Still, I Will Live As The Son-In-Law Of A Conglomerate [EN]: Chapter 108

108. 32nd. Marriage, and Alliance (2)

After finishing the meeting with Henry and returning to the suite, Grandfather looked at me, who had followed him in, and asked,

“How much does Henry know about our family?”

“He only knows what was revealed during the meeting, Grandfather.”

I couldn’t possibly know more than that. I didn’t know how much of a slush fund Grandfather had hidden, or how many people knew the size of that fund.

Grandfather, who had been humming in response, let out a light breath.

“I see. Still, seeing Henry’s green eyes makes me feel comfortable, haha.”

“I liked that about him too, Grandfather.”

“It’s fortunate that such a person cherishes you. Continue to build an even better relationship in the future.”

Grandfather looked at me with affectionate eyes and patted me encouragingly. Henry and the Royce family are currently the most reliable allies among the people I’ve joined hands with in the American political and business world. I can’t reveal it yet, but what kind of expression will Grandfather have when the truth that will be revealed in three months comes to light?

“I understand, Grandfather.”

Thinking about the future that would unfold in three months, I simply smiled at Grandfather.

***

A few days later.

Claire and Seon Hae-cheol’s wedding was held in a small church in a quiet suburb of New York State.

It might seem too simple and even shabby for the wedding of people belonging to the highest echelons of the United States and Korea. However, if Claire and Henry’s relationship were to be revealed, the American political establishment could throw a wrench in the alliance between Triumph and Standard, and further, the Royce family and our family.

Therefore, Claire and Seon Hae-cheol chose a small wedding, inviting only the closest people as guests, considering the long-term mutual cooperation and development of both families.

Instead,

The quality of the wedding was something that no wealthy person could envy.

“Uncle, do you like my gift?”

“Well… it’s a bit too provocative of a design to wear at a wedding… haha.”

Seon Hae-cheol stroked the tuxedo jacket with a gloved hand and gave me an awkward smile.

The suit he was wearing was a wedding tuxedo that I had asked Tom Ford to design personally. Thanks to Tom Ford’s unique sensual touch, even for a wedding suit, Seon Hae-cheol’s well-maintained body exuded masculinity.

Moreover, the fabric used for the tuxedo was vicuña wool, exclusively produced by Loro Piana, one of the top three Neapolitan fabric manufacturers. Because the fabric, made from wool that is harvested only 120 grams per vicuña [a South American camelid] every two to three years, was tailored to Tom Ford’s design, the price of the tuxedo Seon Hae-cheol wore was $30,000.

While Seon Hae-cheol was unable to hide his embarrassment, seemingly pleased with one of the wedding gifts I had given him, Claire walked in wearing a pure white dress that was short in the front, revealing her shapely legs, but long in the back. This was also designed by Tom Ford himself.

“How is it, Claire?”

“I love it so much. Both Hae-cheol and I are glad we entrusted it to Tom Ford. Thank you, Johnny.”

Seeing Claire’s bright smile, I thought I had done well to ask Tom Ford. It was a secret wedding because of our family and the Royce family, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime wedding, isn’t it?

I wanted to give them a wedding that looked humble on the outside but was lavish on the inside, so I contributed as much as Grandfather and Henry, who were the heads of both families, and I felt proud to see the two of them satisfied with their wedding attire.

When Claire hugged Seon Hae-cheol’s arm tightly with both arms, one of the directors of Standard Capital chuckled.

“You two make me envious. We’re getting married soon too, so this will be a good reference, haha.”

However, another director next to him put his hand on the shoulder of the laughing director and shook his head.

“Dream on, there’s no way we can imitate their wedding, even if we die.”

“That’s right. Johnny donated $50 million and brought in the Cardinal, how can we imitate that?”

“Yeah. Don’t forget the marriage vows you practiced, and do well. If you don’t know them, write them on the palm of your hand right now, hehe.”

As the directors joked, the officiant of this wedding was the Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. The Royce family had converted from Protestantism to Catholicism when they settled in the United States to sever ties with the German headquarters, and our family, the host of Seon Hae-cheol’s wedding, had been Catholic since my great-grandfather, so the elders of both families had worked hard to invite him.

A reasonable fee was required, so it goes without saying that $50 million was quietly donated to the Archdiocese of New York in the name of Standard Capital. I didn’t regret the money spent to create a meaningful wedding for Claire and Seon Hae-cheol, who are Catholic.

When it was time to begin the marriage ceremony, everyone sat down, and the priests, including the Cardinal, entered through the central aisle.

