Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 84

84. 26th. A Difficult New Home (1)

While Sun Hae-cheol and Park Tae-jin were outside, I was at the table, talking with Claire.

“Panama?”

“Yes. I saw it in the UN data while browsing the department store last August…”

After I told her about the Panama copper mine and that Park Byeong-jun was at Shinsung Corporation’s Panama construction site, Claire frowned.

“This is going to be a headache. My father’s influence is weak there.”

“What do you mean?”

“The political and business figures there also entrust money to Triumph.”

“Money means…?”

“Slush funds.”

As expected. Whether it’s this country or Panama on the other side of the world, the wealthy and powerful all love money.

“But the department in our company in charge of those people is a family that’s at odds with my father.”

“Oh, no…”

This was a setback. They had entrusted money to a group that was feuding with Henry.

I hadn’t considered that, so I had to give up on using Henry’s influence for now. Since I’ll need his help at the end of next year anyway, I thought it would be better to save that card for then.

Seeing me biting my lip, Claire said carefully,

“I’m sorry, Johnny. I want to help, but I can’t.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? If it doesn’t work out, I can create slush funds myself by using the money I’ve invested in the movie business, hehe.”

In both my past and present lives, I’ve always considered money as a means to an end, and Standard Capital is a personal vault created to generously provide that money and use it easily. If I could get what I wanted by showering those guys with enough money, it would be a win.

“If it’s about that, don’t worry. I’ll make as much as you need, hehe.”

“I’ll ask for your help, hehe.”

Claire and I exchanged mischievous laughter, then I grabbed a new bottle of wine and filled our glasses.

“But when is Sun coming back? This conversation is dragging on.”

“Men get more talkative as they get older. I think they’re talking while having a cigarette.”

I casually brushed it off and took a sip of wine, but Claire emptied her glass in one gulp with a sulky expression.

“Hoo, I don’t know how long they’re going to keep putting this off.”

Seeing her sigh, she seemed impatient. Sun Hae-cheol was entering his fifties, and Claire was almost forty, so I could understand how she felt. Then an idea came to me.

“Claire, how about we do this?”

“What?”

“I’ll talk to your grandfather, so…”

It was an impromptu idea, but Claire’s expression brightened.

“So, you’re saying we should officially declare our relationship to him?”

“If Claire is okay with it.”

“I guess we have to. I feel like I’m going to explode if we keep leaving it like this, hehe.”

It was unexpected. Most women would have all sorts of expectations for a once-in-a-lifetime event, but she was deciding so easily?

“Claire?”

“Why are you so surprised? You’re the one who came up with the idea, Johnny?”

“Still, if we really do that…”

Claire chuckled at me, who was trailing off.

“Sun and I are both past our prime. The important thing is that we’re doing it, not how we do it. When we were in New York, I went to Sun’s house and Sun came to my house countless times, you know?”

“Really?”

Oh. My. God.

I envied them. Jang Ha-yeon and I could never do that. Damn it.

While I was refilling my wine, feeling envious, I heard the sound of the door opening with a click.

“Oh, it’s cold. I almost froze to death smoking.”

“It’s especially cold today.”

I heard Sun Hae-cheol and Park Tae-jin’s voices from the living room. Claire and I looked at each other, winked, and calmly greeted them.

“I just opened a new bottle, so the timing is perfect.”

“Is it round two? Hehe.”

After filling Sun Hae-cheol and Park Tae-jin’s glasses, I steered the conversation toward the yen speculation.

“…Even thinking about it, Henry is an amazing person. It couldn’t have been easy to make such a decision…”

“Henry cherishes his family. He just had a hard time because he didn’t have the opportunity or the right conditions. He grabbed your hand and speculated on the yen to create that opportunity and those conditions, haha.”

“When are you going to create those opportunities and conditions, Uncle?”

Sun Hae-cheol, who was laughing and drinking wine, blinked at my question.

“Huh?”

“When I met Henry to deal with the government bonds last time, Henry asked me a favor. He asked me to speak well of Claire to your grandfather. Right, Hyung [older brother/male friend]?”

Park Tae-jin stopped drinking his wine and put down his glass.

“That’s right. Lord Royce said that since your parents have both passed away a long time ago, the Chairman will be the one to preside over the wedding, so please take good care of him.”

