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Chapter 10
“Good heavens!”
A loud cheer suddenly erupted. It was so noisy that even the household staff, who had been waiting outside, came running.
“Father! Mother! Your wish has finally come true! Taeheon—this brat—is getting married!”
“Oh my. Well done. Well done indeed. Our grandson is the best!”
Such commotion had never been heard in Chairman Yoon’s mansion before.
Until now, whenever the topic of marriage came up, Taeheon always responded with a cold, cutting attitude. There hadn’t even been a single rumor about him dating anyone casually.
As the only son in four generations, he had driven his parents, his grandfather Chairman Yoon, and especially his grandmother—who doted on him to death—to the brink of despair.
They’d even wondered if perhaps the boy was interested in men instead, or if they should hold an exorcism or something. The only real concern and wish of the family was Taeheon’s marriage.
It got to the point where Chairman Yoon had issued an ultimatum:
“If you don’t get married within a year, you won’t inherit a single penny.”
But his brilliant grandson didn’t even bat an eye.
They thought he’d at least go on some arranged dates or pretend to have a show-window marriage like the other heirs of conglomerates, but instead—
Taeheon walked out of KD Group altogether.
He started his own company from scratch, working day and night, and that company—Parth Korea—was now shaking up the entire leisure industry of the country.
“So, whose daughter is she? Hmm? What kind of girl is she?”
Their joy lasted only a few seconds.
“She’s my secretary. An orphan—no parents, no relatives. I’ve already provided all the necessary information, so I trust there won’t be any awkward questions tomorrow.”
The table fell into complete silence once again.
Pushing back his chair, Taeheon stood and added calmly,
“I’ll take my leave now. I have to check the wedding venue and prepare quite a few things.”
“Tae… Taeheon, wait. No matter what, that’s still— I mean, your partner—”
Min-young’s lips trembled.
“What about her?”
Startled by her son’s sharp tone, Min-young softened her voice and tried to reason gently.
“Taeheon, you know how much the Chairman expects from you. We’re not asking for anything grand. Even an ordinary girl is fine. But you should at least take a bit more time to think—”
“If I go through with it anyway, will you oppose me?”
His voice was calm and polite, but unwaveringly firm. Chairman Yoon cleared his throat awkwardly.
Of course he knew. His grandson’s temperament was exactly like his own.
“If you find it disagreeable, I’ll proceed quietly. Also—”
When he dropped the next statement, the old man’s face turned grim.
“I won’t be accepting succession. Forget the merger plans too. Find someone else to appoint as CEO.”
No one could stop him as he turned and walked away, face unreadable, without a trace of hesitation.
To refuse even the inheritance of the family company—most would call it madness. But in a household with only one heir, it was a terrifying form of blackmail.
Everyone knew Taeheon’s personality—he could sever even family ties without a second thought. So instead of scolding him, all they could do was panic in silence.
After Taeheon left.
“Mother, what are we going to do? At this point, I truly wouldn’t care whose daughter she is. As long as she has parents and a normal family, I’d die without regret.”
Min-young’s eyes brimmed with tears.
She was naturally gentle and not a woman of great ambition. Everyone knew she wouldn’t be too picky about a daughter-in-law—but this time, even she thought Taeheon had gone too far.
“Could it be that he doesn’t know anything about women and got bewitched by some strange girl? What if some brazen little thing deliberately seduced our Taeheon?”
“Oh please. You think Taeheon’s the type to fall for that? Even if a nine-tailed fox tried to seduce him, he wouldn’t budge.”
“Well… you’re right about that.”
Everyone in the family knew Taeheon too well.
Who on earth was this woman—who had turned the stone-hearted Taeheon, in just three months, into a madman desperate to get married?
Min-young and the rest of the household couldn’t sleep that night, sighing endlessly.
***
The next day, Sunday.
The Pyeongchang-dong mansion was bustling from early morning. After all, today was the day the family’s only heir would bring home the woman he planned to marry.
Even while helping her mother-in-law, Deok-sim, prepare dishes in the kitchen, Min-young’s mind was a whirlwind of worry.
