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Chapter – 04
The Condition for Inheritance
It was a weekend.
For the first time in a while, Do-kyung attended a family gathering.
The reason was simple: Seok-yong, the founder of Hanju Group and Do-kyung’s grandfather, had summoned all of his children and grandsons.
Inside the spacious study on the second floor of the family’s main residence sat only the men of the Kim family.
There was Do-kyung’s father, Ji-geon, the current chairman of Hanju Group.
His eldest son, Ha-kyung, president of Hanju Foods.
His younger brother Ji-hoon, president of Hanju F&B Korea.
And Ji-hoon’s two sons.
Everyone sat around a large table, silently waiting for Seok-yong to speak.
Warm tea was served before them.
After sitting quietly with his eyes closed for some time, Seok-yong slowly opened them.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve all gathered.”
No one answered.
Seok-yong currently lived with Do-kyung’s parents in the family mansion.
The rest of his children had homes of their own, and both Ha-kyung and Do-kyung also lived separately.
Everyone had been too busy with work to visit for quite some time.
No one had anything to say in response.
As Do-kyung looked at his grandfather, he couldn’t help noticing how much thinner he had become.
His complexion was darker than before, and his once-commanding frame looked frail.
Unable to hold back any longer, Do-kyung asked,
“Are you sick?”
“I’m old now. At my age… the body starts breaking down.”
Speaking even that much seemed exhausting.
Seok-yong let out a labored sigh.
“…The doctor says I have about five months left.”
The words landed heavily.
Every face around the table stiffened.
No one dared speak.
They merely exchanged glances.
Only Ji-geon, Do-kyung’s father, lowered his head quietly, apparently already aware of the diagnosis.
“What… what illness is it?” Ji-hoon asked.
“Stage-four pancreatic cancer,” Ji-geon answered in his father’s place.
“The cancer has already spread to the surrounding organs. There’s nothing more the doctors can do.”
Because of Seok-yong’s advanced age, surgery and chemotherapy were considered meaningless.
After taking his medicine and catching his breath, Seok-yong spoke again.
“So… I’ve called everyone here today because I want to give my grandsons a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Ha-kyung… Do-kyung… Jae-jin… and Jae-hee.”
He looked at each of them.
“Whichever one of you gets married first… will inherit all of my shares.”
Everyone froze.
“W-What are you talking about, Father?” Ji-geon exclaimed.
“My greatest wish… was to see my grandsons marry… and to hold my great-grandchildren.”
He smiled sadly.
“I’ve already given up on seeing great-grandchildren.”
“There isn’t enough time.”
“So whichever one shows me his bride within the next five months…”
“…the one who fulfills this old man’s final wish…”
“…will inherit every share I own.”
Do-kyung clenched his fist.
His heart began pounding.
This was an opportunity unlike any other.
Seok-yong had always believed in primogeniture.
He had long ago handed the chairmanship to his eldest son, Ji-geon.
Ji-hoon, the second son, and Mi-joo, the youngest daughter, had received only enough shares to maintain positions as subsidiary CEOs and board directors.
The same principle had already extended to the grandchildren.
As the eldest grandson, Ha-kyung already possessed far more shares than Do-kyung.
Under normal circumstances, Do-kyung had virtually no chance of surpassing him.
But this wager…
This changed everything.
“If I inherit all of Grandfather’s shares…”
“…I’ll finally have a chance.”
Jae-jin and Jae-hee, sons of the second branch of the family, didn’t own enough stock to compete.
In reality, this had become a contest between only two people:
Ha-kyung.
And Do-kyung.
Better yet…
Neither of them currently had a fiancée or even a girlfriend.
For once, the competition was evenly matched.
When Seok-yong became too exhausted to remain seated, Ji-geon and his live-in caregiver helped him leave the room.
Ji-hoon also departed with his two sons.
For them, today’s meeting had merely been about hearing the news of Seok-yong’s limited time.
After they left, only four people remained in the living room.
Do-kyung.
His older brother.
Their father.
And their mother.
Silence lingered until Ji-geon finally spoke.
“I won’t interfere.”
“You two handle this yourselves.”
“Yes.”
“If neither of you brings someone home…”
“…then the inheritance will simply follow what’s already written in Father’s will.”
“So doing nothing is also an option.”
