Chapter 100
100. Are you okay?
2022.04.13.
Tears welled up in Eun-bi's eyes.
This wasn't my goal. My plan was to reveal that Lee Jung-o was Jeong Ji-heon's mistress!
Lee Jung-o, in the cubicle right next to mine, continued her work with an indifferent expression, as if she had no interest in any of this.
I'm supposed to be the victim! You're supposed to be the mistress!
Assistant Manager Jo Si-nae, who had been protecting Eun-bi, seemed shocked by the Audio file. Eun-bi approached Jo Si-nae, pouring out her grievances.
"Assistant Manager Jo, you know, right? It's all a setup. You understand, right? You've been through something similar."
But Jo Si-nae shook her head and gradually backed away.
Si-nae was the only one who had heard both Director Jeong Ji-heon's one-sided claims and Manager Chae Eun-bi's one-sided claims. The reason she had given weight to Manager Chae Eun-bi's claims was because it was more advantageous for her.
But, there was a recording of their conversation. 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 as if they were disgusted.
"No! It wasn't me! It was you! Lee Jung-o, you did it!"
"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 obstructing business after shouting that the file was fake. It was not a glorious exit.
An hour later, an email arrived for the employees of Max Planning.
「To all employees, hello. This is Jeong Ji-heon, Head of Planning and Production Division 1.
Due to a mistake by a production team employee who has now left Max Planning, data related to the employee's personal life has been leaked. As the head of the division and a person involved in the incident, I feel responsible and apologize to all employees.
Furthermore, we recommend that all employees who have personally downloaded the leaked Audio file today delete it as soon as possible.」
Although Ji-heon requested that the Audio 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 triangle.
The employees, who had been wandering around like ghosts with tired eyes from being overworked, shared their opinions with renewed energy for the first time in a while. Wherever two or more people gathered, they invariably talked about Jeong Ji-heon and Chae Eun-bi.
"Did you see the Audio file that Manager Chae Eun-bi from Division 1 uploaded?"
"Of course. So, the rumor that Manager Chae Eun-bi and Director Jeong Ji-heon were going to get married was just a false rumor. And Manager Chae spread that false rumor herself."
"I didn't think she was like that. She even cursed at Assistant Manager Lee Jung-o the other day. Is it pathological lying or paranoia?"
"I thought she would be a dignified person because she's from a family of lawyers. Ugh, I'm glad I didn't get involved with someone like that. The people who took over Manager Chae's work are all looking grim."
"But Director Jeong Ji-heon is surprisingly stupid 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 could not avoid the harsh words either. Only Production Team 2, who guessed that Ji-heon had deliberately taken action to resolve the conflict, had relieved expressions.
Among them, Assistant Manager Go Eun-ju was the most excited.
"It's so fun! It's so thrilling!"
Jeong-o was slightly upset that Go Eun-ju was so happy in this situation where even Jeong Ji-heon was being criticized, when it would have been nice if only Chae Eun-bi was being criticized.
"Assistant Manager Go, aren't you enjoying this too much?"
"Assistant Manager Lee. Let's be honest. This should have been revealed a long time ago. The truth exploded in such a dramatic situation, isn't it fortunate and refreshing? In that situation where she was spouting nonsense about an affair! Just before Assistant Manager Lee's name came out!"
"But. My name will be spread soon too. People like rumors. Besides, Chae Eun-bi pointed me out."
"Are you very worried?"
"Just. I am."
Jeong-o replied listlessly to Eun-ju's caring question.
For Jeong-o, 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 Jeong Ji-heon's biological child? Just imagining it made her feel tired already.
Eun-ju, who had been quietly pursing her lips, told her own story a little later.
"Assistant Manager. 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 don't obsess over being loved, there's so much you can do."
Jeong-o nodded slowly at Eun-ju's encouragement.
She was right. Assistant Manager Go Eun-ju always maintained a line with her colleagues and suggested ways to have a wise work life. 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 Jeong-o's sincere greeting.
*
After Ji-heon's Audio file exploded, Seung-gyu, worried about Ji-heon's well-being, rushed to his office. Ji-heon was sitting on the sofa, looking at his cell phone.
He was so engrossed in some content that he even occasionally chuckled.
"Jeong Ji-heon... are you okay?"
Is he okay, or has he lost his mind?
It was fortunate that he didn't seem down and looked energetic, but he didn't look like someone who had caused trouble at all, which made him even more worried. Seung-gyu sat down next to Ji-heon and let out a sigh and a grumble.
"I don't know if you saved the country in your previous life, but you must have protected it."
"......"