Claire joined our attack.

“Sun. Don’t you want to have my father as your father-in-law?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that…”

Sun Hae-cheol, who was trailing off, sighed.

“I’m sorry, Claire. I was worried because I couldn’t see the right timing, but I dragged it on for too long.”

I don’t know what to make of it. How could such a smooth-talking person need someone else’s push to make progress in his own relationship?

“Uncle, you have a surprisingly innocent side, hehe.”

“I don’t know why I’m so thirsty.”

Sun Hae-cheol just kept gulping down wine, looking at me with a smirk.

***

The next morning.

After taking Sun Hae-cheol and Claire to Gimpo Airport and seeing them off, Park Tae-jin and I contacted Grandfather and Go Seung-ju and went to Samcheong-dong.

“Your company president… so Miss Lawrence confessed to Hae-cheol first?”

Grandfather and Go Seung-ju both seemed very shocked. A daughter from a wealthy family with nothing to envy, a successful woman on Wall Street, confessing to a man in his fifties from a foreign country—how could they not be?

I opened my mouth, looking at the two people with bewildered expressions.

“Yes, Grandfather. Right, Hyung?”

“Yes. We had a small party at home last night…”

As Park Tae-jin finished telling the story of last night, the corners of Grandfather’s mouth twitched.

“Hahaha! That sly guy was actually a simpleton!”

Grandfather laughed heartily and even struck the desk cheerfully. How funny was the story? Sun Hae-cheol, who was always so flexible, had been looking at only one woman for over ten years, only to suffer in silence.

“I think we should pour him a congratulatory drink when he comes back, haha.”

“It would be perfect to give him a lavish feast as soon as he comes back, hehe.”

The laughter faded from Grandfather’s mouth, who had been laughing heartily with Go Seung-ju. Seeing that, I asked Grandfather.

“Grandfather.”

“Yes, hehe.”

“What do you think of our president?”

Grandfather blinked, as if he thought it was a strange question.

“What do you mean?”

“As a potential daughter-in-law.”

“A daughter-in-law…”

“You should preside over Uncle’s wedding. Both of Uncle’s parents have passed away.”

I pointed out the most important issue, but Grandfather looked at me with a fresh gaze.

“Is there anything more to consider?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I saw her last time, I thought it would be nice if such a woman became Hae-cheol’s wife. Isn’t it a matter of great courage and strength to talk about even the parts of yourself that you don’t want to reveal?”

Grandfather brought the teacup to his mouth, moistened his lips, and continued the story.

“If she’s that good of a daughter-in-law, one of my worries will be reduced. I was worried that that sly guy was living like a drifter, but isn’t she the woman who will hold him in place?”

Grandfather’s expression was that of a father worrying about his child. Except for Park Tae-jin, Go Seung-ju, his deceased father, and Lee Myung-jin, who were all of similar age, had all started families, so he must have been very concerned.

“I understand, Grandfather.”

“Okay, how are they going to do the ceremony?”

“They said they’re going to visit Lord Royce first and decide.”

Grandfather nodded with a comfortable expression.

“I understand. Now, only Tae-jin and you are left in this family, euhehe. Isn’t that right, Chief Go?”

“You have to see Myung-jin’s children get married too, haha.”

“Of course, I have to. I have to see my children get married and have great-grandchildren, euhahaha.”

Unlike Grandfather and Go Seung-ju, who were laughing heartily, Park Tae-jin and I were embarrassed and lowered our heads.

***

The day after Lee Dae-soo’s cheerful approval echoed in Samcheong-dong, Sun Hae-cheol was at Henry’s mansion drawing room, having been dragged there by Claire as soon as they arrived at the airport.

“…Is it true, Sun?”

“Yes, Henry. We will have the ceremony within this year.”

Henry heard Sun Hae-cheol’s answer and stood up from his seat and walked towards him. Sun Hae-cheol also quickly stood up from his seat.

“You thought well, Sun. My wife in the West will welcome you if it’s you, haha.”

“Are you talking about Mrs. Lawrence?”

Henry, who was holding Sun Hae-cheol’s hand and laughing heartily, nodded at his question.

“Maybe it’s because of the years we’ve lived apart, it’s not easy to bring her to New York, but now who would say anything even if she becomes the mistress of the Royce family? I’ve been waiting for the past 30 years because of that person.”

