Chapter 4
Even half-naked, standing before countless eyes, the man had remained perfectly composed.
Whatever reason he had for throwing Director Jang Jae-won across the room, there were very few people in the world who could treat someone of Jang’s status so carelessly. If he feared the consequences or worried about rumors, he should have held himself back.
Instead, as he looked down at Director Jang sprawled across the cold floor, he regarded him with less interest than he would a crushed insect.
“I don’t intend to keep this act going forever. My plan is to divorce two years from now.”
The confidence in Eugene’s voice hadn’t faded.
As he listened to her reveal such a life-altering plan, Ki Seung-hyun simply watched her with an unreadable expression.
“The only things I can offer President Ki Seung-hyun are protection from my parents’ interference and complete freedom in your private life. I won’t care who you meet, where you go, or what you do. And when we divorce, I’ll make sure the settlement is more than generous.”
That was everything she had prepared to say.
She needed someone who could act the part, and Ki Seung-hyun fit every requirement.
Yet all he did was continue chewing his gum.
It wasn’t hard to understand why the proposal might fail to interest him.
According to the investigation she’d conducted, Ki Seung-hyun possessed assets worth roughly two trillion won—and that only accounted for his publicly held shares. His hidden personal wealth was impossible to estimate.
Money wasn’t something he lacked, so alimony meant nothing to him.
Pretending to date a woman he’d only just met would probably be nothing but troublesome.
Judging by the fact that he’d already rejected his parents’ marriage demands six separate times, perhaps he’d simply grown accustomed to enduring the pressure.
Or perhaps…
Maybe someday he’d actually meet a woman he wanted to marry.
“I understand if you don’t want a divorce on your record.”
Eugene lowered her gaze.
“I’d like to give you enough time to think… but I don’t have that luxury.”
If he refused, she’d have to search for another candidate.
Finding someone willing to play the role was only the beginning. She would still need to examine that person’s personality, courage, and whether they might interfere with her carefully laid plans.
“I’ll give you two days.”
She looked at him when he still didn’t answer.
“Tell me before then.”
Silence.
“If you’re going to refuse, you might as well do it now.”
The strong jaw that had been lazily crushing gum finally moved.
“There’s one thing I’d like to confirm.”
“What is it?”
“May I?”
“…Go ahead.”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
His upper body lifted from the chair and leaned toward her.
A large hand slid behind Eugene’s neck.
Their lips met.
The instant he parted her lips and captured her upper lip, Eugene’s eyes shook violently.
His head tilted farther as his tongue brushed against her lower lip.
Then his tongue slipped between her lips, twisting against hers before pressing deeper into her mouth.
The sudden rush of sensation forced Eugene’s head backward.
The hand supporting her neck tightened.
Trapped within Ki Seung-hyun’s embrace, she had nowhere to retreat as she accepted the invasion of his tongue, which thoroughly explored the warmth of her mouth, leaving behind the cool taste of mint before finally withdrawing, its tip lightly brushing across her upper lip.
“You’re inexperienced.”
His quiet observation made Eugene realize just how rigid she’d become.
He resumed chewing the gum he’d pushed into the side of his cheek before speaking in a calm, serious voice.
“I’ll do it.”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“I’ll marry you.”
Eugene’s eyes flew open.
Just like that?
She couldn’t believe he’d agreed so easily.
As though he’d already made up his mind long ago, Ki Seung-hyun asked,
“When are we announcing it to our parents?”
“…A week is too soon.”
She thought for a moment.
“About a month from now.”
“In that case…”
The corners of his lips curved upward.
“Shall we start by giving people something to gossip about?”
“Before we tell our parents, let’s make sure everyone believes we’re dating.”
Rumors.
A secret romance slowly surfacing until word spread naturally…
Then, once the timing was right, informing their parents of the marriage.
It was a flawless sequence.
“And during that time…”
His gaze lingered on her.
“We’ll work on improving Executive Director Yu’s rather lacking acting skills.”
So…
The kiss had been a test.
If people were to believe Eugene had chosen this man out of love rather than convenience, physical intimacy was unavoidable.
She had overlooked that.
Now, thinking back, her awkward stiffness felt like an obvious mistake.
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
Looking into her eyes, Ki Seung-hyun smiled gently.
“I’ve got plenty of nerve.”
“Ugh…!”
A desperate groan echoed through the iron cage beneath the Octagon.
A single spotlight poured down from above, illuminating the sweat-slick muscles rippling across a broad back.
“Ghk!”
The steel cage resembled nothing less than a prison for wild beasts.
The air was thick with violence.
Min Ji-ho walked calmly toward it.
One of the guards watching the match noticed him.
“Secretary Min. You’re here.”
“How long has it been?”
“They just entered the second round.”
Min Ji-ho glanced at his wristwatch.
Ten minutes per round.
Only a little over ten minutes had passed…
Yet the winner had already been decided.
“He’s a middleweight. Didn’t expect him to break this quickly.”
Just as the guard said.
One fighter’s face had been split open, blood pouring down as he stubbornly forced himself to remain standing.
