, In-hyuk shook his head.
"It's nothing. Let's take a look around first."
There was still a little time before the auction started.
As they looked over the gallery's paintings, In-hyuk could feel people's gazes.
He was the one who had upended Taeshin Group twice now, so it was only natural.
'Now that CEO Tae Seok-hyun has stepped down, they're desperate to win back the chairman's favor no matter what.'
The reason was that Seoran Gallery's director was Lee Sun-hye, Tae Seok-hyun's wife.
Originally, the charity auction schedule did not exist for an art gallery like Seoran.
It was obvious that Lee Sun-hye had hastily planned this for image reform.
'But if she even invited me and CEO Tae Ju-ha, it must mean she wants to just grit her teeth and get through this time, no matter what.'
Given her situation, In-hyuk, who had contributed to ousting Tae Seok-hyun, was her mortal enemy.
So receiving the initial invitation had been a surprise.
"You arrived early."
Just then, Tae Ju-ha, wearing a light beige two-piece pantsuit, approached and greeted them.
"I just got here myself."
"I see."
At the same time, Baek Si-hwan subtly stepped aside from In-hyuk.
He was trying to avoid interfering with their conversation.
Meanwhile, Tae Ju-ha examined the paintings displayed on the wall.
"Do you know how to appreciate art? I heard you visited before."
Word had spread, through several channels, that In-hyuk had once visited to meet Jeon Hae-in from KQ Group.
"I just had some business to attend to."
"What kind of business? Ah... Is it too much to ask?"
"It's difficult to explain the reason."
She made a faintly disappointed face.
"Well, can't be helped then."
"More than that, I didn't expect you to come here today."
"Why? Oh, because of that person?"
She was referring to Lee Sun-hye, Tae Seok-hyun's wife and her stepmother.
Of course, Tae Ju-ha also attended because she received the invitation from Lee Sun-hye, but it wasn't as though the two would be pleased to see one another's faces.
"I guess you don't mind."
"I think I've become more indifferent than I used to be. Are you worried about me?"
A mildly surprised look appeared on her face.
"I just don't want you to go through any more trouble when things are already complicated."
"Tsk. For her to go so far as to hold an event like this, she must really feel cornered. Honestly, I never thought Grandpa would go this far, either."
The replacement of Taeshin Electronics' CEO had naturally caused the stock to plummet.
At the same time, it revealed that one of the successors in line at Taeshin Group was now out of the race.
As In-hyuk predicted, the balance of power was finally breaking.
But that didn't mean the votes were simply flocking to Tae Seok-ho's side.
Chairman Tae Gun-seung's unexpected actions were slowing people's choices.
"Maybe you had no big expectations, but you probably didn't know it would go this far."
Tae Ju-ha shifted her gaze from the painting to In-hyuk.
"How far ahead did you see, In-hyuk?"
"About what?"
"You prepared all this at the TF division, expecting it would come to this, right? Of course, I didn't think it would be this bad, either."
The revelations of corruption and issues within Taeshin Group shocked everyone.
Through the personnel reform at the TF division, most positions were reshuffled, and necessary people were placed with minimal issues, but it also knocked down the staff's morale.
After all, now everyone knew it could happen to them, too.
"The longer anything stagnates, the more it rots."
"But it's not that easy to decide or solve things."
Business and water may be similar in concept, but they're not solved in the same way.
But with Chairman Tae Gun-seung's approval, In-hyuk had bulldozed his way forward.
"It all depends on how determined you are."
"... What's your goal, In-hyuk?"
"My goal? Well... For now, just to live a life where no one bothers me."
At this, Tae Ju-ha tilted her head in puzzlement.
"Is someone bothering you?"
Right now, In-hyuk was known within Taeshin Group as the Grim Reaper, carrying the authority of Chairman Tae Gun-seung on his back.
With even Taeshin Electronics CEO Tae Seok-hyun dismissed, there wasn't really anyone left in the group who could touch him.
"There are more than you think."
"I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Hello...?"
At that moment, someone interrupted the two.
Both In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha turned their heads to see a woman in a black, fitted two-piece suit.
At that moment, Tae Ju-ha's face tensed ever so slightly.
