IOTF Ch 27

The boss was in a good mood the entire drive down to Yeonsan. He kept me by his side, chatting with Han Doopil, who was driving, and Kalbang, who was in the passenger seat. Their conversations were always vulgar and cheap.

“I heard they hired Jeong Pilsun’s band this year. I guess that kid Kim Chanwon wasn’t good last year. Well, what’s there to see in a male singer at the Chairman’s birthday party?”

“Jeong Pilsun doesn’t seem like the Chairman’s type.”

When Han Doopil responded, Kalbang said, “Oh, hyung, you don’t know anything,” and started chattering excitedly.

“The other day, the CEO of Gwangmun Trading took our Chairman to his villa, right? I heard Jeong Pilsun danced in her panties there. She sat on our Chairman’s lap, sucking on his dick and shaking her ass. Exactly the Chairman’s type.”

Soon, the three men were giggling. They chimed in with their own dirty jokes, but I didn’t want to hear about a 70-year-old man’s dick and balls.

“Wow, that bitch was really going at it. The Gwangmun CEO was watching and said she was going to kill the old man.”

More giggles erupted, and this time, the boss, who was fondling my thigh, spoke up.

“He won’t be able to taste her while Kim Hyemi is still alive.”

“Right. He’ll come to his birthday party and end up getting his own funeral food.”

I wondered what that meant, but I didn’t listen to them anymore. Instead, I turned my head towards the changed scenery outside the window.

As if signaling that we had left Seoul, the blue sea began to appear. Fishing boats and leisure boats were bobbing on the water. Fish farms were visible in the distance, and tourist boats were cutting through the sea under the sparkling sky.

“How is Yeonsan?”

At the boss’s question, I turned my head to look at him and replied.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? It’s your hometown.”

“It’s not like I came back from prison. I don’t really feel anything.”

I stared at him at the mention of prison.

“I was trying to be funny. Don’t be so serious. I don’t have a criminal record. If I did, I would have told you, my darling.”

“That’s right. Our boss is a well-known germaphobe in Yeonsan. It would be a big deal if he got a criminal record. The day that happens is the day I lose my head, so don’t worry.”

I wondered if it was true. It would be great if his record was clean, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it was full of offenses. On the contrary, it was even more terrifying that he was so meticulous in handling things, citing his obsession with cleanliness as the reason.

The car continued, passing the beach. As it sped through low buildings and started to leave the downtown area, a high-class residential area I had never seen before appeared. In Yeonsan, where there weren’t many tall buildings due to strong winds, luxurious houses with high walls came into view. I started to get a feeling.

‘This is it. This neighborhood.’

Just as there were wealthier people within Gangnam, it was the same here. Despite being a small city, the rich part of Yeonsan was clearly different, even from the outside. Palm trees were planted, several luxury sedans were parked in front of each house, and above all, the surrounding environment was very clean and quiet.

The car continued uphill, passing the residential area. Then, I saw pine trees beyond a high wall. The house, standing tall against the backdrop of the sea, looked like a solitary island. Not in a bad way, but literally. It overlooked the entire Yeonsan area as if announcing its position, and the endless wall showed what kind of person Joo Gicheol was.

The house located at the highest point of this affluent neighborhood.

“Um… Boss.”

“Yes, my darling.”

“Reconsider taking me…”

“Why? You don’t want to go?”

“…It’s just that I’m a man…”

“Darling, let me tell you something.”

I wondered what he was going to say.

“I don’t like young people. All the women I’ve slept with were older than me.”

My eyes widened involuntarily. Then, as if to assure me, Kalbang added, “Now that I think about it, you haven’t had many partners your own age.”

“See? Baekil confirms it. I prefer older women, so you’re the first younger person I’ve met.”

“…….”

“So, what do you think my old man will think if I bring you along?”

…I don’t know. How am I supposed to know what he’ll think if the boss, who only dated older women, suddenly brings a much younger man?

“He’ll say I’m just like my father. He’ll say I’m just like my father who brought home a twenty-year-old to have kids and start a family.”

The boss chuckled, but I couldn’t. I knew the misery of a son resembling his father better than anyone. Just like I, his son, followed in my father’s womanizing footsteps, the boss must have grown up hearing his mother’s disgust and complaints about his father.

She must have cursed him countless times, saying he wasn’t even human, but she couldn’t deny that he was the father of her son.

“So, just eat well and have fun.”

“…Okay.”

“Like I said yesterday, you don’t have to play the role of a daughter-in-law, so if you’re feeling it, make a move. Be yourself, Lee Soyoon. Got it?”

The boss pulled my face in for a kiss. While he was biting and sucking on my lips, the door opened, and men in black suits appeared, lining up and bowing. The feeling of walking through dozens of gangsters bowing their heads was indescribable. It was chilling, then filled with a sense of superiority, and finally settled on, ‘I fucking hate gangsters.’

The car stopped, and the boss got out first. I followed him, walking along the stone path into the mansion, and was stunned. Wreaths and gifts were spread out on the large garden path, and I wondered what it all meant.

There were countless gifts wrapped in gold cloth, and on the colorful wreaths, it read, “Congratulations on Chairman Joo Gicheol’s birthday,” along with the names of CEOs and chairmen of various companies.

And my eyes widened once more. Because of the picnic tables that occupied the inner part of the large garden. The tables covered with white tablecloths stretched out in a row, and behind them, women in aprons were boiling, frying, and grilling something in large pots.

Behind the women, who were chattering and laughing in rough dialect, hung slaughtered meat. A cow and two pigs. A young pig was skewered and rotating whole, and the sizzling sound and delicious smell filled the garden, seemingly filling the Yeonsan sky.

This was the scene of the national Mujinpa Chairman’s birthday.

I had never imagined the birthday scene of a mob boss, but I didn’t know it would be this… human. Soju, beer, and makgeolli were on each table. Surely, boiled pork slices and meat soup would be served, along with various pancakes and raw fish. It wasn’t a place to eat a star chef’s dishes at a five-star hotel or dine elegantly inside the huge mansion.

The women preparing the food looked like friends of my aunts, and indeed, my eldest aunt, with her hair tied up in a bun and a ribbon on top, was leading the way. Today, instead of her usual golf outfit, she was dressed in a light purple hanbok, and her characteristic thick eyebrow tattoos were noticeable even from afar.

