Han Kyungsook could not handle the situation unfolding before her.
Just a few days ago, the company had been running normally, but in an instant, it had become the target of public criticism!
‘What the hell, how did they handle things like this!’
Was it Executive Director Jin Yooncheol, whom she had entrusted with this matter?
Or Executive Director Park Mujin, who failed to properly suppress the media?
She traced the cause and effect over and over, but no clear answer emerged.
Even if an answer came, there was nothing Han Kyungsook could do.
She just needed someone to curse at, so she was merely looking for a target.
Knock knock.
Her confused mind rang like a bell even at the small knocking sound.
Irritation surging up, she glared at the entrance with axe-like eyes.
And gritted her teeth.
“Our niece, what brings you here?”
“What do you mean, what brings me? I came for work.”
“Do you handle hotel business at a food company these days? Or department store business at a food company? Has it become a neighborhood mart or something?”
She had been needing someone to vent her frustration on anyway.
The Han Yeri who appeared now was the perfect target to turn into an emotional trash can.
Even though she knew exactly how Han Kyungsook saw her, Han Yeri did not flinch.
Instead, she smiled slyly and said.
“Hotel work is done at the hotel, department store work at the department store. What would there be to do at a food company?”
“Then why don’t you hurry back to your company? Aunt is in a really bad mood today….”
“Even if you’re in a bad mood, you still have to work, Aunt.”
Han Yeri pointed outside and said.
“The board meeting—are you not going?”
“…You.”
“It would be better if you went. At least you should see how you fall, right?”
Unable to endure Han Yeri’s provocation any longer, Han Kyungsook snapped.
“You’ve been spoiled too much, so you treat your aunt like a joke, huh?”
“You have to act like an aunt first. The one who tried to sneakily swallow the hotel is saying that?”
“It’s because it’s hard for you to manage!”
“I never said that. Even if it were hard, the person I’d ask for help wouldn’t be you.”
If it were Kang Jisung, maybe.
A thought that flashed by made Han Yeri let out a soft laugh.
To Han Kyungsook, who had no idea what was inside, it only looked like a contemptuous smile.
“How dare you….”
“If you’re not coming, well, fine. I’ll just inform you of the results later. Rest here.”
Attendance wasn’t important anyway; notification was.
Han Kyungsook shot up from her seat and strode toward Han Yeri.
“I don’t know what you did, but it won’t go as you think.”
“We’ll see. We’ll find out in time.”
Both believing things would go their way, the two attended the board meeting.
And then.
“As a result of the meeting, the dismissal of President Han Kyungsook has been decided.”
It led to Han Kyungsook’s complete defeat.
“H-how… how…..”
Han Kyungsook looked at the directors seated there.
They avoided her gaze, cleared their throats awkwardly, and hurriedly left their seats.
They were all people she had commanded, standing at the forefront of her faction.
People who seemed like they would offer loyalty forever.
They abandoned Han Kyungsook.
“How could you!”
“That’s why, Aunt, you should have treated people moderately.”
Han Yeri, the mastermind behind all this, approached Han Kyungsook and said.
Having swayed the directors, convened the meeting, and even secured the shares, Han Yeri was, at this moment, above Han Kyungsook.
“You use them and discard them, use them and discard them. People aren’t consumables, so when you treat them like that, of course they switch sides, right?”
“Ungrateful idiots….”
“There are also stupid bosses who don’t know loyalty, so what can you do.”
“Han Yeri!”
“My ears hurt, so speak softly.”
Han Yeri spoke calmly without losing a single word.
“Now there’s no one to listen even if you shout, so take care of your throat at least.”
“You, youuu…!”
“Then, will you leave? Or you can stay and watch the remaining agenda.”
Having lost her position as the owner of Kangseong Foods, she was nothing more than a borrowed barley sack.
***
“The board meeting result—Ribbon Corporation’s President Kang has acquired proxy management rights for Kangseong Foods. Congratulations.”
“I’m grateful for giving me such a precious position.”
“Then how about showing some gratitude? At least act happy.”
‘What is she saying? I’m busy as hell right now.’
Even while handling the Kangseong Foods matter, business proposals from the planning department kept coming in.
Thanks to that, the unchecked proposals had already exceeded 100.
And this was after Yuha filtered them once.
Flipping through a proposal, I said to Han Yeri sitting in front of me.
“It was going to turn out like this anyway. I knew it would go well, so is there a need to be particularly happy or not?”
“You know you’re kind of unlikeable, right?”
“If I’ve done this much, what’s wrong with being a bit unlikeable.”
“Sigh.”
“If you’re not busy, you can go now.”
“I want to, but I think I need to talk a bit before leaving.”
Talk.
I put down the proposal with a thud and looked at Han Yeri.
Seeing how she was dressed up, she was in battle mode again today.
“What is it? This talk you want to have.”
“What are you going to do with Kangseong Foods?”
“Are you curious about the management plan?”
“Yes. As a shareholder, I’m curious. You’re not going to eat a company like Kangseong Foods and then toss it aside, right?”
“Of course not.”
Does it even make sense to throw it away after eating it?
If I’ve eaten it, I should use it well.
Of course, I need to launder it first.
It’s covered in too much dust and grime right now.
“I’m going to shed the brand image first. I’ll use <Neighborhood Bakery> for that.”
“You sold that to Kangseong Foods—can you still use it?”
“What’s the problem? Kangseong Foods is mine now.”
Even if you give a queen, if you eat the king, the game ends.
