Ransomed Fiancée (Michaeng)

Chapter 58: When You Drink Water, Always Think of Its Source.

Tzuyu

[a few days ago]

Seoul, South Korea

I fixed my gaze upon the documents displayed on my laptop screen. Serving as the corporate counsel for the Son Group was easy. Legal challenges were infrequent despite the company's size and reputation. The key to this fortunate situation was, of course, the Chairman himself. In common with many long-standing enterprises, the Son Group had its own skeletons hidden in the closet, yet it was the Chairman's exceptional business acumen and unwavering attention to detail that allowed the company to establish a spotless public image.

Embezzlement, taxation, product liability, environmental liability, security fraud, and employment matters were a common occurrence. These weren't what I'd call "issues" because they never made it to court, thanks to the Chairman's swift actions. Everything was resolved through settlements with prosecutors or plaintiffs. These matters were never a real concern.

Yoo Jeongyeon, you were too naive.

The only thing that could bring the Chairman down was something that you could never do.

I let out a sigh and raised my gaze from the screen, feeling the intensity of her stare becoming increasingly unbearable. I couldn't focus doing my work. With a somewhat exasperated tone, I broke the silence, "Can you please stop staring?" She was stationed near the window, in her wheelchair, engaged in an odd activity of gossiping with a peculiar bird perched on the windowsill. She'd been watching me nonstop ever since I arrived in the morning, never missing an opportunity to judge my every move.

Her response came with a casual shrug, "I can't help it. You just look so suspicious." Her words took me by surprise, and I frowned. "You're too good-looking," she offered matter-of-factly.

"What?" I questioned, puzzled by the connection.

"Most good-looking people have hidden agendas," she asserted.

"And how would you know that?" I asked, tucking away my laptop and crossing my legs as I sat on the couch. Her gaze shifted from me to the television mounted on the wall, where a villain in a green costume appeared.

"Superhero movies," I scoffed. "Really, Ms. Sana? That's your source of information?"

"I haven't given you permission to address me by my first name," she retorted sharply, her tone cold and unwelcoming.

I let out a weary sigh. The days ahead wouldn't be easy if she remained uncooperative. "Fine, we'll start over. But seriously, why are you being so hostile?" I noticed the visible differences in her behavior when she talked to Dahyun during the birthday celebration.

"Hos—Hostile?" She stammered, her smug expression faltering.

"Yes, hostile," I emphasized, hoping to make my point clear.

"I don't know what that means," she replied, avoiding eye contact.

"Are you telling me you can't speak Korean?" I questioned, sounding slightly critical.

She scoffed, "You don't know anything. I'm really good at Japanese."

"Well, I'm pretty fluent in Taiwanese," I countered.

"Then go back to your country," she retorted.

"Why don't you go back to yours?" I shot back. She rolled her eyes, and I sighed in frustration. This was turning into a childish bickering. "Fine, let me rephrase that. Why do you dislike me so much?"