Then, according to the order of the marriage ceremony, the Cardinal’s commentary began, and as Seon Hae-cheol and Claire entered in order, solemn music echoed throughout the church.

“Brothers and sisters, we have the sacred wedding mass of the groom, Hae-cheol Seon Alfonso, and the bride, Claire Lawrence Angelina. In order to properly celebrate the sacred wedding mass…”

In accordance with the Cardinal’s explanation of repentance, everyone who attended the ceremony offered a prayer of repentance, and after going through numerous steps, the consent to marriage and vows began. With Park Tae-jin as the witness for Seon Hae-cheol and me as the witness for Claire, the marriage vows of the two were exchanged.

Next, both sides exchanged rings prepared as wedding gifts, wishing for the couple’s marriage to last forever, and after completing the prayer of the gifts, the Lord’s Prayer, and Holy Communion, the marriage ceremony ended.

“Congratulations, Henry.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence. It’s a great honor.”

Henry’s face, as he shook hands with the Cardinal, holding his hands with both hands, was a mixture of relief, emptiness, and pride. Is that what a father feels like when he sends his daughter off to marriage?

Then, the Cardinal approached Grandfather and greeted him.

“To come all the way here from the other side of the world to be the host… May God’s grace be upon Brother Marco.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence.”

With the greeting to Grandfather, the priests, including the Cardinal, followed and left, and watching the scene, Park Tae-jin and I quickly went into the vestry to sign the witness signatures. After signing, I came out of the vestry and took a light breath.

“It’s strange, Hyung [older brother/male friend],”

“I’m surprised too, Young Master. I never thought that someone who was like the wind would settle down like this… haha.”

Park Tae-jin and I looked at each other and smiled awkwardly. Now, we were the only two men in our family who had to get married as soon as possible.

“Hyung, are you doing well with Manager Yoo?”

“We’re meeting often, Young Master. Are you doing well with Miss Jang?”

“I’m doing well too. The time is slowly approaching, so I’m feeling burdened, hehe.”

The wedding of Seon Hae-cheol and Claire, which had just ended, was like a model textbook for Park Tae-jin and me.

For the man to provide as much of a good background as possible, and for the woman to choose what she wants from that background or bring something else. There’s no wedding that will make a woman happier than that.

I wonder how surprised Jang Ho-geon will be when he sees the wedding that I set up and Jang Ha-yeon chooses and decorates?

***

After the wedding ceremony and the reception, Seon Hae-cheol and Claire left for a two-week honeymoon in the Bahamas. After seeing them off, Park Tae-jin and I visited the New York branch of Haedong Corporation with Grandfather and Go Seung-ju to check on the business, and then returned to Korea.

After returning to Korea and resting for a few days, we were summoned by Grandfather and went to Samcheong-dong. We greeted Grandfather in his study and sat on the sofa.

“Hae-cheol, that rascal, has finally become a head of household, haha.”

Hearing Grandfather’s hearty laughter, the ebony sofa, which was usually comfortable, felt like a bed of thorns. Park Tae-jin and I swallowed hard, wondering what Grandfather would say next.

“When are you two going to get married? Tae-jin, you don’t have many years left until you’re forty, do you?”

As expected, Grandfather’s nagging began. Park Tae-jin, who was the first to be targeted, was not the only one feeling the pressure; even I, who was next to him, had cold sweat on the edge of my forehead.

“I’m sorry, Chairman.”

“There’s no need to be sorry, just bring a good woman to this room. This old man will just confirm who your spouse is, euhehe.”

Grandfather, who had been laughing heartily at Park Tae-jin’s reddened face, stopped laughing. Grandfather now turned his gaze to me.

“When are you going? Isn’t your lover no ordinary lover, but a lover who is two years older than you?”

I’m going crazy, our old man.

Even during the Yeongdeungpo redevelopment-related meeting, he told me to do as I pleased, but after seeing Seon Hae-cheol and Claire’s wedding, did he have a change of heart?

My wedding with Jang Ha-yeon should be held at least at the end of next year or the beginning of the year after next. Is he teasing me knowing my feelings, or is he doing that without knowing?

Looking at Grandfather’s mischievous smile, it seemed like the former. He had heard about the possibility of the Asian financial crisis from Henry when he was staying in New York, so it was clear that he was teasing me.

What can I do? Grandfather is Grandfather, so I have to play along.

“I’m sorry, Grandfather. I’m working on it now, so I’ll give you news within the next year.”