Sun Hae-cheol also knew the story. Wasn’t it the story he told himself when he became Henry’s close aide and friend, when he asked why he was living as a bachelor?

Henry, who was looking at Sun Hae-cheol nodding, let go of his hand and said to Claire.

“You thought well, Claire. I was worried that my only daughter would become a spinster, but thank you.”

“It’s nothing, Father. It’s just that he kept putting it off, so I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

Unlike the smile she showed to Henry, Claire looked at Sun Hae-cheol with a glare. Henry laughed heartily when Sun Hae-cheol lowered his head at the sight.

“Haha! Sun, what are you doing, unlike yourself? How can you be called the man who sank Japan if you can’t handle your own woman? Huh?”

With that, Henry spent the night drinking cognac with Sun Hae-cheol and Claire, and the two, unable to overcome their intoxication, slept at Henry’s mansion and headed to the New York courthouse.

“Are we too late?”

“Why do you ask when you know? I almost became a spinster, as my father said.”

Unlike her sulky voice, Claire looked at Sun Hae-cheol with eyes that didn’t dislike him.

“I’m sorry. I was worried if someone like me was good enough for you.”

There were many messages in what he said.

The pressure of marrying the daughter of a prestigious family, even if she was an illegitimate child, from a small country in the East.

The burden of whether he could overcome the age gap of being more than ten years older.

The uncertainty of whether he, who had always wandered like the wind, could take care of a woman.

All his anxieties, worries, and apologies were mixed together.

However, Claire shook her head with a gentle smile and said to him.

“I don’t care about that. How long have we been together to worry about that? Unlike you.”

“Claire…”

“Let’s go quickly. We’re going to be busy setting up a new home in New York and Seoul, hehe.”

Claire took Sun Hae-cheol’s hand and entered the courthouse.

***

The next morning.

Park Tae-jin and I went to work at Standard Capital’s Korean branch in Yeouido.

“Hello, Director.”

“Yes, hello.”

I was deeply moved to receive the greeting from the employee sitting at the desk as I entered the office.

Wasn’t this the new home that I had finally set up in Seoul after going around in circles for the past three years? I couldn’t help but feel like a Roman general who had successfully completed an overseas expedition and returned with his chest puffed out.

Park Tae-jin’s hand went on my shoulder as I was still distracted by looking around the new home I had set up in Seoul even after greeting.

“Let’s go, Director Lee Sung-min.”

“Yes, Director Park Tae-jin.”

We entered the office and looked at the nameplates placed on our desks.

“It seems like even Grandfather can’t stop it, hehe.”

On my desk and Park Tae-jin’s desk, there was a mother-of-pearl inlaid nameplate specially ordered by the grandfather from the mother-of-pearl craftsman in charge of the group’s executive nameplates, with ‘Director (理事) Lee Sung-min (李成敏)’ and ‘Director (理事) Park Tae-jin (朴太進)’ written on them, respectively.

Park Tae-jin put his hand on my shoulder and said.

“It’s a superstition, but the Chairman said that the first nameplate should be inlaid with mother-of-pearl for good luck.”

I don’t know what the basis is, but it seemed to be Grandfather’s own jinx. In my previous life, I had to wear the blue tie that Jang Ha-yeon, who I was about to break up with, gave me before important negotiations to get things done, so I thought it was probably something like that.

After unpacking my luggage, I made coffee, handed a cup to Park Tae-jin, and sat down. As I was drinking coffee, I suddenly wondered if the two were doing well.

“I hope Uncle is doing well, right?”

“He’ll be doing well. Considering that Lord Royce raised the early members of our headquarters, I think it will be resolved smoothly. You also asked the young master to speak well of Miss Lawrence to the Chairman, right?”

“I guess so.”

Listening to Park Tae-jin’s words, I thought my worries were unfounded. Wasn’t he a manager who tried to raise talent without regard to skin color if they were talented enough to help the company, and a father who asked me, a young man, to help with his child’s happy marriage? Henry Royce.

I said to Park Tae-jin with an awkward smile.

“We’ll have to do well until Uncle comes back. I look forward to working with you, Director Park Tae-jin.”

“Likewise, Director Lee Sung-min.”

We bowed to each other with pleasant expressions, then drank coffee and turned on the computer.