It seemed as though they asked thinking I wouldn’t be able to respond.

“Is there really any reason I can’t speak? If Chairman Kwon loses interest in me, I’d rather take it as a blessing.”

If the engagement were called off, my replacement husband, the revenge plans—all of it—would fall through. Yet it would also be the cleanest ending.

Suhyuk wouldn’t have to willingly walk into that hell either.

And the most important thing: I hadn’t done anything wrong.

“So what reason would I have not to speak?”

With that thought, Yuseong politely explained her uncle-in-law’s absence.

“My uncle is bedridden. He got hit by the baseball bat I swung.”

“Pffft—!”

“Hey! Shin Yuseong!”

Kwon Hyukjun spat out his drink in shock, and Kyunghee was aghast.

But Yuseong didn’t stop there.

“Not only did he lead dozens of people here first, but he even brought weapons to attack me. I acted in self-defense.”

“…Hmm.”

Sungjae’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t you think self-defense was a bit extreme?”

Yuseong met his gaze without flinching and continued.

“If I hadn’t, I’d be the one bedridden right now.”

“Really?”

“From now on, if anyone threatens me, I’ll protect myself first, by any means necessary. No matter who it is.”

She emphasized her last words deliberately, smiling faintly.

“I learned that from my father.”

It was a subtle warning: even his son might not be safe.

“Chairman, please ignore her. I’ll re-educate the young lady in manners. Ha… what kind of upbringing leads to such rudeness…!”

“I sincerely apologize. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

“Wait.”

Sungjae cut off Myeongsook and Kyunghee’s fussing beside him.

“That almost sounds like a threat… am I imagining it?”

He stared at Yuseong without blinking.

The way he looked through her—Suhyuk’s piercing gaze all over again.

If it had been anyone else, she might have looked away, but Yuseong had already grown accustomed to that sharp stare thanks to Suhyuk.

So she wasn’t intimidated by his attempt to control her with his eyes.

“You’re free to interpret it however you like, Chairman. If I don’t meet your standards, this marriage can be called off without issue.”

“What? Hey! Shin Yuseong!”

“…Young lady. How can you act so improperly at an engagement meeting?”

Criticism immediately came flying from Kwon Hyukjun and Ha Myeongsook.

“Haha! Just as expected from Shin Byeong-oh’s daughter!”

Yet, apparently, Sungjae approved of her response. When he smiled, the mother and son had nothing more to say and kept their mouths shut.

“Haha…”

Yuseong smiled back casually, thinking to herself:

Among everyone here, Chairman Kwon Seongjae might look the most normal—but he’s probably the craziest of them all.

“Yes, you need guts like that to be part of the Kwon Seong family. Have you secured the wedding hall?”

Just like now.

Sungjae was brushing off her words and insisting on proceeding with the wedding.

Yuseong frowned for a moment at his total disregard for her.

If he were a normal man, he wouldn’t even consider marrying a daughter-in-law whose son had been bullied at school.

As Yuseong prepared to add another word, Myeongsook spoke first.

“…The Kwonseong Hotel Grand Hall is nice. The biggest, most grand, and it’ll look proper at our hotel.”

“Don’t make it too flashy. People will just talk.”

Sungjae’s reproach stiffened Myeongsook’s face slightly.

It was one thing not to care about her son’s wedding, but another to act as if it were shameful—unacceptable.

“It’s still your only son’s wedding; we should celebrate grandly. The dress fitting’s almost done. But…”

Myeongsook’s gaze landed on Yuseong.

“Young lady, you need to manage yourself. Your skin looks dry, and your figure…”

…Suddenly attacking her personally?

“What will the guests think? Even if you’re inferior to our Hyukjun in background, looks, and ability, you should still try. Otherwise, you’re shaming Hyukjun’s face.”

As if seeking revenge from earlier, Ha Myeongsook mercilessly criticized Yuseong.

Seeing Sungjae’s lack of reaction, Hyukjun gained courage and joined in, targeting Yuseong.

