"Mr. Chang," she said, her voice calm but edged with authority, a faint, gentle smile on her lips. "You arrived earlier than I expected."
"I have a meeting I need to attend," he replied.
"Is it about the Development program?" she asked, flipping through the file he handed her.
"Yes, I—" he began, but she interrupted, her tone smooth and controlled.
"You need not worry. I'll be heading straight to the meeting after this," she said, turning a page with precise motion.
"Well, if that's the case…" an idea sparked in his eyes. "I could come along," he offered with a small smile.
"I'll be going with Sang-tae," she replied evenly, her gaze briefly flicking to him as Sang-tae looked on, surprised by the sudden invitation.
"Alone," she added, and Mr. Chang's smile faltered, his expression darkened.
"Oh," he muttered, disappointment clear in his slow nod, as Minjae started walking, Mr Chang falling into steps beside her, Sang tae following closely behind and Jung-shin a step further back.
She skimmed a page. "A supermarket?" she asked, one brow arched. "Really?"
"That's the idea, we the board members has decided for this construction," he explained, a hint of defensiveness in his voice.
"I doubt heads were put together to brainstorm this idea" she said lightly, as her eyes scanned through the pages.
"It's not about the process; it's about the result," he countered.
"That, I can see," she replied, stopping in her tracks and turning to him. "A result without process," she said, shoving the book into his hands with deliberate precision.
"It's obvious no effort was made. Tell me—did they hand you this responsibility to figure it all out on your own?" she asked, cutting him off before he could speak.
"How difficult it must be," she continued, her eyes locking on his, "to shoulder all the board's responsibilities alone… all in the name of winning their favor." Her words shifted the weight in the air; his expression subtly changed.
A slight, almost teasing smile curved her lips. She always enjoyed pressing him—but in a way that revealed intelligence rather than malice.
"Mr. Chang," she said softly but firmly, "you've been working in this firm for over six years. If you were to be given a spot in the elite house, it would have happened long time ago."
"Don't you think merely pleasing them isn't enough? Perhaps you should try doing the same for me—after all, I will be the one who makes the final decision." She let out a slow, mocking, "Ah," as if suddenly amused by the thought.
"You would have to pick a side then," she continued, her gaze icy and calculating. "The one with the slimmer odds of falling."
she said, fully aware that he hadn't been trying too hard to earn her favor, assuming the board members would eventually push her aside in time. But with Minjae's decisive moves, no one could predict what the future held.
She smirked
"You must be very confused about my stance right now," she said, tilting her head slightly, a faint, almost teasing smile playing on her lips. "I suppose I'm not promising enough." Her dark eyes locked onto his, sharp and assessing. "The Minsol accident… it must have thrown things off for you. It would have been far easier to win her favor."
Her words seemed to strike a chord. Mr. Chang's jaw tightened, a flicker of tension crossing his face as he struggled to maintain a neutral expression, but the subtle shift in his posture betrayed him.
Minjae's smile softened, almost imperceptibly, as if she were indulging in a private amusement. "It's alright," she continued, her tone calm yet commanding, "if the board members refuse to participate in the new firm we are about to build. In the end, the shares won't remain unclaimed." She gestured lightly toward the files in his hand, her fingers brushing over the corner of the document with casual precision. "Besides… it presents an opportunity for outsiders to connect with CHNs. Who in their right mind wouldn't want that chance?"
Mr. Chang's eyes darkened with a mix of greed and and ambition, following her every word, and she allowed herself a small, knowing nod.
"The more shares you acquire in CHNs," she added, her voice soft but deliberate, "the better your chances of securing a spot."
With that, she turned on her heel, her steps precise and confident, leaving a faint echo in the corridor. Sang-tae followed closely, careful to match her pace, while Jung-shin trailed a step behind, observing silently. Mr. Chang, meanwhile, remained rooted for a moment, his expression unreadable, before he finally began to walk after them, each step measured as he processed the full weight of her words.
---
On the way, Sang-tae stepped closer.
"You want him to own a share in the new project," he said. "Seems like you've taken an interest."
Minjae tilted her head, a faint, knowing smile touching her lips. "I wouldn't exactly call it interest, Sang-tae," she said softly. She continued, "Isn't it one of the Chain's rules? Anything built under CHN's name must have a connection to the original board—at least three members in total. Hmm… I suppose this is what my uncle warned me about, being at a disadvantage with the other board members."
