Chapter 140 : Rather Than Ruin Everything
Rather Than Ruin Everything
In-hyuk stepped outside for a moment while Tae Ju-ha was in Tae Gun-seung's hospital room.
Standing beneath the streetlight in the pitch-black darkness, he checked his phone and a subtle smile crept onto his lips.
"Is this why they turned people away?"
【Taeshin Trading Co., Ltd. Emergency Shareholders' Meeting Notice】
– Date & Time: 2026, Month △△, Day △△, at △△PM】
– Location: 2nd floor auditorium, Taeshin Trading head office, △△-gil, △△-daero, △△-gu, Seoul
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Agenda Items
– 1. Dismissal of CEO
– 2. Appointment of a new CEO
– 3. Other important matters
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It was clear this was a plan that came from Tae Seok-ho's mind.
Otherwise, there would've been no reason for the force Kooou sent to come right up to the front and then turn back.
Of course, the related message was not sent to In-hyuk directly.
Since, on the surface, he didn't own a single share of Taeshin Trading, there was no way for him to receive it.
It had been relayed through AMK Partners, Orbis Investment, and Lumen Holdings, which possessed shares of Taeshin Group.
At that moment, Tae Ju-ha rushed out, accompanied by security guards.
"In-hyuk! Something big happened!"
He already more or less knew what the matter was, but he couldn't show it.
"What's wrong?"
"Executive Vice President Tae Seok-ho has started something!"
She quickly showed him her phone screen. On it was the detailed meeting notice for the emergency shareholders' meeting of Taeshin Trading, which had just arrived.
Tae Ju-ha had also received the notice because Tae Gun-seung had previously transferred her a small portion of shares.
Of course, the content was the same as what In-hyuk had just received.
"It looks like they're taking advantage of the fact that we're stuck here."
"What is Uncle thinking...?"
Then a message arrived on Tae Ju-ha's phone.
Since they were both looking at the shareholders' meeting notice, In-hyuk was also able to check it.
【We're going in first.】
It was a message from Tae Seok-hyun, Tae Ju-ha's father.
He must have moved immediately after getting the emergency shareholders' meeting news.
"Even if Father-in-law goes in there, there's probably nothing he can do."
Although Tae Seok-hyun also held shares in Taeshin Trading, inside the company he had been dismissed at Tae Gun-seung's instruction, so he couldn't exercise any authority.
"I think so, too... but that's not the real issue! If things keep going like this, Uncle will..."
"The real question is whether the chairman can wake up within a week. And even if he does, the fact that Executive Vice President Tae Seok-ho went this far shows he secured enough shares to feel confident."
"So what do we do now? Should I try to meet with the shareholders...?"
"It's probably pointless. Executive Vice President Tae Seok-ho must have planned for that, too."
Since Tae Seok-hyun's ousting, the first round of the successor contest had already shifted toward Tae Seok-ho.
With the balance broken and now a shareholders' meeting being called, it was obvious whose side the shareholders would take.
"I still have those shares I was holding in trust, right?"
About 12% of the shares hidden overseas. Tae Ju-ha was the only one who could exercise those rights now.
"The shares held by the chairman total 8%. Even if you add those in, it makes a bit over 20%. Well, with your 27,000 personally owned shares, that's about 0.02% more."
In the end, it was still just a little above 20% total.
"Does that mean there's no way?"
In-hyuk put on a serious face as though he were contemplating deeply, then spoke.
"You never know. If a major foreign company holding Taeshin shares decides to act, it's not completely hopeless."
Tae Ju-ha herself had confirmed exactly where that was with her own eyes during the previous Taeshin Electronics share war.
"Should we go right now and try to talk to them? If they'd support the chairman..."
"Do you really think that's likely?"
Normally, a foreign company unrelated to daily operations would treat a shareholders' meeting as nothing more than an opportunity.
What's more, with articles circulating about Chairman Tae Gun-seung's health, it's obvious they'd support the next CEO nominee in the interests of Taeshin Group's stability.
"Honestly, I know it's a long shot... But I can't just sit by and do nothing!"
Tae Ju-ha also judged coldly in her own way.
Still, she didn't want to leave her uncle Tae Seok-ho's actions as they were.
After a moment, In-hyuk cautiously continued.
"I don't know if it will help, but I have connections at AMK Partners that could at least set up a meeting with Lumen Holdings. There's no guarantee, but would you like to try?"
"Really? Come to think of it, AMK Partners has shares too! Couldn't you talk to them?"
She finally recalled that In-hyuk's relationship with AMK Partners was no light matter.
"I can try, but in the end, they act on business. They'll be prioritizing profit above all else."
"Still."
"I'll talk to them for you. But don't get your hopes up."
"Thank you. Then, I'll talk to Lumen Holdings... but what about the chairman?"
If she left with In-hyuk, only the secretary, Song Tae-ho, and security guards would remain with the chairman.
"I'm just coordinating by phone anyway, so I should stay here. Besides, there's no guarantee my being there would make a difference. It'll be better if the person with actual authority over the shares goes."
"Is that really okay?"
"It's probably better than not going at all. So, what do you want to do?"
With her brow furrowed, Tae Ju-ha considered intensely for a moment.
"You're sure you can really set up this meeting?"