I wanted to stop being surprised by this unfamiliar scene, so I entered the mansion with the boss. As expected, gangsters were guarding the entrance.

“Young Master, welcome.”

The mansion was, as expected, huge and luxurious. People walking around inside were wearing matching uniforms, and when the boss and I entered, they stopped and bowed their heads.

“Where’s the Chairman?”

“He’s on the second floor.”

“Lead the way.”

We took the elevator inside the house to the second floor. When the doors opened, a female bodyguard with a walkie-talkie cleared the way. The boss knocked on the double doors. When there was no answer, the boss opened both doors himself.

“Chairman, happy birthday.”

I flinched at the boss’s booming voice. I wondered if he was speaking so loudly because the old man had poor hearing, but that wasn’t it. When I entered after the boss, I saw them.

The white-haired old man sitting against a screen that reached the ceiling, and the boss’s mother. They were dressed in matching hanboks, signifying their marital status, and I saw couples sitting on either side of them.

They were the boss’s half-brothers. The men, sitting in pairs in front of tea tables, all had unpleasant and harsh expressions. They resembled the boss yet were different, and their gazes toward me and the boss were unfriendly.

“We’re a little late because we were coming down from Seoul.”

The boss simply bowed his head in greeting. I followed suit, and the old man’s eyes gleamed.

“Have you been well?”

The white-haired old man had a remarkable presence, showing he was no ordinary person. He looked like he was in his late fifties, not seventy. Looking at the white-haired old man and the elegant mother of the boss, I thought I understood why someone like Joo Geonwoo was born.

“Youngest, try to be on time.”

The boss strode inside.

“I was a little late because I was appeasing my new family member, Chairman.”

The boss pretended he hadn’t heard what his brother just said. He openly ignored the man who was clearly much older than him, and the white-haired old man gestured toward me.

“Come closer.”

I inhaled nervously at the Chairman’s summons. His voice was also strong, and I thought, ‘This is the head of the Mujinpa.’ At that moment, the boss nudged me forward.

“My, how pretty you are.”

I had to go; my back was literally being pushed. I slowly stepped on the wooden floor. As I walked to the Chairman and knelt, I saw the old man’s face clearly on the colorful gold cushion.

The abundant white hair, the white eyebrows – he was the spitting image of Joo Geonwoo. His eyes, nose, lips, the fierceness hidden beneath the wrinkles, and the unique sharp atmosphere. The old man in his younger days would have been identical to Joo Geonwoo, and the current boss would have this face when he got older.

“You’re Darling?”

“My name is Lee Soyoon.”

“Why does that bastard keep calling you Darling?”

“That’s…”

A snicker came from somewhere. As if knowing of my existence, someone said, “That’s probably what he called him at the club.”

“I used to work at the boss’s establishment.”

“That bastard made you work?”

“No, I was introduced…”

It was awkward. Honestly, it was too awkward and difficult. I was scared to death that he was the nationwide mob boss, but I never knew he’d be here with the boss’s half-brothers and their wives. I thought I would just see the Chairman’s face, greet him, and be done.

Besides, the boss just pushed me forward and stood tall behind me.

“You said you came from Seoul.”

“Yes. I came down to Yeonsan for some business.”

The white-haired old man stared intently at me. His gray eyes pierced through me, sending chills down my spine. The eyes of an old man who had lived through rough times seemed inhuman. It was like seeing a god, like a vision of an untouchable being.

I suddenly imagined Joo Geonwoo growing up under such a father and thought of the boss’s mother, who had lived with such a man. She must have hated him deeply and been terrified. Even running away wouldn’t have solved her problems, and I could imagine where she must have directed her pain.

Since she couldn’t take it out on this god-like man, her disgust for her husband and her pent-up frustration must have been directed at her young son.

Joo Geonwoo, who said that after he grew up, he suddenly felt an inexplicable rage that he couldn’t control. Joo Geonwoo, who enjoyed watching a jaguar maul a person’s intestines. Perhaps his birth and development into the current Joo Geonwoo were a tragedy created by these two.

“What do your parents do?”

“I don’t know.”

A murmur went through the room at my answer. Some chuckled openly, others looked at me with disdain. It was fine. They were in positions of power, they were the boss’s family. I didn’t care if they looked down on me or mocked me.

But Joo Geonwoo was different. I knew how he was watching me. He wanted me to never back down, to act according to my usual personality, and I wanted to fulfill that expectation. I didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of Joo Geonwoo.

“My father left home when I was young, and my grandmother raised me. My mother runs a snack bar in Seoul, and she is healthy.”

Silence fell for a moment. The Chairman stared at me before speaking.

“But your grandmother raised you well.”

Again, a sarcastic voice came from behind. Along with a clearing of the throat, “He’s saying he’s an orphan in such a roundabout way.” I didn’t turn around. I didn’t need to remember the face of whoever said that.

Instead, I smiled, looking directly into the old man’s gray eyes. My racing heart calmed, and now, this man wasn’t a god, but the father of the man I was seeing.

The elegant middle-aged woman next to him also seemed like the boss’s mother, the one who had personally fed me fish bone broth before.

“I have no particular talents or education. My mother abandoned me, so there’s no strong bond. Coming down from Seoul to Yeonsan, I’ve had good experiences meeting the boss. There will be many things I’ll have to do with him in the future, so I’ll only show you good things.”

I continued, undaunted.

“Congratulations on your seventy-fifth birthday, Father.”

I bowed deeply as I greeted him. As I straightened up after bowing, the snickers and mocking voices subsided. I smiled brightly as I raised my head. As my flirtatious eyes curved, revealing my white teeth, the Chairman’s eyes narrowed, emitting a strange light.

“May you live a long and healthy life, Father. Your youngest daughter-in-law will take good care of you.”

Looking into the Chairman’s eyes, I was sure of how I appeared. A young man, dressed and styled according to the boss’s taste, bowing and smiling affectionately, must have moved his heart. He couldn’t hate someone so young, pretty, and charming.

“Alright. Welcome.”

“Thank you, Father.”