His opponent…
Still looked relaxed.
Under the glaring lights that replaced an audience, the exhausted fighter watched the predator circling him.
Gathering every shred of concentration, he spotted a tiny opening and threw a punch.
“Ghk!”
He never landed it.
A leg, already coiled with lethal intent, whipped upward first.
Its kick smashed into his jaw.
The overwhelming impact shattered his rhythm.
He stumbled—
—and in that instant, it felt as though a blade had pierced straight through him.
An elbow crashed into his ribs with perfect precision.
Crack.
“Krrgh…!”
A groan sharpened by agony escaped between clenched teeth.
For fighters, admitting defeat with their own mouths was humiliation.
Being knocked unconscious was preferable.
That was how they thought.
His bloodshot eyes continued searching for one final chance.
His fist barely grazed past—
“Ugh!”
A brutal punch exploded across his face.
The sound echoed throughout the underground arena.
“Cough!”
Blood sprayed across the ring as the man doubled over.
A firm hand caught his slack jaw.
A low voice muttered,
“He’s out.”
After checking the dilation of his pupils, Ki Seung-hyun stood and walked away.
“Clean it up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Like a beast that had escaped its cage, overwhelming violence radiated from his body.
Ki Seung-hyun looked toward his secretary.
“What is it?”
“I’ve got something to report.”
Ji-ho activated the news broadcast on the tablet in his hands.
“The fire at the Domun-dong factory has been successfully contained thanks to the swift actions of a courageous citizen. Fortunately, there were no casualties.”
Watching the screen, Ki Seung-hyun casually wiped the blood from his open-finger gloves onto Ji-ho’s shirt.
The broadcast continued.
“Next, an additional victim has come forward, claiming she was sexually assaulted by Director Jang Jae-won of Cheongsan Trading, who is already under investigation for sexually harassing a rookie actress. Ms. D stated that she was invited to what was presented as a business meeting and drinking party before losing consciousness…”
Ji-ho spoke.
“As you instructed, every article related to Director Jang Jae-won’s sexual assault went live simultaneously at 7:30 across eight news outlets and online media.”
He continued.
“Exactly as you ordered.”
Jang Jae-won had believed Ki Seung-hyun would be the rope that pulled him out of the swamp.
The truth was the opposite.
The anonymous source who leaked every detail of his private life…
Had been Ki Seung-hyun himself.
Without ever realizing who had exposed him, Jang had actually come begging Ki Seung-hyun to bury the scandal.
“The victims are under protection now, so Jang can’t get to them. We’ve also arranged psychiatric treatment.”
Though they had suffered terrible abuse at Jang’s hands, they had remained silent for years, terrified of his power.
When Ji-ho’s representatives first contacted them, they had been too frightened to speak.
Only after promising that Jang would face justice had they finally gathered the courage to testify.
“We’ll continue supporting them until the very—”
“What about Jang’s slush fund?”
Ki Seung-hyun cut him off as though the victims no longer concerned him.
“What’s happening with that?”
“We’ve already prepared everything, but… I think it might be better to wait. If we expose it now, public attention will shift away from the victims. Besides…”
Ji-ho hesitated.
“I’ve heard Chairwoman Yoon Ja-yeon’s condition is quite serious.”
“…What?”
“Director Jang’s wife. Chairwoman Yoon Ja-yeon underwent a liver transplant last year. She’s already in terrible emotional distress after hearing about the harassment allegations. If the rape accusations are followed immediately by news that her husband also created an illegal slush fund, her condition could worsen. It might be better to give it a little time.”
“Min Ji-ho.”
A large hand lightly tapped Ji-ho’s cheek.
“What does that have to do with me?”
Turning his head slightly, Ji-ho looked toward the unconscious fighter still lying in the ring.
Getting hit by Ki Seung-hyun felt like being pierced by a bullet.
Bones broke.
Organs ruptured.
Even breathing became painful.
Ki Seung-hyun shifted his gaze.
“Don’t go easy on him.”
“Release it.”
Ji-ho finally let out the breath he’d been holding.
“What time?”
“At noon.”
“So he can enjoy it with lunch.”
If not for his personal rule never to throw punches outside the ring, Jang Jae-won would have ended up looking exactly like the man lying unconscious in the cage.
Instead, the injuries he suffered after being hurled through the doorway and slamming into the stone wall had been enough to hospitalize him.
Even then, the public showed no sympathy.
They were furious.
“When the acquisition bids first started, Jeongsan Trading was the favorite,” Ji-ho said. “But with Chairwoman Yoon’s condition and the slush fund scandal about to explode, KD Trading will probably gain the upper hand.”
No matter how financially stable Jeongsan Trading appeared, once prosecutors launched an investigation into Jang Jae-won’s slush fund, public scrutiny would become impossible to ignore.
Jang had desperately sought out Ki Seung-hyun, refusing to abandon the bid until the very end.
But the outcome had never changed.
Ki Seung-hyun smiled faintly.
“Good.”
His destruction…
Had been inevitable.
