A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 100

100. Are You Okay?

Tears welled up in Eun-bi’s eyes.

This wasn’t my goal. My plan was to reveal that Lee Jung-oh was Jung Ji-heon’s mistress!

Lee Jung-oh, in the cubicle right next to her, continued her work with an indifferent expression, seemingly uninterested in everything that was happening.

I’m supposed to be the victim! You’re supposed to be the mistress!

Even Deputy Jo Si-nae, who had always stood by Eun-bi, seemed shocked by the recording. Eun-bi approached Jo Si-nae, seeking sympathy.

“Deputy Jo, you know, right? It’s all a setup. You understand, right? You’ve been through something similar.”

However, Jo Si-nae shook her head and gradually backed away.

Si-nae was the only one who had heard both Director Jung Ji-heon’s one-sided claims and Manager Chae Eun-bi’s one-sided claims. The reason she had sided with Manager Chae Eun-bi was that it was more advantageous for her.

But, a recording of their conversation existed. And it was exposed to the world.

“…Manager, don’t contact me anymore. I can’t trust you anymore.”

A quick cut-off. Those who watched this also looked at Eun-bi with displeasure.

“No! It wasn’t me! It was you! Lee Jung-oh, you did this!”

“What’s wrong with her? She’s gone crazy.”

Eun-ju muttered to herself, looking at Eun-bi as if she were a bug.

In the end, Eun-bi was kicked out for obstruction of business after yelling that the file was fake. It was a dishonorable exit.

An hour later, an email arrived for the employees of Max Planning.

「Dear colleagues, hello. This is Jung Ji-heon, head of the 1st Planning and Production Division.

Due to a mistake by a production team employee who has now left Max Planning, personal information related to an employee’s private life has been leaked. As the head of the division and a person involved in the incident, I feel responsible and apologize to all of you.

Furthermore, I recommend that those of you who have personally downloaded the leaked recording file delete it as soon as possible.」

Although Ji-heon requested that the recording file be deleted, the employees saved the file even more enthusiastically.

The most interesting thing in the world is watching a fight. And the best of all is watching a love affair quarrel.

The employees, who had been wandering around like ghosts with tired eyes from being overworked, shared their opinions with vigor for the first time in a long time. Wherever two or more people gathered, they invariably talked about Jung Ji-heon and Chae Eun-bi.

“Did you see the recording file that Division Head Chae Eun-bi uploaded?”

“Of course. So, the rumor that Manager Chae Eun-bi and Director Jung Ji-heon were going to get married was just a false rumor. And it was a false rumor that Manager Chae spread herself.”

“I didn’t think she was like that. She even cursed at Deputy Lee Jung-oh last time. Is she delusional or paranoid?”

“I thought she was a dignified person because she came from a family of lawyers. Ugh, I’m so glad I didn’t get involved with someone like that. I heard that the people who took over Manager Chae’s work are all looking grim.”

“But Director Jung Ji-heon is surprisingly foolish too. Getting caught up in a fake relationship at his age and position.”

Most of the criticism was directed at Eun-bi, but Ji-heon couldn’t escape the harsh words either. Only Production Team 2, who guessed that Ji-heon had deliberately intervened to resolve the conflict, had satisfied expressions.

Among them, Deputy Go Eun-ju was the most excited.

“It’s so fun! It’s so thrilling!”

Jung-oh was a little sad that Go Eun-ju was so happy in this situation where not only Chae Eun-bi was being criticized, but even Jung Ji-heon was being criticized.

“Deputy Go, aren’t you enjoying this too much?”

“Deputy Lee, let’s be honest. This should have been revealed a long time ago. The fact that the truth burst out in such a dramatic situation is such a fortunate and refreshing thing. In that situation where she was spouting nonsense about an affair! Just before your name was mentioned!”

“But soon my name will be spread too. People love rumors. Besides, Chae Eun-bi pointed me out.”

“Are you very worried?”

“Just… I am.”

Jung-oh replied listlessly to Eun-ju’s concerned question.

For Jung-oh, it was just the beginning. There were still many things that were not known within the company. How excited would people be when they found out that her daughter was Jung Ji-heon’s biological child? Just imagining it made her feel exhausted.

Eun-ju, who had been quietly pursing her lips, told her own story after a while.

“Deputy Lee, I don’t care if I’m not liked by anyone at work. I’m not working to look good to anyone, I’m working to earn money. And I know I’m pretty enough without others telling me.”

“…”

“You don’t have to be conscious of others. You know? If you’re not obsessed with being loved, there’s so much you can do.”

Jung-oh nodded slowly at Eun-ju’s encouragement.

That was right. Deputy Go Eun-ju always maintained a professional distance with her colleagues and suggested ways to navigate company life wisely. She was very different from her in personality, but she was such a supportive person.

“Thank you. I’ll cheer up.”

Eun-ju shrugged awkwardly at Jung-oh’s sincere greeting.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

Seung-gyu, worried about Ji-heon after Ji-heon’s recording file was released, rushed to his office. Ji-heon was sitting on the sofa, looking at his cell phone.

He was engrossed in some content, even occasionally chuckling.

“Jung Ji-heon… are you okay?”

Are you okay, or have you lost your mind?

It was a relief that he didn’t seem down and looked lively, but he didn’t look like someone who had caused trouble, which made him even more worried. Seung-gyu sat down next to Ji-heon and began to vent his frustrations with a sigh.

“I don’t know if you saved the country in your past life, but you definitely protected it.”

“…”

“Your social reputation may be at rock bottom, but your unwavering spirit and your willingness to burn your body to expose injustice are admirable.”

“…”

“But are you not thinking about anything right now, or do you want to avoid everything?”