It didn’t matter whether this seventy-year-old man, who had weathered all of life’s storms, was swayed by my smile or not. I bowed before the Chairman, congratulated him on his birthday, and called him Father, letting him know I would be by Joo Geonwoo’s side.

It didn’t matter if they called me a rude and vulgar host bar boy. I just needed to appear reliable and still impertinent to the boss.

“He’s never had a girl.”

I ignored the voice coming from somewhere. As I turned around, unconcerned, the boss asked the Chairman, “How do you like your new daughter-in-law? Do you approve?”

“Why, if I didn’t like him, were you going to play with him and throw him away?”

“As you can see, he’s not someone you can just throw away.”

At his response, the Chairman and the boss’s gazes clashed in midair.

“Even if I throw him away, you’d have a hard time keeping him, Chairman. He’s so sensitive and wild, you’d choke on him.”

The Chairman’s expression momentarily twisted. Everyone in the room froze, unable to move.

“So don’t get any ideas. If those shitty brothers of mine dare to bother him, I’ll burn this whole place down. So accept him quietly.”

I was speechless. He was warning his own father, the head of the Mujinpa, not to mess with Lee Soyoon. I wondered where such a bastard was born.

But the Chairman burst out laughing. He threw his head back and laughed heartily, and the boss tilted his head sideways as if annoyed.

“You like that kid that much? You used to screw around with girls, but your taste was always men. Is that kid choking you? Can’t you live without him?”

At the Chairman’s gruff voice, the boss replied without blinking.

“He’s much better than the sisters-in-law those shitty brothers hang around. He doesn’t have a gambling addiction like the first sister-in-law, won’t get caught screwing around in a hotel like the second sister-in-law, and isn’t as dumb as a rock like the third sister-in-law, so I won’t have to hear him called an idiot.”

It was unbelievable, but no one denied it. The old man with his head thrown back in laughter, and the son looking down with disdain. They were terrifyingly alike, and there was no way to say who was superior. They were just terrifying and depraved beyond my comprehension.

“My sons are idiots, so I have nothing to say. But are you sure you’ll be okay without him?”

“Even if I have a kid, it’ll be a bastard like me, so why bother? We’ll live comfortably as a couple. Get your grandchild fix from those fucking idiot brothers of yours.”

I stared at the floor, not knowing where to look. Silence fell, so heavy I could barely breathe. Then…

“Our kid is so feisty. You said your name was Soyoon, right?”

I managed to raise my eyes, which had been glued to the floor.

“Yes, Father.”

“You’re the first one he says he likes. I should welcome the first kid he brought home, shouldn’t I?”

The Chairman then addressed his sons.

“Did you all hear? This is the kid Geonwoo brought. Take good care of him. I won’t say it twice.”

At the Chairman’s words, the boss straightened his tilted head. He looked down at his brothers with his arrogant and haughty face, as if he had received the answer he wanted. Strangely, this man felt truly mine.

It was really strange. The boss, who was unbelievably disrespectful to his parents and siblings, felt dependable. Instead of feeling like I had to belong to this family, it felt the opposite. It felt like I had pulled the boss into my life, as if I had chosen him. It was as if I had made the boss obsess over me, chase me, and not let me go.

Even though it was a crazy thought, I couldn’t stop it. Maybe I was crazy. I chuckled. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand, but once the laughter started, I couldn’t stop it.

When I laughed, the boss looked down at me with a crooked posture. His eyes seemed to say, ‘What a nutjob,’ but what did it matter? Even if the children of the women who tried to kill the young boss glared at me with knives in their eyes, Joo Geonwoo was my man, mine.

“He’s got a bright face. Just like my son.”

The Chairman’s gruff voice echoed again.

“Give that kid something. Kid, what do you want? What do you want to have?”

The white-haired old man treated me like a child. This, too, was just like Joo Geonwoo, so I removed my hand from my mouth and smiled brightly at the Chairman. The old man’s expression became exactly like the boss’s when he first saw me. Just like the boss who stared intently and said, ‘You’re fucking beautiful,’ the Chairman’s face gleamed with greed and desire.

So, I answered confidently, my voice still laced with laughter.

“Your love is enough, Father.”

Joo Geonwoo chuckled beside me. The Chairman and Joo Geonwoo were mirror images.

The feast began, timed with the sunny day. Even though it was supposed to be only for family and those invited by the Chairman, there were well over a hundred people. Gangsters guarding the mansion, the staff, everyone was having a good time, but the underlying tension hadn’t disappeared.

They were clearly divided into sections, monitoring the surroundings, protecting the Chairman and his wife, and maintaining the backyard of this palace-like mansion. They checked incoming gifts and the identities of the invited guests.

Instead of sitting at the long picnic tables, I watched the celebratory performances from the head table with the Chairman and his family. On a decently built stage, a brass band was playing, and a famous trot singer came up to sing.

“Celebrating the birthday of Chairman Joo Gicheol, the pillar of Yeonsan! Here’s the next song!”

As the trot music that swept the nation filled the air, the boss grinned and put his arm around my shoulder. The second oldest brother saw us and abruptly turned his head away, and his wife next to him shot me a sharp look.

Instead of avoiding it, I smiled brightly at their toad-like child. The boss’s nephew had inherited his father’s thick features and distinct eyes, and like his father, he wasn’t ugly. If he grew up like this, he would be popular with girls and likely become a school bully.

Then, the child stuck his tongue out at me. Then, like his father, he abruptly turned his head away. He must have heard what his parents said.

‘How shameful, bringing a man as a daughter-in-law. Tsk!’

I didn’t care. I listened to the sweet, drawn-out song and ate the food piled high on the table. The boss poured me a drink, and we clinked glasses. The song reached its climax with skillful flourishes. People started dancing, and the Chairman, seemingly enjoying himself, requested songs one after another.

As the music started again, I looked around. I saw the restaurant aunt in the distance, and on a hill that looked like a small mountain, a cameraman was recording everything.

I wondered what they would do with the recording. At that moment, the boss refilled my glass and said, “Darling, don’t you want to go to the bathroom?”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

I wondered what trick he was up to. What was he going to do with me in the bathroom…? Just then, the boss’s brother across from us stood up. As he stood, the other brothers followed suit.

