Black Label [EN]: Chapter 273

Black Label Episode 24

An emergency board meeting was called.

“What’s going on all of a sudden…?”

“They say there’s a major announcement…”

“This isn’t like Chairman Ardo…”

Chairman Ardo was a man who almost never suddenly summoned executives within the LVMH Group.

From the beginning…

He abhorred interfering in management or meddling in affairs, so it would be right to say he neglected the executives.

“The fact that Chairman Ardo is trying to gather us all of a sudden must mean he’s definitely going to announce something significant…”

In the spacious conference room, the atmosphere was chaotic.

Creak-.

Suddenly, the door of the conference room opened, and a young Asian man entered.

“Nice to meet you.”

As Lee, the owner-designer of the premium brand Wallflower, who was the center of attention, appeared, the atmosphere in the room became even more chaotic…

Thud, thud-.

He walked past all the seats with a perfectly natural gait and sat in the head seat, which could be seen as Chairman Ardo’s seat.

“I’ve never heard that Lee has shares in the group.”

“No, more than that, what kind of rude behavior is this? In Chairman Ardo’s seat…”

That’s when it happened.

“Can you be quiet, please?”

After speaking, Jaesung silenced the noise in the room.

“Since we’re all busy, I’ll just briefly convey the message and then leave.”

Everyone swallowed hard and stared intently at Jaesung.

“As of this moment, I will be leading the LVMH Group.”

At those words, the executives protested.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden!”

“Isn’t he the owner of a competitor?”

“What authority do you have!”

That’s when it happened.

“I have concluded an agreement to transfer my shares to ‘Lee’ over the next three years.”

Chairman Ardo entered…

“I don’t remember the group agreement containing anything about needing the board of directors’ approval to transfer shares.”

The atmosphere in the room became solemn for a moment.

“This is too sudden of a decision!”

“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time.”

“There wasn’t even a word about it?”

At those words, Chairman Ardo stood next to the head seat that Jaesung had taken and asked in a low voice.

“Since when have I needed your permission to handle matters related to my company?”

Everyone was silent at the voice that sounded like a tiger growling lowly.

“You’re all being presumptuous.”

Chairman Ardo looked over the executives’ faces once more and continued speaking quietly.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t agree. I’ve already transferred 10% of the group’s shares to Lee, and I still hold about 50% or more.”

After speaking, he laid down the law.

“We’re the ones holding the knife.”

“……”

“You just have to follow.”

Silence flowed for a moment.

“Just like you’ve always done.”

Soon, another executive began to protest again.

“This is too much of a decision!”

Other executives also protested fiercely in succession…

“Isn’t Lee too young to have the insight and wisdom to lead the group?”

“How can Chairman Ardo unilaterally decide on a matter that affects the livelihoods of countless people!”

“If you truly care about the group’s well-being and development, you must withdraw your decision!”

At those words, Chairman Ardo asked back with an open sneer.

“Insight and wisdom?”

Then he continued.

“It’s already been several years since Wallflower’s sales, a single brand, surpassed the combined sales of six or seven brands within the group.”

He placed his hand on Jaesung’s shoulder.

For some reason…

That hand felt warm.

“Even while being suspected by the world for his years-long hiatus, he successfully completed this season and generated astronomical sales.”

He asked again.

“Who here has better management skills than Lee?”

Because of the results Jaesung had proven so far, everyone had no choice but to hesitate to answer.

“It could have just been luck!”

Chairman Ardo’s brow furrowed deeply at his cry…

“This society, you see. We’ve agreed to call repeated luck ‘skill’.”

Then he sneered again.

“Unfortunately, you don’t seem to have been with us at that historic moment of social agreement.”

“Chairman…”

“You must have been too busy indulging in luxury, completely engrossed in spending the dividends from the group’s shares.”

His intention was firm.

“Continue to live like that. Lee will make your pockets even thicker, so listen well and live like that.”

Silence flowed for a moment.

“There will be no withdrawal.”

Chairman Ardo looked at Jaesung.

“The succession has already taken place.”

“……”

“The group is now Lee’s.”

Like that…

“I look forward to working with you.”

Jaesung was reborn as the owner of the LVMH Group.

* * *

As soon as that fact became known, articles related to it poured out like mushrooms after rain.

[Lee Succeeds Chairman Ardo to the Throne of the LVMH Group.]

[Lee, Reborn as the Leader of LVMH, What Will Be the Future of Wallflower?]

[LVMH Group’s Stock Prices Fluctuate Daily Since Lee Took Command.]

Soon, Jaesung, who was sitting comfortably with his back against the seat of the Gulfstream private jet, picked out and began to read one of the most provocative articles.