“Do you want to see this?”

When he kept talking to Ji-heon, who didn’t answer, Ji-heon reached out and showed him the phone screen. It was a text message screen. Traces of text messages exchanged with Ye-na.

– I wish Dad would pick me up from the academy.

Seung-gyu frowned as he checked the text message.

“What is this?”

“Ye-na sent it.”

“…”

“This is the first text message Ye-na sent me, and look, there are no spelling errors. Look at how she wrote the ‘좋 [joh]’ character. Not all seven-year-olds are like this, right?”

…I’m an idiot for worrying about a guy like this.

“Yeah. My son can barely read Hangul [Korean alphabet].”

“Who does Ye-na take after to be so smart?”

“What do you want to hear?”

“Her mother is a copywriter, so did she take after her mother? Did she inherit her mother’s writing skills?”

Jung Ji-heon’s daughter, Lee Ye-na, sent sixteen letters and became a future copywriter.

Why can’t I stand it already?

Seung-gyu snatched Ji-heon’s cell phone and placed it face down on the table.

“Stop talking nonsense. What happened? There’s no way Chae Eun-bi would have had such a recording file.”

Seung-gyu asked sharply. No matter how short-sighted Chae Eun-bi was, there was no way she would have kept data on the company computer that would harm her rather than benefit her.

Ji-heon took back the cell phone that Seung-gyu had turned over and replied casually.

“As you know, in the event of a problem with an employee, the company can access the employee’s PC at its discretion. I have that authority over the PCs in the division.”

“…So you put your file on Chae Eun-bi’s PC when she wasn’t there?”

“It was also a mistake on my part.”

“You want me to believe that?”

“Really. I didn’t expect Chae Eun-bi to blow it up this big.”

It seemed true. Seung-gyu’s mouth hung open blankly. Ji-heon’s confession continued.

“It was a long time ago. I just wished that Chae Eun-bi would accidentally click once while organizing her PC, so that the recording would leak into other people’s ears, even just a little bit. That was all I wanted. It was a very modest dream. It was really modest.”

“…”

“Actually, my plan was to quickly get Chae Eun-bi out of the company and then post the truth on the company bulletin board. That I was having a hard time because Chae Eun-bi was spreading false rumors.”

“…”

“Anyway, everything is settled, so there’s nothing to say. God must have helped me. I was lucky.”

…I’m getting a little creeped out.

Why did God give such a terrible guy even luck?

Seung-gyu swept down the hairs standing on his arms and said.

“Okay. Anyway, it’s a relief that it’s been resolved, but what if Chae Eun-bi makes an issue of it?”

“The PC is not the property of the individual but of the company, and I have the right to use the PC. There’s no problem according to company regulations, right?”

The guy was very carefree, unlike the person who caused the problem.

Seung-gyu exhaled a sigh.

Ah, I had forgotten for a moment that you were this kind of person.

A guy who hides his terrifying claws with an attitude that everything in the world is a hassle. The most difficult guy to meet as an enemy.

I should have worried about the celebrities, but I worried about you. Like an idiot.

As he looked at him with a complicated expression, Ji-heon, who was fiddling with his cell phone, asked.

“Why?”

“Nothing.”

“…”

“I hope Ye-na takes after Lee Jung-oh more than you.”

“Don’t worry about that. She’s the spitting image of Jung-oh. Can’t you tell from this text message? Oh, there’s also this. Do you want to see this? When I told her to sleep well, she sent two ‘이응 [ieung]’s. And then…”

“Ah, annoying! Stop it!”

Seung-gyu, who couldn’t stand it any longer, shouted.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

Kook-soon’s restaurant space was quickly sold. Now, a chicken restaurant will be opening in the restaurant space. Since they will be using the restaurant’s supplies as they are, there wasn’t much for Kook-soon to organize.

While Kook-soon was telling the new owner various important information, Jung-oh sat quietly with Ye-na in the restaurant, waiting for Kook-soon.

While Jung-oh was sitting blankly, her daughter seemed very busy. Jung-oh became curious as she smiled while looking at the phone screen.

“Ye-na, princess. What are you looking at that’s so fun?”

“It’s a secret.”

Ye-na turned away from Jung-oh and lowered her head deeply. That phone only has text messaging and calling functions, so what could be so funny about fiddling with it?

Even on the way home, Ye-na kept looking at her phone.

“Lee Ye-na. You have to put your phone down and look ahead.”

Jung-oh warned Ye-na, who was holding her mother’s hand with one hand and constantly fiddling with her phone with the other.

“Okay.”

Ye-na smiled and took her hand off the phone.

Kook-soon asked Jung-oh.

“Is Ye-na’s father coming today?”

“Dad is coming at nine o’clock today.”

Ye-na answered instead of Jung-oh. It was news that Jung-oh hadn’t heard. Jung-oh asked Ye-na.

“Did you contact Dad?”

“Yes. By text message.”

“Let me see.”

“No way!”

“Where are you making secrets from your mom! Let me see!”

“No way! No way!”

Ye-na covered the phone hanging around her neck and hid behind her grandmother. Jung-oh whined to Kook-soon.

“Mom, look at Ye-na. Ye-na won’t show me the text message. I bought that phone for her.”

“Like mother, like daughter.”

Daily life regained its peace. Jung-oh and Ye-na circled around Kook-soon and came home energetically. But when they reached the front of the house, Jung-oh’s expression hardened.

Ji-heon’s mother, Jang Young-mi, was standing there. It didn’t take long for Young-mi to recognize Jung-oh and Ye-na.

As Young-mi approached with a click-clack sound, Jung-oh’s hand holding Ye-na tightened.