God-Given Business Genius - Chapter 211

Bang!

As I flung the door open, Jo I-ruk immediately attached himself to me.

"Where's the guest?"

"Waiting inside."

Jo I-ruk pointed towards the CEO's office.

Ushering a guest into the CEO's office when the CEO wasn't there. It wasn't proper, but Jo I-ruk must have had no choice. It was the most luxurious place in this office, after all.

I headed straight for the CEO's office.

Knock knock.

After knocking, I opened the door and entered.

The subtle aroma of coffee wafted over first. It seemed Jo I-ruk had not skimped on hospitality. That's fortunate.

The person waiting for me inside greeted me without even rising from his seat.

"Ah, you're here."

The man smiled, his eyes curving like a fox's.

Blue eyes were visible through his calmly settled black hair. It was a rare color to see in Korea.

It was a color reminiscent of waves rippling on the sea. Even seeing it again, it was so beautiful that I unknowingly held my breath for a moment.

His face held an exquisite harmony of Eastern and Western features. It looked as if a sculptor had poured their heart and soul into creating it. As if it had been perfectly calculated, meticulously following the golden ratio, with nothing made carelessly.

Others would have been mesmerized. Even I, when I first saw him before my regression, stared blankly for a good minute.

But now I've developed quite an immunity, allowing me to quickly compose my expression. In other words, I saw him often before the regression.

Suppressing the scream that threatened to burst out, I put on a painted-on smile.

"To think I'd meet such an esteemed person. It's an honor."

I pronounced his position as if chewing on the words.

"JC Group's... Director Je."

It was Je Yun-jae, the eldest son of JC.

"The pleasure is mine," Je Yun-jae smiled as if intrigued.

"I've heard a lot about you. Meeting you in person like this, you're more..."

I could feel Je Yun-jae looking me up and down with his gently curved eyes.

"Young than I expected. I'm surprised."

"Haha. I hear that often."

I naturally took a seat across from Je Yun-jae, Director.

Jo I-ruk entered as if he had been waiting and placed a coffee cup in front of me. I fiddled with the cup, racking my brain as much as possible.

'Why has he suddenly come to see me?'

Je Yun-jae is still before solidifying his position as a successor in Korea. Shouldn't he be gaining experience by rotating through overseas business departments?

'JC Group is focusing on global business. They're a company that understands well that future opportunities lie beyond domestic borders.'

In that sense, international competence and management sense are essential for the successor. Je Yun-jae should be personally learning various overseas expansion strategies according to the JC Group Chairman's intentions.

'Moreover, overseas business is relatively free from domestic political friction.'

Even for the Chairman, immediately parachuting him in as a domestic director would have faced fierce opposition.

But the overseas business department is a place where he can gain relatively independent experience. It's ideal for successor training.

'<The Song> hasn't even established an international strategy yet. He might have heard about domestic trends, but it shouldn't be enough to warrant a personal visit.'

I had a fairly objective grasp of <The Song>'s position. A rising small to medium-sized enterprise in Korea, just that.

While its growth potential is boundless and its potential excellent, that's all future talk.

Currently, <The Song> isn't at a level for Hyeonmu or JC to pay attention to. Rather, 'Duyang', struggling to break free from its perpetual third-place position, would be much more bothersome.

'There's no reason for the overseas business department to concern itself with domestic affairs. Je Yun-jae didn't come today in his capacity as a director.'

Then is it out of Je Yun-jae's personal curiosity? That possibility is slim too.

Because if that were the case, he would have presented an investment proposal first.

'Besides, look at that face.'

Though he's smiling brightly, having experienced Je Yun-jae for years, I could tell at a glance.

'He seems to be in a foul mood.'

That was a sign of extreme displeasure. Isn't the corner of his mouth raised about 3mm more than usual?

'What is it? What on earth? For Je Yun-jae to suddenly visit me, a complete stranger, and show such clear signs of displeasure...!'

Ah.

Could it be.

Suddenly, a certain incident flashed through my mind. At the same time, Je Yun-jae broke the silence and spoke.

"Recently, I've been hearing quite an interesting story."

I had a bad feeling about this.

"What was it? That JC Group has a hidden illegitimate child, and that child is secretly using JC's capital to receive successor training."

"......"

"Ah, and it doesn't stop there. They say the Chairman of JC Group is reconsidering the selection of his successor..."

Je Yun-jae prolonged the end of his sentence and stared at me intently.