“Let’s see…”

Soon, as he lightly tapped the screen of his smartphone, the contents of the article Jaesung had chosen began to be sent out.

That morning, the LVMH Group’s spokesperson announced that Lee had been transferred shares amounting to 10% of the total group shares in accordance with the promise to take over management rights from Chairman Ardo.

In addition, it was announced that the transfer of the remaining shares would steadily proceed at a rate of 10% per year over the next five years.

The point of interest is whether Wallflower will be incorporated as a subsidiary brand within the group, and the fact that this transfer of shares is in the form of a transfer, not a sale or disposal, is a hot topic…

According to a statement from an insider who requested anonymity, all members of the board of directors within the group are currently vehemently opposed to Lee’s assumption of the chairmanship…

The most chaotic atmosphere since the group’s founding continues, and it is expected that there will be significant changes in the composition of the board of directors…

Was his performance in their eyes more insignificant than he thought?

That couldn’t be.

Wallflower succeeded in renewing its highest sales again this year…

“I…”

He had succeeded in taking second place, right below Chairman Ardo, in the Forbes ranking of fashion tycoons.

“This is…”

It felt like he had finished a big exam and was now in a situation where he had to prepare for the next exam.

His worries deepened.

Until now, he had simply led Wallflower, but now he was in a position to lead 13 subsidiary brands within the group at the same time.

Can I do it?

After pondering for a moment, Jaesung smiled.

Daring to say…

Nothing seemed impossible now.

“Yeah, I’ve accomplished so many things that seemed impossible until now.”

It wouldn’t be easy, but it didn’t seem like something he couldn’t do.

“Let’s do it…”

Just as Jaesung was muttering quietly, that’s when it happened.

– We will now make a brief announcement.

The captain’s announcement flowed from the speaker installed inside the private jet.

– This aircraft will soon begin landing at its destination, Incheon International Airport in Korea.

– We will make another announcement. This aircraft will soon be at its destination…

Soon, Jaesung glanced out the window.

The city, which felt familiar yet somehow unfamiliar, was visible below.

His motherland, Korea.

Jaesung smiled brightly as he stared blankly out the window for a moment.

Before starting to perform group duties in earnest.

“I can finally get some rest…”

He had come to his hometown.

* * *

The anchor’s voice echoed loudly inside the mansion in the Pyeongchang-dong [an affluent neighborhood in Seoul] residential area where Jaesung’s family lived.

– The next news is about designer Lee Jaesung, who is promoting national prestige on the world stage.

The anchor took a breath and continued.

– It is reported that designer Lee Jaesung, who broke his years of hiatus and proved his skills again through the Paris Fashion Week stage, has taken control of the LVMH Group, which is like an impregnable fortress in the fashion world, as of today.

– The LVMH Group has grown in size by acquiring premium brands from various countries in the world in turn, and now boasts such a huge scale that it is called the fashion empire, and there has never been a single Asian among the members of the board of directors…

Soon, Jaesung’s biological mother, Kim Eunhyung, who was staring blankly at the TV screen, muttered softly.

“Honey, what does that mean?”

At those words, Jaesung’s biological father, who had a pleasant smile on his face, shook his head and replied briefly.

“It means he’s done something amazing again.”

Then he muttered lowly.

“At this rate, a biography. No, no. I wonder if even a hagiography [an excessively flattering or idolizing biography] will be published.”

His father, who had a hobby of scrapbooking articles related to Jaesung, had been taking it easy on his hobby activities recently.

‘How can I handle it alone when there are one or two articles…’

Because articles related to his son were pouring out almost every day, he had reached a point where he could not handle it alone without hiring someone.

Even…

The headline article on the front page of the newspaper he was reading now was also related to his son, so how could he handle it alone?

How long had it been?

Ding-dong-.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang…

“Was anyone supposed to come?”

At the question her father gave, her mother tilted her head and answered.

“I don’t know…”

It was very rare for guests to visit, so she could only be puzzled.

“I’ll go see.”

Jaesung’s father put the newspaper he was reading on the side table and tried to get up from his seat.

“No, keep reading what you were reading.”

Jaesung’s mother diligently shook off her seat and headed for the front door.

She picked up the intercom receiver and asked back in a soft tone, “Who is it?”

“Oh my…”

She gasped as she faced the face of a sudden guest sent out on the intercom screen.

“Oh my, oh my, what to do…”

She immediately opened the front door and ran out barefoot.

“Son!”

She hugged Jaesung, who was standing at the entrance of the mansion.

“Mother.”

Soon, Jaesung also hugged his mother tightly and replied.

“I’m back.”

It was a reunion after several years.