“Yeah. What about my reputation? Manage yourself. All you’ve got is your face.”

Faced with the absurd personal attacks from the mother and son, Yuseong calmly lowered her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and smiled.

Then she turned to Hyukjun calmly.

“Hyukjun, did you get a hair transplant?”

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

“Wh-what?”

Everyone stopped eating and stared at her.

“Last time I saw you, the crown of your head was bare, but now it looks fully planted, like a rice paddy.”

Yuseong grinned as if genuinely pleased.

“Well done. No one will notice even at the wedding. You had circular alopecia, didn’t you?”

“….”

“Hair loss? Director Kwon has hair loss?”

Kwon Seongjae furrowed his brow.

Of course, given how dense his own hair was, it must’ve been hard to believe his son had thinning hair.

Meanwhile…

‘Even at a private family gathering, they call him Director Kwon.’

It was a reminder of how publicly Hyukjun’s child status had been recognized.

Myeongsook, barely restraining her anger, hid her trembling hands under the table and forced a smile.

“It’s stress-induced hair loss, Chairman. Our son’s been working hard on a project lately, so that’s why.”

“Oh, really? How’s that going? The one called Rex, right?”

Hyukjun, struggling to contain his anger, squeezed his eyes shut and muttered.

“It… isn’t easy to find. But I’m looking diligently.”

In other words, no progress.

As Sungjae’s face visibly stiffened at his son’s disappointing answer…

“If it’s Rex, are you talking about the famous Silicon Valley venture capitalist?”

Yuseong cut in.

“That’s right. Do you know him?”

“I know him well.”

“What?”

Yuseong smirked.

The reason she attended this engagement was simple: to secure a meeting for Kwon Suhyuk, her future husband.

“May I introduce him to you, Chairman?”

At the same time that Yuseong faced Chairman Kwon Seongjae, an emergency board meeting was convened at Shinyang Trading.

The main conference room was in utter chaos.

Eight directors attended: five loyal to Oh Dae-ho, hoping to rebuild the Shinyang faction, and three loyal to Shin Byeong-oh, opposing violence.

But beyond them, dozens of black-clad men surrounded the room.

This was far from an ordinary board meeting.

“Clears throat.”

Among Oh Dae-ho’s faction, An Chi-hong, his top lieutenant, stepped onto the podium.

He shouted loudly:

“I appoint this An Chi-hong as acting CEO of Shinyang Trading. Those in favor, applaud!”

Clap, clap, clap!

“Whoa! Congratulations, brother!”

“Impressive!”

While Oh Dae-ho’s faction cheered, the three opposing directors were gagged, tied up, and kneeling, unable to vote.

Upon hearing that Dae-ho was unconscious, Chi-hong immediately convened this emergency meeting with an outrageous agenda: appointing himself acting CEO.

Chi-hong casually walked down from the podium, kicked the incompetent bodyguards around, and mocked the kneeling directors.

“Hire better security. How do you expect to make a living like this?”

The other members snickered.

“How naive to bring such weaklings for our Shinyang faction.”

This was not a board meeting—it was a gang coup.

“Damn bastards, serve you right!”

Thud, thud! Chi-hong kicked the directors’ heads like dominoes.

“Ha! Finally relieved. I’ve been fuming at these posh brats for too long.”

“Brother.”

A member whispered to Chi-hong, who nodded with understanding and returned to the podium.

“Second agenda: those in favor of dismissing Director Shin Yuseong, daughter of Chairman Shin Byeong-oh, applaud!”

“Waaah!”

“What’s the reason? Offending my mood?”

The gagged directors thrashed wildly.

If Yuseong were removed, Shin Byeong-oh’s faction would lose all standing in Shinyang Trading.

And that was exactly what Chi-hong was aiming for: to expel Yuseong and convert Shinyang Trading into a Shinyang gang stronghold.

Thus, on the day Yuseong could never attend the board meeting, he convened this emergency session.