But the woman, acting unconcerned, spoke again.
"It's been a while, Ju-ha. Has it been three years already?"
"... It's really been that long?"
"I heard you got married while I was in LA. Is this your husband? I'm Baek Ye-ju."
She was Baek Ye-ju, eldest daughter of WISE&WIRE Group's Baek Ji-woong.
Of course, In-hyuk knew who she was at a glance.
"I'm Kang In-hyuk."
"I know. You're the most famous person in this field these days. I heard your investment skills are impressive."
Baek Ye-ju looked In-hyuk up and down before making eye contact.
"I didn't think you were so famous that even people in America would hear about you."
"Gossip in this field travels everywhere, no matter where you are. By the way, you're quite impressive in person. Ju-ha really did well to marry you."
Her congratulations had a peculiar tension.
"... Thanks."
"By the way, I heard Do-young oppa hit rock bottom? How did that even happen... Ah, should I not bring that up here? He used to chase after you since forever, remember?"
Galleries are usually places where people keep their voices down. Yet Baek Ye-ju's voice rang so loudly, it echoed inside.
On top of the attention already focused on In-hyuk, the murmurs grew even louder.
Anyone could tell she was doing this on purpose.
"Yeah, he did. It was pretty annoying... Still, with my husband by my side now, he doesn't bother me anymore."
As Tae Ju-ha said this, she slipped her hand into the crook of In-hyuk's arm.
Startled by her sudden touch, In-hyuk glanced at her from above.
Though he didn't know why, the tension emanating from her could be felt through his arm.
Sensing something was up, In-hyuk decided to stand quietly for now.
Meanwhile, Baek Ye-ju's eyes twitched ever so slightly as she watched them.
"I heard even in America people were saying you two were a 'show window couple,' but I guess not? That's a relief."
"For someone who talks so carelessly like that, I'm guessing you two weren't really friends?"
In-hyuk cut in, exuding a cold aura.
"... Excuse me?"
"Besides, I'm disappointed to see that Chairman Baek Ji-woong of W&W Group, whom I respect, could only raise his daughter like this. We'll be taking our leave now."
With those words, In-hyuk escorted Tae Ju-ha past Baek Ye-ju, still arm-in-arm.
The murmuring of onlookers did not stop.
The two made their way to the gallery's front gate and slipped into a quiet employee corridor.
"Could the two of you keep anyone else from coming in?"
With this, Baek Si-hwan and Heo Yu-rim stopped walking.
The two had been quietly observing and following In-hyuk and Tae Ju-ha.
As expected, most staff were out at the charity auction, so the corridor was silent.
"Are you alright now?"
At In-hyuk's question, Tae Ju-ha hurriedly let go of his arm, which she had been clutching.
"Ah... Sorry."
"You didn't have a good relationship even back in school, did you?"
The truth was, In-hyuk didn't just know Baek Ye-ju from the original timeline.
Kang In-hyuk, the current timeline's protagonist, also had experience with Baek Ye-ju.
He attended business administration at Korea University.
After just seeing Baek Ye-ju, memories he hadn't wanted to recall surged through his mind.
'She really was a lunatic.'
To the moment Tae Ju-ha entered as Tae Seok-hyun's illegitimate child at Taeshin Group, her school years had been rough.
In university, meeting Baek Ye-ju made things even worse.
They were adults, so things never got physically violent, but every single day she was subjected to harsh disregard and ridicule that crossed the line.
Like In-hyuk, who attended university under the sponsorship of Taeshin Education Foundation, Tae Ju-ha also struggled through her school years, trying to draw as little attention as possible.
"Well... That's right. But I'm okay now."
"That's good to hear."
As In-hyuk answered, he leaned against the wall.
There was a moment of silence before Tae Ju-ha spoke softly.
"Sorry about earlier."
She was referring to having suddenly linked arms with him.
"It's alright. I mean, calling it a 'show window' marriage isn't exactly wrong, but I didn't want to hear it outright in front of everyone."
"... Thank you."
"No problem. When you calm down, let's head back in."
Her hands, which she clasped in front of her, were trembling faintly.
Tae Ju-ha nodded, then leaned against the wall like In-hyuk, waiting for the shaking to stop.