MIM 74

74

“Welcome.”

Lee Young-shin warmly greeted Ma Jae-seung. The gentle first impression felt in her phone voice hadn’t changed much in person. The wrinkles on her face drew soft lines following her smile and judging by the length of her graying hair, she apparently never dyed it. Though modest in appearance, her brilliant career was evident in her intelligently shining eyes.

Lee Young-shin guided Ma Jae-seung to the dining table, then opened the cupboard herself and asked while taking out cups, “I have tea and hot chocolate. Would you like some?”

“No thank you, water is fine.”

Though he politely declined, Lee Young-shin took out water and started heating milk as well. Though she was simply kindly offering drinks, she emanated an indescribable aura. Among the many professionals he’d met since leaving the mansion, from ice hockey coaches to former police commissioners, she was by far the most calming presence. She was different in that she wasn’t his employee and didn’t treat him as a curiosity. She showed no signs of anxiety at his sudden visit. Perhaps that meant she hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about.

“I made it less sweet. Have some. Drink the water too.”

Only after placing the lightly made hot chocolate and water in front of Ma Jae-seung did Lee Young-shin sit down. Ma Jae-seung hesitated before taking a sip of the hot chocolate. She seemed to have deliberately adjusted the temperature, as the warm drink pleasantly heated his mouth.

Her gaze was as gentle as the perfectly heated hot chocolate. She spoke first after watching Ma Jae-seung put down his cup.

“You came to ask about the will, didn’t you?”

“What? …Yes.”

“There’s no need to be surprised. What else would you come to see me for?”

She had probably anticipated his purpose from his first phone call. Ma Jae-seung carefully observed Lee Young-shin while licking his lips. This shrewd woman seemed to have brought up the topic first to make it easier for him to speak.

“I’m curious about the possibility that my father’s will was forged.”

“That’s not possible.”

Lee Young-shin stated flatly with an impassive face. Despite it being a shocking suggestion, far from being flustered, she was rather firm. However, in the moment her answer fell, she briefly averted her gaze to her teacup, breaking her consistently calm demeanor. Though she quickly met his eyes again, it somehow didn’t seem coincidental. Reserving judgment, Ma Jae-seung continued.

“Both my mother and brother are convinced father’s will was forged. What do you think is the reason everyone’s saying that?”

“Whatever people around you say, talk without solid evidence is ultimately meaningless.”

“Do you think Father trusted Shin-woo? Enough to make him my guardian?”

He brought up that man whose mere name could cause ripples anywhere it was mentioned. If Lee Young-shin had helped forge the will, Shin-woo must have been involved.

Though he was on edge trying to detect even the slightest fluctuation, Lee Young-shin faced Ma Jae-seung with an unchanged expression. Her eyes, heavy with the wisdom of years, showed neither wariness nor fear.

“That’s not a question I can answer for you.”

There were few people in this world who weren’t afraid of Shin-woo. Rather than being threatened or paid by Shin-woo, could Lee Young-shin also be an accomplice? If she had her own reasons for wanting to tamper with Father’s will?

“What I can tell you is…there’s no reason to doubt the will’s contents. Given the position, many people will continue to say different things from their own perspectives and cause confusion. You can’t listen to all those stories. You have a bright future ahead. You need to reclaim your autonomous life.”

Suddenly, Butler Hwang’s and Lee Young-shin’s faces overlapped in his mind, both saying to break free from the shadows of the past and live in the present. Ma Jae-seung tilted his head to one side. Both “reclaiming life” and “living in the present away from shadows” presumed that Ma Jae-seung had experienced a terrible past. Were they referring to his father’s murder? Yet if so, Lee Young-shin hadn’t even offered the customary condolences about losing his father.

Would Lee Young-shin know about his father’s research?

“Only believe what you’ve seen and heard yourself, and don’t waver. Like your grandfather did, you must view the world prudently and wisely.”