“We should have gone earlier. We’re late.”

Saying that, the boss gestured to Kalbang. As he came to the head table, the boss whispered in my ear, “Stay close to Baekil.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back before the gift opening.”

The boss patted my cheek and stood up. By then, his brothers had all disappeared.

“Nothing’s going on, right?”

Instead of answering, the boss stared intently at my lips. He looked as if he would lunge and kiss me passionately. Then he said, “Even if there is, nothing will happen to us. So just hug your husband when he gets back.”

He tapped my cheek and left. As the boss left, the music became louder. As if to distract from the absence of the Chairman’s sons, the drums and saxophone intensified, and the excited crowd moved down to dance.

Laughter and music filled the air. While everyone was busy celebrating the birthday of the old man who ruled Yeonsan, I noticed someone who wasn’t. It was Joo Geonwoo’s mother, sitting next to the Chairman with a blank expression.

She didn’t smile or look at the Chairman. Her face was utterly bored, as if this noisy feast was just a cheap spectacle in her eyes.

Then, the music ended, and the MC announced the gift opening ceremony. The men who had disappeared reappeared. The boss sat next to me, clapping as if nothing had happened.

“Darling, did you have fun?”

“…It was alright.”

The boss chuckled and put his hand on my waist, fidgeting. I wondered if anyone would notice. Just then, the gifts were opened. Among the countless gifts, only the expensive and impressive ones were unwrapped, and high-ranking individuals came forward to bow before the Chairman.

The long gift opening ceremony ended, and the Chairman stood up.

“I’m going in now. Enjoy yourselves.”

At the Chairman’s words, over a hundred people stopped in unison. They bowed to the Chairman and his wife, and the entire area seemed to reverberate.

“That’s enough now. I’ve eaten plenty.”

Laughter erupted again, and the band started playing.

The Chairman, accompanied by his family, entered the mansion. Then, he called his sons separately and went upstairs to the second floor. The only men left were me and a few young grandchildren. The bodyguards followed the Chairman and his sons, making me, the only remaining man, stand out even more.

It was a bit awkward being left with only women and children. As soon as the boss disappeared, my heart started pounding like a puppy with separation anxiety. Fortunately, the boss’s mother called me over.

“Soyoon, how are you feeling?”

“Thank you for your concern. I’m much better.”

“Did Geonwoo give you that ring?”

She was asking about the Buddhist ring the boss had forced on my finger. The swastika ring didn’t quite match the cream-toned suit I was wearing.

“Yes. He said it has a good meaning…”

“He’s softened up quite a bit. To think he’d do something like that. But it doesn’t really suit your outfit today.”

As expected, the boss’s mother had excellent taste. Unlike my aunts, her style was quite refined and sophisticated. Even now, her dry hair and light lipstick made her look very elegant.

“Are you having a wedding ceremony?”

As I was about to answer her natural segue…

“Mother, I was thinking a simple meal with the family would be nice.”

It was the first daughter-in-law who interrupted.

“These days, even if people have weddings, they’re all small…”

“A simple meal? For the new person my son chose?”

The already cold expression of the boss’s mother hardened. If a stranger saw her, they would think she was looking at an enemy.

“No, Mother, it’s not like that…”

“Do you know how many people came when you joined this family? Guests came from all over the country, filling every room of the Riviera Hotel. Why are you suggesting a simple meal for Geonwoo’s wedding? Why are you even interfering?”

The boss’s mother was truly sharp. She probably wouldn’t look favorably upon the spouse of the son born to the boss’s first wife.

“Didn’t you hear the Chairman? He said he’s our new family member, brought by Geonwoo. Doesn’t that mean it’s none of your business? Have you gambled your brain away, too?”

At the blatant criticism, the first daughter-in-law’s face flushed red. She immediately shut her mouth, but the boss’s mother was already upset.

“Have some sense. No matter how much of a senior daughter-in-law you are, there are places you should and shouldn’t interfere. Where did you learn such ill-mannered behavior? If you’re offended by what I said, go whine to your real mother-in-law.”

Embarrassed, the first daughter-in-law scurried into the kitchen. When she disappeared, the woman next to her glared at me. She had been staring daggers at me since the first time we met. This was the second daughter-in-law, the one who had gotten into trouble with the boss. The one who had been caught cheating with a host the boss had set her up with and was then handed over to the owner of the Rabbit Hotel.

“Young Master certainly has unique taste.”

The boss’s mother retorted, “As unique as your husband. He lives with you even though you were caught red-handed with another man, having two children of your own.”

“Mother… that story…!”

“Are you talking back to me?”

“No, Mother…”

“And is that all? I can’t understand how your tied tubes only seem to untie when you’re away from home.”

I gasped inwardly. That meant she was openly cheating. Even I couldn’t understand how they could live together.

“With a second son who lives with someone like you, Geonwoo’s situation is nothing.”

The woman trembled visibly. She looked incredibly wronged, but it was no use.

“If you think I’m being too harsh, go to your real mother-in-law. I’m tired of a daughter-in-law like you.”

In the end, the second daughter-in-law couldn’t say anything. The boss’s mother, the Chairman’s third wife, was practically the one in charge, and as if to prove it, the Chairman’s first and second wives weren’t even present. She openly expressed her feelings, showing clearly that she had no affection for them.

“They’ll be looking for drinks. Send them up and take care of it.”

The boss’s mother walked across the living room without looking back. As if telling them to be grateful she hadn’t bothered with the third daughter-in-law, she led me to the back veranda.

Fortunately, the boss’s mother didn’t give me any trouble and left me alone, no matter what I did. Even though she probably wasn’t satisfied, she was wise enough to know her son very well.

“You’re quiet.”

“Mother seemed tired.”

“What’s there to be tired about? It’s something I have to do until I die.”

The more I looked at her, the more beautiful and elegant the middle-aged woman appeared. And with her very cold personality, she didn’t seem like the type to rely on anyone.

“He’s treating you well, right?”

The subject was omitted, but I understood immediately.

“Yes, he treats me well.”

“He’s a peculiar child. He’s my son, but he’s not easy. Do you know the type of person Geonwoo hates the most?”

I remained silent, afraid of making a mistake. Seeing me quiet, her lips curled up slightly.

