TBR 36

Chapter 36

On Sunday morning, an emergency executive meeting was held at Clover Electronics.

At the head of the empty seat, Jongmin sat to the right, and Hangyeol to the left. Executives lined up on either side.

The news from yesterday had drawn public attention, even making the morning news. In just one day, the stock price plunged 5.37%, wiping out hundreds of billions in value.

“They made a TF team to handle the explosion, and now there’s another one? Are you kidding me?”
“What kind of embarrassment is this for an electronics company that prides itself on product quality? Tsk.”
“Has the chairman even come to Korea?”

Amid the executives’ uproar, Jongmin, who had been sitting detached, stood up and straightened his suit.

“Everyone, calm down.”

All eyes turned to him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle this. My father even appointed me as the TF team leader to manage accidents, and now this happens. Truly regrettable, Team Leader Yoo.”

Jongmin sneered at Hangyeol.

“So what’s the cause? Is it a product defect?”

The question came from an executive closest to Sangwook.

“No. The product is perfectly fine.”

As Jongmin gestured dramatically, looking smug, a sigh of relief spread through the room.

Click—the microphone button was pressed, followed by the soft tapping of fingers on a sponge, echoing through the conference room. All attention shifted to the source of the sound.

It was Hangyeol.

“So, are we saying this was intentional arson?”

Hangyeol’s composed gaze fixed on Jongmin, causing the corner of Jongmin’s mouth to tremble.

“That’s something we’ll figure out gradually. Was it a rival company, or someone blinded by greed?”
“I will handle this incident alone.”
“Let’s handle it together.”

At Hangyeol’s straightforward suggestion, Jongmin growled, his neck rising tensely.

“Just watch carefully. See who will succeed my father. Whether it’s okay to leave the company to a half-blood.”

Despite Jongmin’s hostile gaze, Hangyeol rose from his seat with a soft curve at the corner of his eyes, as usual.

“A half-blood is still blood.”

The tension in the room instantly threatened to burst. He had openly signaled the start of the succession battle.

After the meeting, Hangyeol sank into the car seat, pressing his palm over his eyes briefly.

Rrrrr. Rrrrr.

[Chairman]

Hangyeol took a deep breath, tightening his shirt buttons. The timing of the call right after the executive meeting was impeccable.

“Yes, Chairman.”

A long silence followed. Sangwook broke it first.

• I’ve reviewed all the materials you sent.

Sangwook’s voice, rough and hoarse, carried across the line.

Recently, Jongmin had colluded with internal staff to embezzle products, distributing them for free to IT content company employees. Some were even approached deliberately, forced to damage the product’s image for huge sums.

Hangyeol, having observed everything from the start, handed Sangwook documents containing proof of these actions.

But indecisive Sangwook wouldn’t be able to cut Jongmin off. Even after countless crises caused by Jongmin in the U.S., he only hurried to resolve incidents behind the executives’ backs through Hangyeol.

Until his mother passed away, Hangyeol hadn’t cared.

He had never yearned for the company or sought recognition as Sangwook’s child. He only wanted his mother to be happy with her new family, and to appear as a happy son before her. That was enough.

But when Jongmin’s snake-like tongue boasted about the abuse he inflicted, revealing Hangyeol’s hidden misery to their mother, her illness worsened, leading to her death.

Then Hangyeol realized:

If you don’t take what you want, it will eventually be taken from you.

So, he decided he would take everything.

“Give me the company.”

• ……

The silence stretched taut again, like a tug-of-war.

• What about Jongmin?

The answer was obvious. For Somang to remain as the “perfect first love” beside him, Yoojongmin had to be removed.

“I plan to remove everything that doesn’t help the company.”

Sangwook’s heavy sigh traveled over the phone.

• I’ll contact you once I arrive in Korea.

“Yes.”

After the executive meeting, Hangyeol headed straight to the police station handling the fire incident.

He received notice that the victim investigation would conclude Monday morning, so Hangyeol gathered his coat and left his office.

The first thing that caught his eye was Somang and Minchan standing together, talking rather familiarly.

His pace quickened without realizing it.

Oblivious, Somang continued talking with Minchan.

“Minchan, the police are still on the line. Can you go check the fire cause?”

“Yes.”

Just as Somang lightly tapped his shoulder and wished him well, a dark shadow cut between them.

Hangyeol had arrived in front of them.

“Team Leader, are you heading on a business trip?”

Hangyeol smiled gently, naturally taking Somang’s hand, and applied slight pressure. Reading his displeasure, Somang quickly withdrew her hand and clasped it behind her back.

“I’ll go to the police station. Assistant Park Minchan, check if work at the Chungbuk factory has been stopped.”

“Yes, understood.”

Hangyeol stopped Minchan, who was about to grab the car keys.

“If you haven’t requested a company vehicle, take my car.”

Minchan looked confused.

“The car is too flashy for the factory. I’ll request the business vehicle, so go ahead first.”

Pointing at Minchan’s sports car, Hangyeol pressed his key into Minchan’s hand. The gentle grasp carried a subtle force.

Meanwhile, Daesik, watching the office, moved busily. As Minchan left, Daesik turned and put his phone to his ear.

• Follow him. I’ll leave immediately too.

“What? Me too?”

Daesik’s voice cracked.

• What if the factory manager confesses to embezzlement?

“Oh, no! I’ll stay right beside him.”

Daesik whispered from the corner, then slipped outside. Hangyeol, observing all this, also stepped out of the building shortly after.

Siheung Police Station

A man being questioned as a fire victim nervously bit his nails, curling into himself. The unfamiliar police station was intimidating in itself.

“So, the robot vacuum exploded? Or did you forget to close the gas valve?”

The officer’s calm voice carried subtle irritation and threat.

“What? Changing your story repeatedly—what’s that supposed to do?”

“R-Robot vacuum.”

“Are you sure?”

The detective, nervously setting down an energy drink can, rubbed his stiff neck.

They had thought it was a simple fire due to mechanical failure, but a tip suggested possible arson, prompting reinvestigation. News outlets clamored to uncover the cause.

Yet the victim kept changing his story repeatedly, testing the detective’s patience.

“Alright, go home for today. We’ll talk again.”

“Again… tomorrow?”

“Ha. Yes. Do you want to sit here all day with no progress? Think it over properly at home and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

The officer grabbed the file and left without hesitation.

Outside, the man’s hands trembled. At that moment, a black sedan stopped in front of him.

“Seo Sangwon?”