Chaebol Topaz: Bastard Son (Book 2)

2장 (AMBW)

Jae-Hyun watched as his brother and sister-in-law exchanged vows. The family rushed the wedding because they didn't dare risk Jin-Jae changing his mind. However, soon after he began dating Seo-Yoon, Jin-Jae announced that he wanted to get married right away because he believed she complimented his lifestyle quite well. Jae-Hyun knew all too well the reason behind his brother's decision to rush into marriage. The battle to get over what happened was harder on him than anyone could imagine. If his brother hadn't decided to start his family, there would be more issues than the family could easily manage.

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Jin-Jae was glad to be done with all the wedding festivities. The smiling and pretending that he was happy and ready to settle down was enough to make him sick. He liked Seo-Yoon. She was a stunning beauty. Walking around with her on his arm would make an impression on his father. He wasn't upset about marrying his bride; he was upset that life forced him to do so because of his family's social responsibilities. His brother seemed to show great approval for every step of the traditional and westernized marriage planned for the couple. They would start their honeymoon on Jeju Island and continue for a three-week honeymoon vacation to some of the most romantic places in the world. The wedding present from Jae-Hyun brought the two close together, but Jin-Jae knew it was also a diversionary tactic to make him focus on his wife. Jin-Jae was only too happy to travel away from Seoul.

"Son, I am very proud of you. You ade a wise decision." Stated his father, Mr. Hyeon-u Choi, as he hugged his son and daughter-in-law. He was genuinely glad his second son finally decided to settle down. Since his eldest son's divorce, he was very much concerned about the future of his family. Now, he could rest easy with the knowledge that his youngest son might be able to redeem the family by producing an heir soon. Jin-Jae and his wife hugged his mother as they made their way out of the wedding hall.

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No one in the Choi family was aware of Jae-Hyun's predicament, or so he hoped. They had no idea he was soon to be a father. They weren't aware that the baby's mother was the same woman to end her acquaintance with his brother. Jae-Hyun was sure he would have to pay for his transgressions in the next life. He dared not discuss anything with anyone in his family. Jae-Hyun wasn't sure how his family would receive the news, but he needed more time to figure things out. The Choi Family would never accept a child who was a foreigner and, of all things, half black. That was an unforgivable act for a Chaebol Family to commit.

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Even though Korea suffered from Mongolian and Japanese invasions, Koreans believed they were an Ethnic Race or Race Nation. This belief was called minjok. It centered around the reasoning that Koreans possess a more "pure bloodline" than most people in the world. South Korea has been considered one of the least diversified industrial nations in the world. Much of their lack of diversity centered around the period of self-imposed isolation from the outside world. The most significant element that made South Korea a "pure bloodline" was their attention to restricting intermingling with other ethnicities. No group of people held onto these principles more so than Chaebol families.

Chaebols characterized themselves in the Hangul word symbols 재벌, which refers to the wealthiest conglomerate family businesses that hold a monopoly in the South Korean economy. The Hangul consonant 재 is Jae. The English translation of Jae is wealth or property. The second consonant, 벌, is Beol. It represents a faction or clan. Applying the Latin lettering to Hangul, the word jaebeol or jaebol can also be called chaebol. These clan families have held power in South Korea for generations. With their wealth and business leanings, jaebeols or chaebols placed them in ranks similar to royalty status. Companies big enough to influence the economy of South Korea also possessed the power to structure a system that protected and controlled the actions of the wealthy and their subordinates. These were the old families who were considered the descendants of nobility. Their education, political, and social presence began with the first royal families of South Korea.

Because the Choi Family was a chaebol family, they were hypersensitive to the traditions associated with the wealthy and marriage. Wealthy families married into other wealthy families to influence one another and secure one another's identity and wealth. A marriage of a top chaebol family to another chaebol family made both of their companies seem more honest and stable in the eyes of South Koreans. A pride of sorts was associated with the founding families maintaining a sound front before the Korean people. Even though the average person fantasized about marrying into a robust and wealthy family, the average person knew it was virtually impossible.

The social differences produced a chasm between the average person and a chaebol family. A gulf that was nearly impossible to cross was placed in front of a chaebol family so that only their social and financial equals could soar over it. Thus, a commoner marrying into a chaebol family would equate to hitting big on the lotto.

Jae-Hyun knew there was an entirely different issue which he would be required to handle. Once Jin-Jae learned that Topaz was pregnant, he wasn't sure of his brother's reaction. Jae-Hyun knew that his little brother, who appeared to be harmless and disinterested, was cold-blooded and methodical. Jin-Jae was a specific kind of predator. There was something sick and twisted about him. He had a well hid history of dominating and abusing women. No one came forward because they feared what would happen if they disclosed their affairs.

After a young woman confronted Jae-Hyun about spending eleven months in a psychiatric hospital due to her brief relationship with Jin-Jae, she approached Jae-Hyun. She begged for assistance to get out of the city. The woman promised she would never tell anyone.

Jae-Hyun instructed her to meet him at a café in the city. He placed a call to one of his associates and explained to the man in code what to do next. Finally, they smuggled her out of South Korea with enough money to restart her life and a warning to stay away, or she would disappear for good.

Jae-Hyun knew that damage control wasn't the only issue. His family did not stand for eight generations by being the squeaky-clean social force they presented to the world. The Choi Family had deep-seated ties to the underworld. Wealthy people in South Korea did not get their hands dirty. They did not send those close to them to handle criminal matters. Koreans learned how to utilize their resources by keeping enough separation between themselves and anything that would tarnish their image. In South Korea, an excellent social picture means everything. The sentiment of the masses meant everything. Even those in the underworld had dreams and aspirations of cleaning their family names by moving into legitimate businesses and leaving their gang affiliations behind.

His problems truly worried him. He had utilized dirty tactics to take care of problems that would negatively impact his family's business. He was unsure of his family's tactics when they learned that he had a child in the US. He was highly concerned about his family's reaction to the child and mother's ethnicity.

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