“He hates stupid people. He considers dull-witted and clueless people a social evil.”

Dull-witted and clueless. Well, those were indeed the most difficult traits to deal with in social life. It was better to be a bit rude but competent than to be nice but incompetent.

“Why do you think my son chose you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know? I knew at a glance.”

Her sharp gaze pierced right through me. Her eyes, devoid of any gray, were transparent, and the boss’s jewel-like eyes were inherited from her.

“You’re a smart child. Haughty, yet you know how to raise your value.”

“…….”

“You know what’s truly important, so the Chairman likes you too.”

My tension eased. She was showing me that she didn’t intend to treat me harshly like she did her daughters-in-law. As if to confirm this, she placed something on the table.

“Don’t tell Geonwoo. Buy what you need.”

It was a white envelope filled with money.

“Geonwoo received a lot of love from his aunt, so take good care of him. Buy what you need. And tell me about your mother.”

“…Yes. She runs a snack bar in Seoul.”

“She hasn’t remarried?”

“She wasn’t married to my father, so it wouldn’t be remarrying, but her first marriage.”

The woman was silent for a moment. Then, as if she understood, she nodded.

“It would be difficult to invite her, then.”

I couldn’t answer. My existence was a secret from my mother, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that she shouldn’t know about her family.

“It’s alright. I’ll make sure no one notices the empty seat, so don’t worry and prepare for the wedding.”

“…Are you giving your permission?”

“Permission? You use words that would make Geonwoo go ballistic. You didn’t come here for permission, did you?”

Did I? I came to greet her, not to ask for permission. Even if she rejected me, I would still be with the boss, and he would be the same.

“While the Chairman is alive, Geonwoo will claim more of his share. He’s just like his father, he won’t miss a thing. Learn well by watching him.”

I didn’t understand for a moment. Then she continued in a clearer voice.

“You need to solidify your position. They’re all a messy bunch, and they’ll come at you. What good is it if you get eaten alive because you’re young? I’ll say it again, Geonwoo hates stupid people.”

Then I understood. She wanted me to help the boss, her son, surpass his half-brothers from the first and second wives and rightfully inherit the Chairman’s position. I understood that she wanted me to be smart and raise my value, but I wondered why she trusted me enough to say these things.

“Couldn’t I learn from this and use it elsewhere? That is, my…”

A smile spread across the woman’s face. I was momentarily lost in her captivating smile.

“Our Soyoon is really a baby. So fluffy, a real baby.”

The spell of her smile was broken. I would be in my late twenties next year, and she called me a baby?

“I can’t wait to see when you grow up and take charge. This won’t do. I need to tell the older sisters to set the date soon.”

“…….”

“Seeing you makes me want to teach you everything quickly.”

She was truly amused. The boss’s mother, delighted at the prospect of teaching me everything, left the mansion and went out to the yard where the feast was still going on. Then, she took me around and introduced me to the guests.

Each one of them was rich and influential, members of the National Assembly being the most common. Doctors, lawyers, everyone bowed to her, and even groveled before me.

In the distance, the gazes of the daughters-in-law watching me were sharp, but I had to hold my ground, as Mother said. I had to make sure Joo Gicheol favored me so the boss could acquire more money and shares.

So I diligently greeted people next to Mother and treated her with utmost respect. I watched as the sun began to set and people started to leave one by one. I handed out souvenirs and gifts, and checked the snacks and alcohol being brought to the room where the Chairman and his sons were.

It was chaotic, and there was a lot to remember, but in a way, this was my specialty. I checked the alcohol being brought in, roughly estimated how many people were leaving drunk, and above all, I was good at ignoring the daughters-in-law who came to pick fights.

I’m also human, so when they said, “You can always tell someone who came from a bar,” I wanted to ask them what they did to require paternity tests for all their children and barely manage to hold onto their marriages after almost being divorced twice.

As I was checking the plate of dried fish and beef jerky, the second daughter-in-law, with her glaring eyes, approached and blocked my way.

“Joo Geonwoo is treating you well?”

Instead of facing her, I pulled the next plate of snacks closer. The freshly prepared slices of sea bream glistened appetizingly.

“It’s quite funny. That Joo Geonwoo would stoop to bringing a man home.”

“…….”

“Do you know that Joo Geonwoo is not even human?”

She continued to pester me. I didn’t know why she kept calling the ‘Young Master’ Joo Geonwoo, but she seemed determined to paint him as a bad guy and drive a wedge between us.

“He ruined a perfectly good person to get the hotel my husband gave me. He’s a despicable person who sets up scammers to ruin my husband’s business. Do you know why Joo Geonwoo did that to me in the first place?”

I wasn’t really curious, but since she was the boss’s sister-in-law, I decided to listen out of courtesy. As I lowered my gaze to her venomous eyes…

“Joo Geonwoo liked me.”

“…….”

“I married my husband instead of him, so he was blinded by jealousy.”

For a moment, my mind went blank. What? Who liked whom?

“Joo Geonwoo kept trying to stop me from getting married. But since I didn’t choose him in the end, with Joo Geonwoo’s personality, he couldn’t just let it go.”

I was dumbfounded, but I wondered if she had something to back up her claims. Her gaze towards me was so confident. The reason she glared at me so venomously wasn’t just venom, but blatant jealousy. Blinded by absurd jealousy, she was saying these things in front of me.

Annoyed, I scratched my forehead. I was already overwhelmed by this unfamiliar role of a daughter-in-law and the nationwide mob boss’s feast, and this woman was trying to push me over the edge.

“If I had chosen Joo Geonwoo back then, you wouldn’t be here. You know that?”

No, I don’t know. I didn’t know and didn’t care what happened between them in the past.

“So, how should I react?”

At my words, the woman curled one side of her lips as if I was ridiculous.

“Do you think I’m making things up?”

“No. I don’t care whether you’re making things up or if it really happened. That’s why I asked how I should react.”

Only then did the woman’s expression begin to distort.

“I’m not interested in what happened between you two in the past. You must have a reason for telling me something I don’t know, so I’ll just play along.”

So I told her to speak comfortably. I would react however she wanted. Suddenly, something flashed before my eyes.