As the eldest grandson of this family, with a healthy body and no shortcomings, and as the eldest grandson of this family with nothing lacking, not being able to announce the wedding is as good as a sin.

Even though I had revealed my marriage partner in front of the family and group elders, I had been postponing it on the pretext of work, so the crime was so bad that I had no choice but to ask for forgiveness.

“I see. But you can’t go beyond next year. It’s a sin against that child who only looks at you, let alone you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

In order not to be tricked by Grandfather’s prank, I have to hold the ceremony unconditionally at the beginning of the year after next.

***

After that, many things happened.

The first thing to mention was the unprecedented forced march of the Haedong Group. Under Grandfather’s instructions, the three veteran CEOs and Lee Myeong-jin harshly drove the executives.

Naturally, the executives also encouraged their managers to refrain from unnecessary spending and risky loans, while also making every effort to secure dollars through overseas construction orders and overseas exports.

Unlike the busy internal workings of the group, Park Tae-jin and I went on dates with our respective partners every Friday to confirm their thoughts. Neither Jang Ha-yeon nor Yoo Hyeon-jeong were obsessed with marriage, but they didn’t hide their disappointment, so we were both in a difficult situation.

After finishing our dates, Park Tae-jin and I would share our love stories and sigh, and in the meantime, Seon Hae-cheol, who had returned from his honeymoon, gleefully teased us to get married quickly.

Apart from our youth projects, the Korean stock market was gradually changing. At the end of October, the foreign investment limit was expanded from the existing 10 percent to 20 percent.

Accordingly, Standard Capital used the Haedong Corporation bonds it had previously acquired as collateral to raise cash from the banking sector and invested it in the Korean stock market, selectively purchasing only the stocks of major domestic companies such as Shinseong Electronics, Shinseong Corporation, Taehyun Motors, SG Energy, GK Electronics, and GK Chemicals. It was best to buy them, as we could handle any temporary losses.

Today, not long after entering December, I was buying stocks as usual, and as soon as the clock struck 6, I turned off my computer and said to Seon Hae-cheol.

“Uncle, I’m off work.”

“I’ll leave too, Hyung [older brother/male friend].”

Not only me, but even Park Tae-jin was tidying up his desk, putting on his coat, and packing his bag, so Seon Hae-cheol looked at me with playful eyes.

“Oh, really. Are you two going to see your girlfriends? Hehe.”

I really wanted to kill him. I really hated Seon Hae-cheol, who had set up honeymoon homes in both New York and Seoul and was spending a sweet honeymoon with Claire, going back and forth between Seoul and New York every other week.

‘Damn it… I want to give up on revenge and everything else and get married.’

Muttering inwardly, I pouted my lips and said to Seon Hae-cheol.

“I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be back, Hyung.”

Even Park Tae-jin retorted curtly and bowed his head to Seon Hae-cheol. After finishing the greetings, we quickly left the office.

“I’m so sad. I wish next year would come quickly.”

“I agree, Young Master.”

We both sighed deeply and got on the elevator. The door opened on the first basement floor, and Park Tae-jin and I got out of the elevator and the building and headed to the underground parking lot.

“Hyung, are you going to see Manager Yoo?”

“Yes. She says she has a lot of night shifts because of the training of new employees to be sent to the existing stores and the Yeongdeungpo branch to be opened next year, so I’m going to go and help her with her work.”

Hearing Park Tae-jin’s words, I thought of the Haedong Mart, no, Hi-Mart family. It was last December that I had a company dinner with Na Chang-seok, Yoo Hyeon-jeong, and other team members and laughed…

“It’s been almost a year since I’ve seen everyone.”

Na Chang-seok’s words at the last company dinner were still vivid in my mind as I gave a bitter smile.

[…I hope you’ll take care of Haedong Mart when you take care of the group management. Isn’t it Seong-min’s parents’ house, haha.]

I thought I should go there once if I had the chance. Isn’t Hi-Mart going to support the distribution sector in place of the department store, which will fall into a slump for the next few years, next year? Seeing me thinking about the business for that Hi-Mart, Park Tae-jin put his hand on my shoulder.

“Everyone is working hard and doing well, so don’t worry, Young Master. I’ll be sure to say hello to Manager Yoo and Manager Na, so have a good time with Miss Jang.”

“Thank you, Hyung. See you at home.”

Park Tae-jin and I got into our respective cars and left the building. Company work is important, but it was urgent for both of us to make progress in our youth projects.