Chapter 13.
He’s a Villain, but He’s a Bunny (8)
My grandfather used to say this:
“Do you know what’s most important in business?”
“Money!”
“Business partners!”
My dumb older brothers would shout out whatever came to mind, hoping to gain his approval.
“Inna, what do you think?”
Young Inna answered calmly, without getting excited.
Grandfather hated people who couldn’t control their emotions.
“…People. When you’re doing something big, the most important thing is to have people you can trust and depend on.”
“That’s right! Exactly! You really do take after me the most! No great person in history has ever achieved anything alone. Always surround yourself with trustworthy people.”
My grandfather was strict even with his own children and grandchildren, but he was fair and generous when it came to rewards and punishments. Thanks to that, many people followed him. Hearing that I resembled him used to make me feel proud.
Inna smiled bitterly.
It was all because of his teachings.
Always ending up as a leader wherever I went. Always giving more than I received, standing in front of others as the one offering help.
But what did all that effort lead to?
The suspicion and petty jealousy of my two older brothers. Constant competition and the dirty politics of a chaebol family.
Severe depression and countless sleepless nights.
“This life is not it. I’m never living that exhausting kind of life again.”
Inna shook her head firmly.
She only repaid the debt because it didn’t sit well with her to owe anyone.
Then, she slowly crawled back under the blankets.
Sleep finally came to her again, but this time, it brought along the unpleasant guest of a nightmare.
The company was in chaos.
“Assault incident at Club XXX—Is the third-generation chaebol from 00 Group involved?”
Of course, it was the eldest brother, who had grown up spoiled just because he was the firstborn.
“God, he really is an idiot…”
Inna walked out of the shareholders’ meeting room with a cold gaze.
As soon as the article came out, the company’s stock price plummeted by over 8%, and billions of won vanished like scraps of paper.
At the meeting, the major shareholders decided to publicly support her, a woman, as the next successor in order to recover the company’s image.
A typical performative gesture.
“Looks like more work for me.”
She sighed softly, and then an indignant voice came from behind.
“Women always get greedy, don’t they.”
It was the eldest brother.
His face was red with jealousy and bitterness as he sneered.
“I saw you increased your shares again. No way the chairman gave them to you. What, been sneaking around buying them like a rat?”
“He must be panicking now that I’ve gained more shares.”
Inna looked down coldly at the loudmouth loser.
“Maybe you should’ve spent your money on stocks instead of blowing it all on casinos and hostess bars. At least then you wouldn’t be stuck in this scandal.”
“What? That was all part of business! What would a woman know about a man’s work?”
“Filthy.”
She spit the word out with clear disdain.
“Why you little—!”
Here we go again.
Even after dragging the company into scandal, the first thing he reached for was violence.
Maybe he had anger management issues.
Inna glared right back at him, refusing to back down.
“Stop this at once! What do you think you’re doing in a public space!”
A thunderous voice rang out.
The thug immediately bowed deeply.
“C-Chairman!”
Even with age, he hadn’t lost his commanding presence.
Inna also bowed respectfully to her grandfather.
His solemn voice echoed above her lowered head.
“Handle this properly. And don’t forget—I’m always watching.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
She was already drowning in work from the newly launched fashion brand.
Guess she’d have to cut even more sleep.
Sleeping less than three hours wouldn’t kill her… right?
“Hand that project over to your brother.”
At her father’s cold voice, Inna sharply looked up.
It was one of their regular family dinners.
“Did I mishear that? Maybe I’m sleep-deprived.”
She gently set down her spoon and asked again.
“I’m sorry, Father. I didn’t catch that.”
“I said, hand over the fashion business. I heard you launched it successfully overseas.”
“…Yes.”
He’d known all along but never once praised her.
“That should be enough. It’s settled now. Let your brother take over.”
The smug bastard sitting across from her smirked.
“Anyway, the chairman seat will go to the eldest eventually. You’ve played your little business game long enough. It’s time you focused on marriage.”
Seriously?
“My dad is even more of a fossil than Grandpa.”
Inna didn’t hesitate to mentally rip into her father.
Or maybe it was because he, too, was the eldest son.
After Grandpa passed, her father needed to justify taking over the chairman seat.
He didn’t care about sons or daughters—he had no love for his children.
“…Yes.”
Anyway, the chairman still had the final say on personnel decisions. She would take it up with him and get it resolved.
Or so she thought.
But the next time Inna saw her grandfather…
Was at his funeral in a hospital chapel.
Dressed in black mourning clothes, Inna sat blankly against the wall, staring at his smiling portrait.
The doctors said it was a heart attack. It had all happened so suddenly.
And strangely, very strangely—
She couldn’t cry.
“Tsk, tsk… So cold. He adored her too.”
“I bet she’s actually happy. She probably thinks the company’s hers now.”