“You slut, how dare you crawl in here and muddy the waters? I’m still living like a ghost in this family because of that incident, and you think you can just waltz in and take my place?”

The woman’s hand slapped my cheek lightly. It didn’t hurt, but her intentions were clear.

“Because of that incident, I’m practically a beggar! I lost the only property my husband gave me! And you suddenly appear, wanting to be the Chairman’s daughter-in-law? A dick-carrying one at that? How disgusting!”

Sigh—What should I do? Should I tear up like a tragic heroine, saying, “Sister-in-law, why are you doing this to me…?” Or should I pathetically fight with a woman?

“Excuse me.”

I pushed my face, which had almost been hit, towards her. As I boldly lowered my face, her features came into clear view.

“Even if you’re living like a ghost, you still want to stay in this family, right? That’s why you’re doing this to me, isn’t it?”

I suddenly remembered what the boss had said.

“I don’t like young people.”

Indeed, the woman’s face, seen up close, was aging. Fine wrinkles and crevices that couldn’t be hidden by procedures were visible, and the traces of her attempts to conceal the sagging skin around her eyes were obvious.

“All the women I’ve slept with were older than me.”

I chuckled. Even if they had really been involved, I didn’t want to get angry.

“If you want to continue being a part of this family, you better treat me well from now on.”

“…What?”

“You should make me your ally, not your enemy. Jealousy ruins lives. You know that.”

This woman couldn’t stand the thought of not being entangled with the Joo family. She couldn’t let go of her position as a daughter-in-law, a position she gained by marrying the Chairman’s son. She would struggle to maintain that position even while being treated poorly in this family, and she would try to manipulate things with her petty jealousy and fabricated stories, but she lacked the ability, skill, and charm to do so.

Her aging face was unsightly, and her gaze towards young me already revealed everything.

“I know you envy me. Of course, I would also like to say that you once had your time. But, sister-in-law.”

I looked her up and down. Then I said in a firm tone, “You’re not Joo Geonwoo’s type.”

“…What?”

“You don’t have a single thing he likes, except for your age. You need at least one thing that resembles me. Because I’m his type.”

Without a doubt, Lee Soyoon was Joo Geonwoo’s type. Someone tall, with clear skin and only two moles under their eyes, someone who looked like me.

The woman trembled and stepped back. As I watched her face contort, I stepped closer, matching her retreat. Her earlier aggressive stance had vanished, and she was being pushed back against the wall. Just then, I heard footsteps from somewhere in the house. I turned my head and saw a large man standing at the kitchen entrance.

He was leaning casually against the wall, watching us with an indifferent expression, and my jaw dropped in surprise. The woman also turned her head and let out a small scream in shock.

“Were you two gossiping? Why are you so surprised?”

The boss was still dressed up. His tie was slightly loosened, but he was relatively presentable. Behind him, the third brother was stomping around, looking for his wife, and he didn’t look too good.

“What were you two doing, huddled together?”

I hesitated, unable to speak. The boss straightened up from his leaning position, stretching like a sleek predator.

As he stretched his arms upwards, his smooth waist was revealed, and his arm muscles rippled. The muscular mass yawned as he stretched, and his jewel-like eyes immediately locked onto me.

“Darling, shouldn’t you come running and hug your husband when he appears?”

“…….”

“I didn’t lose to that shitty third brother for nothing, you know, just so I could see my darling.”

He spread his arms as if urging me to come to him. The boss’s large frame stood firm, and the house staff who were coming down from the second floor were so startled they retreated.

“B-Boss, it’s not like that.”

“Not boss, your husband. Hmm?”

He smiled softly and raised an eyebrow. I walked towards him. As I crossed the wide kitchen, he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Fuck. My thing is right here.”

The boss’s thick body pressed against me. The strong scent of musk mixed with the heavy smell of alcohol almost made me gasp.

“Did you shower in alcohol?”

“Not even close. This is just the beginning. It’s my hobby to keep the old man’s sons drinking until they’re wasted.”

Even so, it was too much. Just looking at the third brother who had passed by calling for his wife, he was completely drunk.

“Are you going to be alright?”

“Are you worried?”

“Of course, I am.”

The boss had never been drunk in front of me. Even when he drank and played at the club, he never slurred his words. He had a high tolerance, but I was worried because he was drinking with his huge brothers.

“Why? Are you worried I’ll make a mistake while drunk?”

“Not exactly…”

“It seems like you’re the one who makes mistakes when you lose your temper.”

The boss looked down at me and grinned. Then, with his characteristic sly expression, he asked, “Isn’t that right, darling?” I knew what he was talking about.

“Can’t you just let it go?”

“Why should I?”

“You said I could…”

“Not ‘you,’ ‘husband.’”

I corrected myself at the boss’s remark.

“My husband said I could do whatever I wanted.”

“…….”

“He said I didn’t have to act like a daughter-in-law. But I…”

I hated this situation where I had to be mindful of the woman watching us from behind. I didn’t want to tell the boss what she said, nor did I want to look ridiculous fighting with a woman.

“I want to do well. As a daughter-in-law.”

At my firm words, the boss was silent for a moment. He didn’t even glance behind him. He just stared at me.

“I said I would take care of you, right?”

The boss finally smiled. He tilted his head and licked his lower lip as if to say, ‘Go on.’

“I’ll take good care of you, so please let it go this time.”

Instead of clutching his clothes, I adjusted his tie, which had been bothering me. Just like a wife would fix her husband’s tie before he leaves for work, I fixed his, and the boss lifted my chin.

His lips came down, and his tongue pushed into my mouth as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The staff were walking around, and the second daughter-in-law was watching us from behind. Even so, I kissed him, swallowing his saliva and inhaling the mixed scent of whiskey and brandy. I raised my heels and wrapped my arms around his neck. When he broke the kiss, the boss squeezed my ass tightly.

“So fucking seductive. Again.”

“Can’t I seduce you?”

I wanted to seduce him. If I was the one who pulled this man into my life, I wanted to seduce him and fill him with my love. Especially, I absolutely hated the idea of him being swayed by that woman.

“I want to eat you, Lee Soyoon.”

The boss turned around. He pressed me against the wall and rubbed against me. Because our positions had changed, I could see the second daughter-in-law’s face.