"Whether your social reputation is at rock bottom or not, 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 the unresponsive Ji-heon, Ji-heon reached out and showed him the cell phone screen. It was a text message screen. Traces of text messages exchanged with Yena.
- I wish Dad would pick me up from school.
Seung-gyu frowned after checking the text message.
"What is this?"
"Yena sent it."
"......"
"It's the first text message Yena sent me, and look, there are no spelling errors. Look at how she wrote the 'jo' character. Not all seven-year-olds are like this, right?"
……I'm an idiot for worrying about this guy.
"Yeah. My son barely learned how to read."
"Who does Yena 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?"
Jeong Ji-heon's daughter, Lee Yena, sent sixteen letters and became a future copywriter.
Why am I already unable to stand him?
Seung-gyu snatched Ji-heon's cell phone and turned it upside down on the table.
"Stop talking nonsense. What happened? There's no way Chae Eun-bi would have had such an Audio 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 only harm her and not benefit her.
Ji-heon picked up the cell phone that Seung-gyu had turned over and replied casually.
"As you know, if there is 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 while she wasn't there?"
"It was a mistake on my part too."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Really. I didn't expect Chae Eun-bi to blow it up this big."
It seemed to be true. Seung-gyu's mouth hung open blankly. Ji-heon's confession continued.
"It was a long time ago. I just hoped that Chae Eun-bi would accidentally click once while organizing her PC, so that the recording would leak into the ears of other people, even just a little. That was a very modest dream. It was really modest."
"......"
"Actually, my plan was to get Chae Eun-bi out of the company quickly 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."
"......"
"Well, anyway, everything's 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 vicious guy even luck?
Seung-gyu stroked the hairs standing on his arms and said.
"Okay. Anyway, I'm glad it worked out, but what if Chae Eun-bi makes an issue out of it?"
"The PC is not the property of the individual, but the property 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 nonchalant, unlike the person who caused the problem.
Seung-gyu let out a hollow breath.
Ah, I had momentarily forgotten that you were this kind of person.
A guy who hides his terrifying claws with an attitude as if everything in the world is a nuisance. The most difficult guy to meet as an enemy.
I should have worried about the celebrity, but I worried about you. Like an idiot.
Looking at him with a complicated expression, Ji-heon, who was fiddling with his cell phone, asked.
"Why?"
"Nothing."
"......"
“I hope Yena takes after Lee Jung-oh more than you.”
“Don’t worry about that. She’s the spitting image of Jeong-o. Can’t you tell from this text message? Oh, and there’s this too. Wanna see? I told her to sleep well, and she sent me two ‘oongs.’ And then…”
“Ugh, that’s annoying! Stop it!”
Seung-gyu, unable to bear it any longer, shouted.
Guk-soon’s restaurant spot was quickly sold. Now, a chicken restaurant is said to be moving in. They’re using the restaurant’s equipment as is, so Guk-soon didn’t have much to clear out.
While Guk-soon was telling the new owner all sorts of important information, Jeong-o sat quietly with Yena in the restaurant, waiting for Guk-soon.
While Jeong-o sat there blankly, her daughter seemed very busy. She was giggling while looking at her phone screen, which made Jeong-o curious.
“Yena, Princess. What are you looking at that’s so fun?”
“It’s a secret.”
Yena turned her back to Jeong-o and lowered her head deeply. That phone only has texting and calling functions, so what could she be fiddling with that would make her laugh like that?
Even on the way home, Yena kept looking at her phone.
“Lee Yena. Put the phone down and look where you’re going.”
Jeong-o warned Yena, who was holding her mother’s hand with one hand and constantly fiddling with her phone with the other.
“Okay.”
Yena grinned and took her hand off the phone.
Guk-soon asked Jeong-o.
“Is Yena’s dad coming today?”
“Dad said he’s coming at nine today.”
Yena answered instead of Jeong-o. It was news Jeong-o hadn’t heard. Jeong-o asked Yena.
“Did you contact your dad?”
“Yeah. By text.”
“Let me see.”
“No!”
“Why are you keeping secrets from your mom! Let me see!”
“No! No!”
Yena covered the phone hanging around her neck and hid behind her grandmother. Jeong-o whined to Guk-soon.
“Mom, look at Yena. Yena won’t show me her texts. I’m the one who bought her that phone.”
“Like mother, like daughter.”
Daily life returned to peace once more. Jeong-o and Yena circled around Guk-soon and energetically made their way home. But upon arriving in front of the house, Jeong-o’s expression hardened.
Ji-heon’s mother, Ms. Jang Young-mi, was standing there. It didn’t take long for Youngmi to recognize Jeong-o and Yena.
As Youngmi approached with a click-clack, Jeong-o’s hand, holding Yena’s, tightened its grip.