People criticized her for not shedding a single tear during the funeral.
Even she was confused.
Why couldn’t she cry?
It felt like her emotions were bottled up, like a corked bottle, leaving her feeling numb and heavy.
But she had no time to grieve or process any feelings.
Why do bad things always happen all at once?
Was life trying to test her?
Trying to kill her?
Her stupid eldest brother managed to crash the thriving business just six months after taking over.
He recklessly expanded overseas and ended up with 120 billion won in bank debt.
Naturally, the business was handed back to Inna.
Her head pounded.
When did it start? After the funeral?
Her body felt sluggish and drained.
In the meantime, her brother’s people had infiltrated the company and were stirring up drama.
“They say she’s just a parachute hire. The chairman’s granddaughter.”
“Wow, I had no idea. We joined at the same time, and she never said a word to me for five years. Inna—no, Director Choi—you’re really cold, huh.”
She grew distant from colleagues she once considered close.
There was too much to do.
This was the company her grandfather had built from scratch.
She couldn’t let it all go to waste now.
No matter how incompetent her father and brother were, she had to save it.
“Haha. As expected. You really are just like me!”
Strict as he was, she still remembered the warmth of his large hand ruffling her hair.
At some point, she started having trouble sleeping.
She went to a psychiatrist for sleeping pills and was diagnosed with severe depression.
“Me?”
Inna looked unimpressed when the doctor called her into the consultation room.
“Depression? No way. This is overdiagnosis. I need to be back at work before lunch.”
She glanced at the clock on the wall.
Even now, her to-do list was spinning in her head.
“Are you eating well these days?”
the kind-faced doctor asked.
She scowled.
“I don’t usually eat much. It’s not because of depression.”
“I don’t have depression. No way.”
“And sleep?”
“Well… yeah. But that’s because I’m busy…”
“You also said your chest feels heavy, you lack motivation, and you’re questioning the meaning of life.”
the doctor said, flipping through the chart.
“Well… I mean, does anyone really know the meaning of life? I’m fine. I’m definitely not depressed. See? I’m not even crying.”
She kept giving excuses.
Wasn’t depression supposed to be about constant crying and wanting to die?
Then she couldn’t have it. She wasn’t that emotional or weak.
She clenched her jaw as she convinced herself.
“So you haven’t cried recently?”
“Not at all.”
“…Really? Not even once? Hmm… Have you felt sad?”
The doctor asked gently.
Inna was thrown off by the unfamiliar question. Sad? No one had ever asked her that.
“N-no, not really?”
Instinctively, she gave a sharp answer, not wanting to show weakness.
“That can’t be true. No one goes through life without feeling sad.”
the doctor said warmly.
“Uh…”
What is this?
Her chest tightened, and her throat grew tight.
Still, no tears came out.
Just like at the funeral.
What was going on?
“Ms. Choi, it seems like you’ve been suppressing your emotions for a long time.”
the doctor said, watching her with both sharpness and kindness.
“Don’t keep holding it in. Emotions are like water. If you keep blocking it, the dam will eventually burst.”
Me? Choi Inna? Depressed?
“I’d like to recommend counseling as well…”
“I don’t have time. I need to get back to work.”
“…I’ll prescribe you medication for now.”
That same day, she told her boyfriend.
“I think something’s wrong with me lately.”
He didn’t even look up from cutting his steak.
“What is?”
When she fell silent, he glanced around the restaurant and muttered,
“You should be grateful. Most people can’t afford to eat at places like this. Damn, how much was this steak?”
Again. This again.
“Can we not talk about money? Let’s just eat.”
“Hah. Must be nice being born with a silver spoon. You really think differently.”
“Ugh. Why do I even bother.”
Inna lowered her gaze to the untouched plate.
“And that new car of yours.”
he blurted out.
“Car?”
“Yeah. What do you expect me to do when you drive around in a luxury car? It’s humiliating…”
He muttered a curse under his breath.
“I’ve been diagnosed with depression.”
Inna blurted it out. She didn’t know why. She hadn’t meant to say it. Maybe she just wanted someone to know.
“Hah!”
He scoffed.
“Isn’t depression just a rich people’s disease?”
“…What?”
“That’s what happens when your life’s too easy. Try struggling to survive, and see if you still have time for that nonsense.”
He didn’t stop there.
“What’s so hard about being born rich? You’re just being selfish.”
After that day,
Inna never told anyone else she had depression.
That day too, the sky was gloomy.
“Maybe it’s because of that awful dream.”
It looked even more depressing than usual.
Inna chewed through her breakfast like it was cardboard.
“Lady Inna! You’ll need to hurry a bit today!”
The ever-energetic Andre bustled in with excitement.
His tone had become noticeably more familiar lately.
“Hurry? Why?”
she asked drowsily.
“His Highness has invited you to the theater tonight!”
“Theater?”