Her face was pale, and she was staring at us with wide eyes. I looked away from her and kissed Joo Geonwoo. His half-hard cock throbbed, and I moaned involuntarily. The boss mimicked thrusting his hips. He pounded against me and kissed me hard, just like when we were having sex, and I was turned on.

“Fuck. Want to just leave everything and go?”

“…No.”

“My dick is about to explode because of you, darling.”

I knew. His half-hard cock would be fully erect and dripping. He would want to rip my pants off, shove his cock inside me, and torment me for a long time. I felt a tingling sensation down my spine, and I wanted to have sex with Joo Geonwoo. The thought of the heat and scent emanating from his cock made me fidget.

“Do you want to do it too?”

“Later, after the party.”

“Fuck. Do you want to fuck me or not?”

The boss asked urgently. He was grinding against me with his eyes glazed over. My own cock, already stimulated, was starting to harden, so I quickly pushed him away.

“Do I really have to say it?”

“Yes. You have to. So say it. Do you want to fuck me or not?!”

His voice echoed through the house. It was loud enough for everyone in the house to hear.

“Say it.”

“I…I want to. Of course!”

The boss narrowed his eyes, trapping me between his arms. He stared intently at my face and eyes, as if to prevent me from looking anywhere else. He was declaring his desire to fuck me in this house, in front of his parents and siblings, like a madman.

My heart pounded, and the roof of my mouth, which had been sucked on, throbbed. I just had to get through this, but I wondered if this morally bankrupt crazy bastard would let it go. At that moment, the boss grinned. The lust that had filled his eyes moments ago disappeared, and he smiled like a young man in his twenties. My racing heart calmed, and I almost collapsed.

“My darling is adapting well. He even knows how to appease his husband.”

The boss flicked my cheek with his finger. As usual, he tapped my cheek and grinned, then lifted me up like a child.

He carried me with one arm out of the kitchen and placed me on a large buffalo hide sofa. Then he told the housekeeper to bring a blanket. I wondered what he was planning. He carefully draped the blanket over my thighs and said, “You’re hard.”

“……!”

“No one can see my darling’s pretty dick. Stay like this until it goes down. Think of your husband. Okay?”

Ah. I realized then that I was also hard. I was momentarily surprised by his consideration.

“It won’t go down if I think of my husband.”

At my words, spoken with wide eyes, the boss chuckled. He bent down and pressed his lips against my forehead.

“So fucking cute.”

The boss nibbled and sucked on my cheek. The third brother, who had gone outside looking for his wife, saw us and frowned, shaking his head. The boss ignored him and continued to kiss and suck on my cheek. Then, at a loud voice from upstairs, he reluctantly pulled away.

“Call me if you’re bored.”

“…….”

“You can send me pictures too. Anything you want. You know? Like you jacking off. Show me your dick.”

Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle. The boss didn’t forget to be himself until the very end. As he disappeared into the elevator, I finally sighed and muttered towards the unfamiliar ceiling, “Crazy bastard… Husband, come back quickly.”

Even though night had fallen, the men upstairs didn’t come down. Even as dawn broke and morning arrived, the boss and his brothers didn’t show themselves. The women of the house, as if this were normal, went to bed early and then, in the morning, prepared soup and rice good for hangovers and sent them upstairs.

I was truly curious. What were those five men doing up there on the second floor?

The amount of snacks, food, alcohol, and cigarettes being sent up was enormous, and I wondered if it was even humanly possible to consume it all. It was clearly meant for the Joo men, but how could they drink for a whole day? Just then, another crashing sound erupted.

Actually, the shouting, yelling, and intense cursing had started last night. Every hour or two, there would be a crashing sound followed by, “You son of a bitch!” “Fuck you, you bastard! What kind of brother are you?!” Fortunately, I hadn’t heard the boss’s voice among the commotion yet.

Now, a crashing sound resonated, as if a chair had been thrown, and something shattered. I stopped what I was doing and looked up. The first daughter-in-law, who was ladling clam soup into a bowl, said, “It hasn’t even been three months since they replaced the marble.”

“It’s not like it’s the first time. After every party, they have to remodel at least one room. I wonder how much of the wall is broken this time. Last year, blood splattered all the way to the ceiling, so Mother just changed the wallpaper to red. She said she was sick of it.”

I was speechless at the third daughter-in-law’s words. I could roughly guess what was happening, but to fight that intensely? Besides, the Chairman was also up there. Grown men fighting in front of their father… I couldn’t understand how this family functioned.

Another series of thuds echoed, followed by a yell, “Kill me! Stab me! Father! This bastard is trying to kill me! Are you still going to take his side?! Huh?!”

At that moment, the third daughter-in-law next to me sighed deeply. Recognizing her husband’s voice, she spoke with a worried expression.

“Should we call Assemblyman Park?”

“No. No one can go in there until they call for someone, even if they’re covered in blood. They’ll sort it out themselves.”

The first daughter-in-law left with a tray. As she handed it to the staff, another crashing sound rang out. My heart skipped a beat. I heard Joo Geonwoo’s voice for the first time.

“That little piece of shit, I spared his life, and he acts like this? I cleared his debts, and he comes at me like this? He was quiet when I got rid of CEO Kim, and now he thinks I’ll accept him just because he sucks up to me?”

At the mention of CEO Kim, I bit my lip involuntarily. He was talking about the incident with the Cheongwang Building.

“I told him I’d sort things out with the old man soon, but that didn’t mean he could act like a fucking asshole. I let him and his wife hide quietly, and he repays my kindness by stabbing me in the back?”

My hands trembled, and I put down the dish of side dishes I was holding. I turned my head to see the third daughter-in-law clutching her trembling hands.

“Kindness? What did you say?! You should be repaying me! I kept my mouth shut about CEO Kim…! Argh! Father! Aaaaagh!!”

A crashing sound followed by a man’s scream ripped through the air. I couldn’t tell if Joo Geonwoo was rampaging or if the seventy-year-old Chairman was hitting his son.

The continuous screams silenced the downstairs. Even the second daughter-in-law, who had disappeared yesterday, was frozen, listening to the sounds coming from upstairs. Our eyes met for a moment. She quickly looked away, but it was clear she was thinking about Joo Geonwoo, not her husband.