“Mother, I’m so nervous I could die. You know how bad I am at hiding my feelings—I barely attend social gatherings as it is. What if I don’t like her and it shows?”
“Ahh…” Deok-sim sighed. She was just as uneasy.
She was carefully garnishing the beautifully fried sweet-and-sour rockfish with thinly sliced green onions when the butler entered.
“Madam, Young Master has arrived.”
Min-young’s head snapped up.
She grabbed her mother-in-law’s hand, her face tense, and the two hurried out to the living room.
“Please say hello. My grandfather, grandmother, and these are my parents.”
Standing beside the tall, striking Taeheon was a delicate-looking young woman.
Her skin was pale and translucent, her large eyes sparkling—she was, quite simply, the most lovely girl they had ever seen.
“My name is Han Eun-se…”
She was so nervous—no, terrified—that the bouquet in her trembling hands was shaking visibly.
Oh my!
The moment Min-young saw her future daughter-in-law, her expression instantly softened into a bright smile.
“She’s only twenty-three, apparently. That brat Taeheon must have lured in a naïve little girl who doesn’t know anything.”
Her mother-in-law, Deok-sim, whispered back, and Min-young nodded even more vigorously than usual.
***
“Let’s begin,” said Chairman Yoon.
Everyone picked up their chopsticks in unison.
As he ladled soup into his bowl, the Chairman glanced across at Eun-se.
“Eat plenty.”
“Y-yes! Thank you for the meal…”
Startled like a rabbit, Eun-se hurriedly lifted her spoon.
But her throat wouldn’t let her swallow.
Even though for the past three months she had spent almost every night whispering words of love to Taeheon as if in fever, sitting face to face with his family—the Chairman and President of KD Group and their wives—was an entirely different battlefield.
The awkwardness was mutual.
Eun-se was so breathtakingly beautiful that just looking at her brightened the room, and yet she seemed so meek and fragile. Watching her struggle to move her chopsticks from sheer nerves, the elders couldn’t help but feel sympathy.
Amidst all this, the only one eating calmly as usual was Taeheon.
No—he was not exactly his usual self.
His chopsticks moved without hesitation, filling Eun-se’s bowl with slices of grilled beef, wild green dumplings, and colorful skewers.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
“Ah, y-yes, it’s delicious.”
“Eat slowly. Chew properly.”
Even having raised him all his life, no one had ever heard him speak in such a honeyed tone.
“You like this, don’t you? Should I ask them to pack some for you later?”
“N-no, that’s okay—”
“It might not taste good once it’s cold. Just tell me anytime you want it again—I’ll have it made for you.”
“M-Mr. President…”
Eun-se poked his side in embarrassment.
“Mother… is that really our Taeheon?”
“My goodness. I’ve lived long enough to see this. That stone statue—no, that rock from Mount Inwang—actually talking like that!”
Min-young and Deok-sim whispered to each other, dazed.
“If it doesn’t suit your taste, spit it out.”
When he casually held his palm in front of Eun-se’s mouth, Chairman Yoon actually gasped aloud.
Neither the blushing, tearful Eun-se nor the utterly dumbfounded elders could stop him—Taeheon continued his nauseatingly sweet antics throughout the entire meal.
***
News of Taeheon’s marriage spread like wildfire.
He was the only heir of one of Korea’s top conglomerates, KD Group.
Even without his background, his looks, physique, and personal abilities made him the object of admiration—and fantasy—for countless women.
He had ignored countless matchmakers and advances, even sparking rumors that he might be gay.
And then—
“What?! Yoon Taeheon is getting married?!”
No one was more shocked than Baek Do-hee.
“That can’t be! Taeheon? Getting married?! What nonsense is that?!”
Crash!
A liquor bottle shattered against the mirror, the sound making Hee-soo jolt awake in bed.
“Noona, what’s wrong?!”
“That bastard! Who said that?! Damn it—what lunatic is spreading that ridiculous rumor?!”
Hee-soo scrambled to put on his underwear and ran out, clutching his head when he saw the room.
“Aaaagh!”
Do-hee screamed and began hurling everything she could grab off the table.