"I could speak to them on your behalf," Sang-tae offered.
"I doubt there is any need for that," she said as he turned to her. She held his gaze for a brief moment, letting a small, knowing smile play on her lips before continuing.
"I have got Mr. Chang now—myself…" she said, letting the pause hang in the air. Then, with just a hint of deliberate emphasis, she added, "And Mr. Geum."
"I doubt your grandfather would want to break off his loyalty with the Choi family. This is not just business, don't you think?" she finished.
Sang-tae nodded casually—his family had always been loyal to the Choi family, and he knew no matter the odds, Non of them would ever break the bond.
Just then, his phone beeped. He pulled it from his pocket and scrolled through, furrowing his brow as he came across posts about Mina on social media.
"You might want to see this, Miss," he said, holding the phone out to her.
On the screen was clear CCTV footage of Mina being bullied at her school—different clips stitched together—and a full video capturing the events of the day Minjae had visited the school.
The comment section exploded almost instantly:
MimiSarang : "I hope now everyone will shut the hell up after seeing this video."
Jjangie99 : "Can we all talk about how a few minutes of bullying just targeted an aunty for defending her niece, standing in as her mum in her absence?"
SeoulMate : "I never thought I'd see Choi Tigress in this light… and support her at that 💀."
BboBbo87 : "This is insane! How can the school allow this kind of bullying to happen, even when it was captured on CCTV? That school deserves to be shut down and burned!!"
Hana_Hana : "I hope those crazy parents are in jail. As a parent, seeing a grown woman bully a child like that… I'd lose it."
Somi4Life: "All the way from China here, but Not gonna lie, Minjae is lowkey badass.
The Anchor began,
"…Just a few minutes ago, the public demanded that Miss Choi Minjae be punished—only to later discover that her actions were for a good cause. Her sixteen-year-old niece, Miss Choi Mina, daughter of Mrs. Choi Minsol, who is still in a coma, had been bullied by her peers at school. Even though the public knew Miss Choi Minjae's behavior stemmed from the bullying of her niece, they initially condemned her. But after seeing the footage for themselves, and witnessing how the bullies' parents and the bullies themselves had physically abused the young girl, the public had no choice but to applaud her actions…"
Another Anchor continued,
"…Just now, Miss Choi Mina replied to a commenter asking why her aunt would post such an embarrassing video of her niece being bullied just to save face. These are her exact words:
'I, Choi Mina, posted these videos myself. I couldn't let my aunt take the hate for something she should be applauded for—standing in as my family and legal guardian. She's not a bad person; she was only reacting to the sound of my cries. If anyone should be criticized, it's Principal Hong—he let it all happen despite my pleas for intervention. As for the bullies… I do not wish any action to be taken against them; I just hope karma finds them."
"Now, what are your thoughts on this matter?" the Anchor asked.
Minjae switchs of the phone , handing the phone back to Sang-tae as she glanced at her wristwatch.
"It's about time," she said simply. "C'mon, let's go." She walked toward the car, Sang-tae following closely, both heading to the meeting.
---
That night, Mina had just returned home from her evening study. As she entered the mansion, one of the maids greeted her.
"Welcome home, Miss Mina. Your meal is on the dining table, just as you like it. What would you—"
Mina cut her off.
"Just set me a hot shower, and take my meal to my room," she said firmly. "That's how I want it from now on." She shoved her school bag into the maid's hands and headed straight for the staircase leading to her room.
A soft, deliberate voice cut through the quiet of the hall.
"How do you feel, Mina?"
She looked up to see Minjae standing above her in a silk nightdress. Her question seemed concerned, but Mina knew better as it carried the quiet weight of judgement. She didn't reply.
"So, broadcasting yourself like that to the whole country. Tell me, what made you think that was a clever move?" Minjae asked, her voice calm, though her disappointment was unmistakable.
"I had no choice. I did what I had to do," Mina muttered, trudging up the stairs.
"And that is?" Minjae asked as Mina shot her a side-eye and let out a long, annoyed sigh. She hated that everyone would now see her at her weakest, but she had no choice—and the last thing she wanted was to talk about it right now. but Minjae wasn't letting it go.