"If it's just a short conversation, yes."
"All right. I'll go. If they get involved, maybe others can be convinced too."
It seemed she was determined to hold on to even this small hope.
"Understood. I'll make the call. Will you be heading out right away?"
"I must. Please take good care of the chairman."
Tae Ju-ha immediately called Heo Yu-rim at the hospital room.
As the security guards brought the car around, she took her bag and set off.
After seeing her off to the parking lot, In-hyuk returned to the hospital room.
Tae Gun-seung still lay quietly on the hospital bed with his oxygen mask on, eyes closed.
"They're all gone. But your body must be stiff—how long are you going to keep pretending?"
At that, Song Tae-ho, Tae Gun-seung's secretary, looked at In-hyuk in startlement from beside the door.
Soon after, Tae Gun-seung's eyes slowly opened above his oxygen mask.
"... Since when did you know?"
With that question, Song Tae-ho approached and removed the oxygen mask from Tae Gun-seung's mouth.
"From the second day."
"How did you figure it out?"
"Every time CEO Tae Ju-ha and I stepped out, the bedding was always a mess. And your heartbeat was too steady. You kept the tempo slow, but still."
With Song Tae-ho's support, Tae Gun-seung was able to raise himself up against the head of the bed.
"I knew you had sharp eyes, Kang, but not this sharp."
"I am a bit sensitive. But who else knows about this?"
At In-hyuk's piercing question, Tae Gun-seung responded with a slow sigh.
"For now, only Director Song, the guards in charge of the hospital room, and the attending doctor."
"Did you think other children might realize?"
"Those guys? You mean my second, who left immediately after I got like this, or the first, who cried and said he'd stay by my side, then hasn't even shown his face?"
Tae Gun-seung had either been told or learned of all this himself.
Perhaps as a result, his look grew ever heavier with disillusionment.
"Then you already know what's happening right now."
"... Seok-ho finally made his move. He must see it as his chance."
"Anyone would see this as an opportunity. No matter how he did it, he must have gathered enough shares to feel confident while you were unconscious."
"That's probably true."
He seemed to have more or less anticipated this situation.
"Then have you prepared any countermeasures?"
"Not especially. I never planned on collapsing, after all."
Tae Gun-seung's collapse had been genuine.
Given the situation, In-hyuk hadn't imagined he'd go to such lengths.
"You acted without any plan, then."
"My grip on the group is weakening by the day. It was bound to come to this eventually."
"But you could have pushed back much more than this."
In the end, Tae Gun-seung had essentially left the door open for Tae Seok-ho, as if saying, "Let's see if you can do it."
"But any resistance would have only lasted until the end. You saw what happened after I collapsed."
Meaning the share price of Taeshin Group had dropped again.
That drop ended up as yet another opportunity for Tae Seok-ho.
With everything that followed, things unfolded exactly as Tae Gun-seung had expected.
"I don't really understand."
"And yet, you're the one connecting Ju-ha to Lumen Holdings?"
"Tae Ju-ha wanted something—anything—to grab onto."
"She does care for Taeshin. Still, I didn't realize you had a connection there as well."
"It's through my contacts at AMK Partners. And I wouldn't go so far as to call it friendship, so there's no assurance of results."
Tae Gun-seung nodded slowly.
"Then, do you know what AMK Partners actually thinks?"
Like with Tae Ju-ha, he seemed curious about the direction of the shares they held.
"I only take orders from their side. I don't know what their plans for Taeshin Group are."
"Still, you must have heard something."
"Nothing at all."
"That's a shame."
"And you're worrying about that while starting all this?"
At In-hyuk's sharp criticism, Tae Gun-seung chuckled lightheartedly.
"Heheh—! Of course, it's not like I don't worry."
"Either way, news that you're awake should reach Executive Vice President Tae Seok-ho soon enough. Of course, he must've expected you might wake up late and planned accordingly."
After thinking for a moment, Tae Gun-seung spoke.
"What if... I just handed management rights of the group to AMK Partners?"
At those words, In-hyuk's eyes widened.
"You mean you'd hand Taeshin Group over to a foreign company?"
This was none other than Taeshin Group, one of the largest corporations in Korea.
In-hyuk almost thought Tae Gun-seung was making a joke.
But Tae Gun-seung's expression was more serious than he'd ever seen.
"If it's just going to be ruined by owner risk, wouldn't that be better?"
"But even if the directors go along, the shareholders may put up tremendous resistance. They may as well just side with Executive Vice President Tae Seok-ho instead."
"You never know. If there's a foreign company willing to take the helm, all I have to do is raise my hand and it's over."
With his holdings, including those overseas, Tae Gun-seung had about 20%.
If the rest of the shares were roughly split between Tae Seok-ho and a foreign company, the verdict would rest on the toss of his hand.
"I don't understand your intention, Chairman."
It was possible that, having poured his life into managing a Korean corporation, Tae Gun-seung would be branded a traitor at the end for handing it to foreign interests.
Surely, he was more aware than anyone.
Still, Tae Gun-seung's expression did not change.
"I'll get some more rest, and then come back to Korea when the time is right."
With a glance, Tae Gun-seung signaled Song Tae-ho, who slowly lowered the bed's backrest again.
Watching all this, In-hyuk shook his head and left the hospital room.