A wrinkled hand covered the back of Ma Jae-seung’s hand. Grandfather? Ma Jae-seung narrowed his eyes as he processed the context. Having worked at Ma Group’s legal team her entire life, Lee Young-shin must have had connections with Ma Jae-seung’s grandfather. Deliberately skipping his father to advise him to emulate his grandfather meant that in Lee Young-shin’s eyes, Ma Jin-seong wasn’t someone worthy of respect. Ma Jae-seung asked once more.

“Grandfather?”

“Yes. He was a good person. Your eyes look somewhat similar—hasn’t Butler Hwang mentioned that?”

“Do I not resemble my father?”

When he asked while slightly raising his eyebrows, Lee Young-shin closed her mouth. After studying Ma Jae-seung’s face for a while, she leisurely lifted her teacup.

“Come to think of it, is Butler Hwang still working? Please give him my regards.”

Her eyes grew dreamy as if reminiscing about the past, scanning the empty air. “He’s past retirement age too…He’s pushing himself too hard,” she muttered quietly, the words flowing into her mouth along with the fragrant tea.

In the car on the way home, Ma Jae-seung spent a long time pondering the lingering sense of dissonance. Lee Young-shin wasn’t afraid of Shin-woo and seemed to disapprove of his father. On the other hand, she appeared to respect his grandfather, so perhaps she hadn’t liked Ma Jin-seong’s management style. She might have known about and opposed the trait transformation research.

Lee Young-shin with her kind gaze, hot chocolate, and firm grip on his hand. As he carefully reviewed their conversation, his suspicion gradually solidified into certainty.

The will was forged.

But for that to happen, Shin-woo must have convinced Lee Young-shin. If money was the motive, would Lee Young-shin really have helped Shin-woo? Just as he squeezed his eyes shut, feeling dizzy from his jumbled thoughts, his phone buzzed in his hand.

Restricted number. Ma Jae-seung frowned at the text on the screen. He deliberated for less than three seconds on whether to answer. He immediately pressed accept and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Young master, this is Butler Hwang.”

An unexpected voice came through. Why was Butler Hwang calling from a restricted number? His voice sounded muffled and mixed with wind noise, making it unclear where he was calling from.

“What number are you calling from?”

“I apologize, but I was asked to call from an untraceable phone. It was Miss Hye-jung’s request.”

“What?”

Hye-jung. As soon as he heard the name, Ma Jae-seung sat bolt upright. Only when he met the startled glance of the driver did he realize he had been shouting.

“Did you find her? Is she alive and well with all limbs intact? Put her on right now.”

“First, you must promise not to pursue Miss Hye-jung anymore. Please don’t ask how we found her either. I also swear with my hand on my heart that she won’t take any actions to harm you either, young master.”

As he listened to the calmly continuing words, his rationality gradually returned. How had they found Hye-jung so quickly when not even a hair of her could be found before? Though he was curious, that wasn’t the important thing right now.

“I promise.”

“…Hello.”

Someone’s small, fading voice scattered, buried in the buzzing noise. “Can’t hear well,” Ma Jae-seung muttered between his teeth while nervously adjusting his grip on the phone. Straining his hearing to listen carefully, he could hear trembling breaths. It was the sound of a frail, frightened person trying their best to suppress their breathing.

It turned out to be the maid who helped forge the will by stealing the seal from his father’s study and disappeared without a trace right after the incident. Hye-jung, whom Shin-woo had claimed to have dealt with, was alive and well.

Shin-woo hadn’t killed Hye-jung. Had Hye-jung fled because she was afraid of Shin-woo, or had she gone into hiding with Shin-woo’s help?

“I’ll ask just one thing, so answer honestly. Then we won’t have anything more to do with each other.”

“…Yes.”

Only after persistently waiting for her answer did Ma Jae-seung swallow.

“Did you hide yourself, or did Shin-woo help you hide?”

The answer didn’t come for a long time. Afraid of missing the faint breathing that could cut off at any moment, Ma Jae-seung held his phone silently without moving.

A long sigh pierced through the wind noise. Then a clear, distinct answer penetrated his ear.

“Mr. Shin-woo helped me hide.”