<Neighborhood Bakery> is still under me.
“I plan to cleanly erase the current Kangseong image. We need to escape from being the eternal second place.”
“Hmm, are you going for a premium line?”
“Something like a line. I’ll maximize the strengths of the pipeline, lower the overall supply prices through specialization, and raise the quality of the products.”
“Will that work?”
“There’s always a way to make it work.”
I tapped the document folder in front of me.
“If we link it with our business, we can supply some products cheaply. Use the profit margin from that to lower the supply prices of other products too.”
I need to transform Kangseong Foods into a friendly image.
“And in the process, I’ll overhaul the work efficiency of all companies. For positions that need 24-hour coverage, I’ll hire more staff, and for other lines, I’ll implement a 4-day workweek.”
If it were up to me, I’d make it 3 PM quitting time like Ribbon Corporation.
But it would definitely cause problems in work communication.
So for now, I’ll change it gradually within a range that won’t cause major disruptions.
“I’ll eliminate all non-regular employees, and if managers neglect oversight, I’ll hold them strictly accountable.”
“So you’re shedding the sloppy image of Kangseong.”
“I need to strip away all the negative images. Keeping them is poison, poison.”
I absolutely hate indigestion after eating.
It makes even the experience of eating unpleasant.
“The costs incurred in that process will be invested by Ribbon Corporation.”
“Really?”
“Yes. By absorbing some of the company shares. Ah, we’ll also pay off the corporate bonds. It will cost quite a bit of money.”
Blocking the places where money was leaking and cutting unnecessary expenses should make it possible.
“Then, slowly absorbing the shares of Kangseong Foods, I’ll convert it into a limited liability company.”
“Escape from a joint-stock company?”
“Yes. I’ve had some traumatizing experiences with stocks.”
Being backstabbed and fired once is enough.
I plan to block such situations from ever happening again.
Plus, not having to listen to someone’s unsolicited advice is another advantage of a limited liability company.
“It will cost a lot of money. And operating funds might become short too.”
“That could happen.”
“Should I lend you some?”
“No need. A businessman should earn money through business.”
If I borrow money from that woman, who knows how she’ll manipulate me later.
I refuse to be pushed around because of borrowed money.
“Fine, whatever. If you change your mind, tell me.”
“I don’t know if that will happen, but sure. Is that the end of the talk?”
“There’s one last thing.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
Thank you?
I haven’t done anything in this matter to deserve those words.
I put down the hand that was reaching for the business proposal again.
Han Yeri looked away, perhaps embarrassed, and said.
“I hated my aunt, you know. I wanted to step on her somehow, and thanks to you, my wish came true.”
“Then I should have billed for that too.”
“You were going to charge money for something like this?”
“If it makes money, I should do it all. What can’t I do?”
A businessman who turns away from making money is useless.
Han Yeri, looking at me as if utterly disgusted, stood up.
“The thank you I just said is going right back in.”
“You would have done the same if the situation were reversed, right?”
“Ugh, so annoying.”
“Well, anyway, there might be some collaboration with Kangseong Hotel. Then let’s do business without pretending not to know each other.”
“It’s a profitable deal. Of course I’ll do it.”
In the end, not pulling out when money is involved—she’s a businessman too.
After Han Yeri left the office, I let out a breath.
“She barges in whenever she’s bored and starts talking.”
Because of her, I couldn’t fully savor the victory.
I looked at the goal displayed on the monitor.
“Secure Kangseong Foods.”
The first task on the path to revenge against <Spectrum>.
I had completed that task.
“It’ll take some time to stabilize, though.”
To eat Kangseong Foods, I had forcibly lowered the company value.
Washing this company covered in filth and grime clean and making it shine will take time and money.
Still, I ate it.
I succeeded in placing Kangseong Foods under my feet.
Even with flaws, I devoured a company that belongs to a major conglomerate.
“Hehe, hehehehe.”
I had held back because Han Yeri was there, but now I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
This exhilaration and joy of victory!
The sense of achievement from reaching the goal!
Nothing else compares to this.
This is why I do business, this taste is why I….
“Ah, I almost forgot something important….”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“Knock before coming in. Knock.”
Damn it, didn’t she leave?
Why did she come back in….
“Sorry. But you dance really well.”
“Be quiet.”
“Why? You wouldn’t lose even at a dance party, you know?”
“Shh, just get to the point, the point.”
Why does she have to bring up someone’s embarrassment?
At my words, Han Yeri chuckled and said.
“Grandfather wants to see you. It seems related to the previous matter?”
“Ah, right. I need to receive that too. Just let me know a suitable day, and I’ll clear my schedule.”
“Do that. But you said Grandfather wanted the preservation of Kangseong Group, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think this incident will achieve that?”
“….”
Kangseong Group will unite more than before.
But well.
Whether it will perfectly succeed is unknown.
“If we talk in probabilities, maybe around 30%?”
“That’s low.”
“Still better than 0.”
It was 100% going to fall apart completely, so 30% is worth gambling on.
“But Chairman Han Kangseong isn’t an ordinary person, right?”
“That’s true.”
“He’ll probably propose another deal when you go this time.”
To raise that 30% probability higher.
He’ll surely set up the next board and use me as a piece by betting the stakes.
The possibilities range from 5 to 10.
‘Whatever comes up, I just need to see profit.’
And deals are what I do best.
The dialogue in this chapter is really hard to parse
WILL RETRANSLATE SOON