Suddenly, I felt disgusted. It was sickening enough to witness this dysfunctional family, but the thought of having to continue seeing this woman fueled my anger. I had asked the boss to let it go, but I couldn’t just let it go.

Even though I believed they weren’t involved, the thought of a daughter-in-law harboring feelings for her husband’s half-brother made me increasingly uncomfortable and disgusted. I muttered, “Fuck,” without realizing it.

“Don’t worry too much.”

The third daughter-in-law, as if she heard me curse, spoke hesitantly. It bothered me that she was trying to comfort me even though she was also anxious.

“They’ll calm down soon. They all have such strong personalities…”

“I’m not worried. So you don’t have to worry too much either, sister-in-law.”

I was worried, but it wasn’t something I could solve. I already knew that Joo Geonwoo would surpass all his brothers and inherit the Chairman’s position, and Mother had said the same. Joo Geonwoo would take everything from the Chairman and become the one in charge, so this kind of commotion was something I had to get used to.

“The Young Master is really something. It would be nice if he just held back once in a while.”

I tried to ignore the first daughter-in-law’s words. I was trying to ignore her, but the second daughter-in-law jumped in as if she had been waiting.

“Is he the type to hold back? He runs wild because he blindly trusts his father, that’s why he’s called the Yeonsan Mad Dog.”

I was slightly shocked. Not because of what she said. To be precise, this was the first time I had heard anyone speak ill of the boss since I arrived. No one dared to speak carelessly about him, so I couldn’t keep my mouth shut when this woman did.

“It’s better to be called that. It’s better to run wild trusting his father than to be a nobody without any backing, isn’t it?”

Sparks flew from the woman’s eyes. It was a natural reaction since she had started it.

“Boss Joo Geonwoo knows how to pick his battles. He doesn’t hold back because it’s not something he should hold back on. There’s no reason for someone who strictly separates public and private matters to endure and hear such things.”

At my retort, the second daughter-in-law crossed her arms and challenged me.

“Do you know Geonwoo Young Master that well?”

“Of course. We’re in love.”

My words momentarily enraged the woman. She probably wanted to yell, like yesterday, ‘What do you know?! Do you know Joo Geonwoo as well as I do?!’ But she didn’t have the guts to do something so self-destructive.

“Do you think we’re just sleeping together? We decided to live together in front of his father and mother because we know each other well enough.”

“…….”

“It hasn’t been long since I met the boss, but we know everything about each other. He hides nothing, and there’s nothing I can’t ask.”

So, a woman like you is nothing. I wasn’t afraid of a war of words, and since Joo Geonwoo could handle the third brother, I could handle her.

“He hides nothing?”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Her brazen question was laughable. But I could guarantee it.

This woman didn’t have a single trait that the boss would like, and she was even the type he hated the most. Blinded by jealousy, she foolishly revealed her true colors. She had already been burned by the boss once and was now living on borrowed time in this family.

She seemed to genuinely believe that Joo Geonwoo had feelings for her, but she was absolutely not his type.

“It seems like you know the boss quite well, second daughter-in-law?”

At that moment, the first daughter-in-law burst out laughing. The third one also chuckled, but only the second one turned pale and tried to ignore it.

I was momentarily bewildered. Then, an elegant voice came from behind me.

“Before the Chairman finishes his meal, quickly bring up the abalone stew. Serve it with the blandly cooked pufferfish soup.”

At Mother’s appearance, the daughters-in-law bowed their heads in unison. Unlike yesterday, she was wearing a pencil skirt and a solid-colored blouse. I realized I had seen them before; they were the clothes I had bought with the boss at the Seongsu-dong store. I had bought them with her in mind, and as expected, they suited her perfectly.

“Soyoon, come here. Second, stop your nonsense and grind the radish. Why can’t you admit that you’re too ugly to even catch my son’s eye? Do you think you married the second son because you’re pretty?”

…What was this about? Did this mean everyone in the family knew about it? Did this woman actually repeat the same words she had said to me yesterday?

“Mother, it’s true! Geonwoo Young Master li…!”

“Shut up. You’re saying such nonsense because Geonwoo is toying with you, aren’t you? That hotel is only thriving because Geonwoo took it over and nurtured it. If you had it, it wouldn’t even be considered a cheap tourist hotel. That’s why the Chairman hasn’t said anything.”

‘Someone with no investment skills shouldn’t be running a business…’ I felt like I could hear the same words.

“Mother, you’re really too much to me…”

“Too much? Aren’t you the one who’s too much? Don’t you think you’re being rude to Geonwoo’s partner? What do you want to say to someone who came here for the first time yesterday, feeling awkward and out of place? What are you doing?”

Her ability to pressure her opponent was impressive. She spoke calmly, yet firmly, and in the end, the woman couldn’t say anything and lowered her head.

“Soyoon, don’t let her get to you. The rule in this house is that you’re treated according to your worth, regardless of age. Understand?”

“…Yes, Mother.”

I felt relieved, but I couldn’t show it. I left the trembling woman behind and followed Mother. As we entered the living room, a familiar face was waiting for me.

“Oh dear, you must be exhausted. Did you get any sleep last night? Why are your eyes so sunken? Hyemi, didn’t I tell you to take care of him?”

It was the restaurant aunt who was pulling my hand. As always, her hair was tied up in a bun with a ribbon on top. I couldn’t understand how two sisters could have such contrasting auras.

“Hello, Aunt.”

“Yes, I missed you so much. Your face looks haggard. Are you tired? Are the boys being noisy?”

At her question, which acknowledged the commotion upstairs, I smiled wryly.

“I’m fine.”

“They’re not ordinary, are they? Their tempers are just like the Chairman’s. But they’ll be giggling and playing together soon enough. Don’t worry.”

I was starting to understand the dynamics of this family. The Joo family was dysfunctional, and it was a gathering of people who didn’t acknowledge their own dysfunction. Mother seemed like the only sane one, but in reality, she was the strongest one.

“So, did you greet the Chairman properly?”

“Yes. I asked for lots of love.”

“Oh! You did! What did the Chairman say?”

“He said I’m family now and to get along.”