Ha-kyung nodded calmly.
Even if Do-kyung inherited all of their grandfather’s shares, it still wouldn’t be enough to surpass Ha-kyung’s own holdings.
From his perspective…
He was already winning.
While Ha-kyung maintained his composed confidence, Do-kyung sat equally relaxed, smiling at his brother from across the room.
“No.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“It’s Grandfather’s last wish.”
No matter what.
Even Seok-yong probably didn’t expect anyone to actually hold a wedding within five months.
All he truly wanted was proof that the marriage would happen.
That was enough.
So Do-kyung quickly formed a plan.
He only needed to find a woman willing to pretend to be his fiancée…
…for six months.
Someone convincing enough.
Nothing more.
Ha-kyung looked at him suspiciously.
He seemed to be trying to figure out what his younger brother was plotting.
Do-kyung simply shrugged, his confident smile never fading.
His brother had always been the perfect model student.
He was far too honest to resort to something like hiring a fake fiancée.
Nor was he the kind of man who would suddenly fall in love—or get engaged to a woman he didn’t truly love just to gain more shares.
This battle was practically already Do-kyung’s.
Then, after seeing the expression on her younger son’s face, his mother suddenly declared with complete certainty,
“So that’s it.”
“You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
Do-kyung blinked.
Why did she suddenly think he had a girlfriend?
Since becoming president of Hanju Freshion, his life had consisted of nothing but work and home.
He hadn’t had the slightest opportunity to meet women.
His father spoke next.
“At the last company dinner, one of the female employees got into your car as naturally as could be.”
“Director Jung happened to see it and told me.”
“The company dinner…”
“Oh…”
He immediately realized.
It had been the night when Gyeoul, completely drunk, had climbed into his car by mistake.
Apparently one of the company’s directors had witnessed it and reported the incident to his parents.
“We thought maybe she’d gotten into the wrong car.”
“But then you got in too, and the two of you drove away together.”
“So we started wondering.”
His mother added,
“And wasn’t it because of that same employee that you had Team Leader Kim Seok-jun fired?”
“Her name was…”
“Cha Gyeoul, wasn’t it?”
Do-kyung remained silent.
“They said you were furious because he stole the idea she’d worked so hard on.”
“So you had him kicked out immediately.”
That wasn’t actually what happened.
Kim Seok-jun deserved to be fired.
In addition to stealing Gyeoul’s work, numerous other violations had been uncovered.
The Audit Department had made the decision.
Yet his parents now believed Do-kyung had done it to protect his girlfriend.
It was a complete misunderstanding.
Still…
If he used that misunderstanding properly…
Things might become much easier.
Besides…
Gyeoul already owed him a favor.
Seeing the situation unfold so conveniently, the corners of Do-kyung’s lips lifted.
His mother smiled knowingly.
“I knew it!”
“Every time that girl worked late, you stayed late too.”
“So instead of working, you’ve been dating at the office?”
She laughed happily.
Do-kyung had always worked late.
He lived alone.
Once he got home, there wasn’t much to do.
Aside from exercising to stay healthy, he had no hobbies.
For the past eight months, he’d rarely left work before eight in the evening.
Now all those late nights had been interpreted as spending time with Gyeoul.
There was no reason to correct the misunderstanding.
Instead, Do-kyung smiled even more warmly.
“That’s right.”
“We’re dating.”
“Gyeoul and I.”
His mother’s face immediately lit up.
Since he was twenty, he’d only dated once.
It had lasted less than a month.
Ever since then, he’d had no interest in dating—or marriage.
She had spent years wishing her younger son would simply find someone.
Any woman would do.
This was the best news she could have hoped for.
“When did you meet?”
“How did it happen?”
Do-kyung answered without missing a beat.
“Well…”
“Every time I passed her office, she’d still be there working alone late into the night.”
“I kept wondering why she worked so hard.”
“Before I knew it…”
“…I couldn’t stop noticing her.”
“And she’s very good at her job.”
He smiled.
“So…”
“I was the one who pursued her.”
His quick wit allowed him to invent an entire love story in seconds.
His parents nodded approvingly.
After all, they themselves had met at work and eventually married for love.
His explanation sounded perfectly believable.
Only one person remained unconvinced.
Ha-kyung continued watching his younger brother with unmistakable suspicion.