Damn. Director Hwang Tae-in, how loose-lipped can you be?

'Don't you know this isn't something to go around blabbing about?'

I thought he would have enough discernment to know that. Or perhaps Hyun Tae-sung, who received the report, went around talking about it?

"That story reached my ears even across the ocean, on the other side of the globe. Haha. So I rushed over."

"To think such rumors exist. This is the first I'm hearing of it."

Denial is the first step.

Of course, judging by Je Yun-jae, Director's sudden intrusion, he must have heard some pretty convincing testimony. But that conversation was between Director Hwang Tae-in and me alone, in a private club.

'Unless Director Hwang Tae-in recorded it somehow, there shouldn't be any physical evidence.'

That fellow looked down on me, so he probably didn't even think of using such methods.

Therefore, pretending not to know was the best option for now.

I smiled and continued speaking.

"There's only one legitimate heir to JC Group. Who would dare to say such things?"

It's not like we're in the Joseon Dynasty. It's ridiculous to go on about legitimate heirs.

But it's an unavoidable reality that most groups still practice succession through the eldest son.

"Right? At first, I thought, wow, now even these baseless rumors are spreading."

Je Yun-jae is the only grandson of JC Group's Chairman.

There was an only son, but both parents died in a car accident shortly after Je Yun-jae was born.

Left alone, Je Yun-jae became JC Group's only successor. Unlike Hyun Tae-sung and Hyun Ye-won, who are vying for succession at Hyeonmu, he sailed smoothly with the wind at his back.

'If it weren't for internal opposition, that is.'

Je Yun-jae is young, and moreover, of mixed race. These two factors are still difficult for domestic sentiment to accept straightforwardly.

Knowing this, they're having him rotate through overseas business departments.

"But as luck would have it."

Je Yun-jae looked at me with a gentle smile. Beyond his seemingly kind face, a cold gaze was visible.

"The person pointed out as that illegitimate child is doing so well..."

Oh dear.

"It seems the story has become quite credible?"

"......"

I really have nothing to say.

'So, a rumor spread that I'm JC's illegitimate child, and coincidentally, <The Song> grew at an unbelievable rate, making it start to be accepted as fact?'

Should I call this an incredible coincidence?

'From others' perspective, we've achieved such unbelievable growth that it's understandable they might misunderstand...'

Ugh. I pressed my brow in frustration.

Everyone seems to lack imagination. Well, I suppose this is more plausible than the story of returning after experiencing the future and living well.

'Of all things, I've become an obstacle in front of you.'

I looked at Je Yun-jae with a complicated expression.

Before my regression, there were quite a few forces, centered around the domestic board of directors, trying to push Je Yun-jae out. I had watched from the sidelines as he struggled against them.

Now, I've become the one blocking his path, so it's bound to feel strange.

"I understand the situation roughly. And that this has caused trouble for you, Director."

If he rushed over from the other side of the globe, it seems this rumor has spread more widely than expected.

Even if he's temporarily setting aside domestic affairs to gain experience abroad, he can't ignore domestic public opinion entirely. Quickly suppressing this ominous rumor would solidify Je Yun-jae, Director's position.

"How can I help you?"

"Help?"

Je Yun-jae looked as if he had heard something very amusing. As if he had never expected such a response.

"Haha. You seem to be under some misunderstanding."

As I met Je Yun-jae, Director's eyes, I remembered a fact I had momentarily forgotten.

Je Yun-jae is not the type to go around obstacles placed in his path.

'He always trampled them mercilessly.'

Recalling his past actions sent a chill down my spine.

'The reason the illegitimate child theory is gaining traction is because <The Song> has recorded unbelievable growth.'

Then what's the way to suppress this illegitimate child theory? What's the way to overturn domestic public opinion at once and show that Je Yun-jae is still the solid successor?

I knew the answer to that.

And Je Yun-jae surely knew it too.

He leaned his upper body forward. His face, beautiful just to look at, came closer, but more than that, an instinctive revulsion came first, making my hair stand on end.

"I didn't come here today to seek help."

His tone was still gentle. As if to make one mistakenly think he might have some fondness for me.

"I came to apologize."

His face, seen up close, was full of smiles.

"Because I'm going to destroy this place."

If someone had seen from afar, they might have thought Je Yun-jae was whispering words of love to me.

"As far as my power reaches, thoroughly."

But Je Yun-jae with an angelic face, declared that he would crush me.