Corporate Villain
Copyright© 2025 by K.W
Chapter 28
The name of Director Jang Dong-ju came from Joo Dong-jin’s lips.
The shadow of Chairman Kang Man-ho, the group’s secretariat director, Jang Dong-ju.
I had estimated the odds at about 8 to 2.
The likelihood that Chairman Kang Ki-young, the great chairman, had assigned someone to me was 80 percent, while the likelihood that it was Chairman Kang Man-ho was 20 percent.
But against expectations, the 20 percent swallowed up the 80 percent.
Of course, that wasn’t the most important part.
“So, you’ve been reporting to Director Jang.”
Joo Dong-jin couldn’t even muster the courage to meet my eyes.
“ ... I’m sorry, Division Head.”
“It’s right that you’re sorry. But how sincere can an apology seem to the listener if you say sorry after being caught red-handed?”
“...”
“Well, of course, even if it hadn’t been you, Mr. Joo, someone else would have come and played the same role. So, I wasn’t particularly shocked that you were doing it. I just often thought it must be very uncomfortable for you.”
Joo Dong-jin’s eyes began to waver.
This was something that had to be accepted as inevitable.
After all, that’s the kind of place Daeyoung Owner Family was.
Heartless.
Doubting, verifying ... and wringing out.
Even if the subject was the owner’s own child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchild, grandson-in-law, or granddaughter-in-law...
“Did you know ... from the beginning?”
I nodded.
“How could I not? Every time I was kind to Mr. Dongjin, his eyes and expression were too heavy. As if he was committing a sin against me.”
Perhaps it was because the owner was accustomed to people’s ways, and I had been somewhat influenced as well.
Honestly, I didn’t feel greatly displeased.
I was only thinking about how to make the most of this opportunity I had caught, how to lead myself to the most advantageous situation possible.
Perfect injustice can become a good seed that creates opportunities, depending on the angle you look at it.
I had seen Joo Dongjin, planted in me from the beginning, as a seed that would bring me opportunities.
That’s why I had been pretending not to know and enduring it for the past two months.
“I think so. Whatever I do, as long as I’m proud of what I’m doing, I don’t have to be cautious, no matter who’s watching me or where I am. If you’re anxious and have to be careful, it means you’ve done something you’re not proud of, you’re doing it, or you’re planning to do it. It’s one of those three, isn’t it?”
He seemed quite confused.
Or maybe he didn’t understand the meaning of my words.
“Just report to Director Jang that you’ve been caught by me.”
Joo Dongjin bowed his head deeply.
“Wouldn’t that be better?”
After staring at the floor for a long time, Joo Dongjin took a deep breath, swallowed it, and then lifted his head.
With an expression that said he would accept the punishment I had decided, he nodded once and then spoke.
“If you knew everything from the beginning, may I ask why you didn’t tell me sooner?”
“It wasn’t particularly important to me.”
“...”
“I can assure you, while Joo Dongjin has been worrying and feeling anxious alone, Director Jang, who had him watch me, probably stopped caring after a while.”
Deep wrinkles began to form between Joo Dongjin’s brows.
“I’m not Truman, you know. Do you think someone interesting would wait all day for my every move? But Mr. Dongjin.”
“ ... Yes.”
“Do you think I’ve never done the spy life you’re living now? Even though I look like this, I’ve been eating at the group’s secretariat for over three years?”
A slight twitch began in the deep furrow of Joo Dongjin’s brow.
“I’ve done it too. I clearly became an executive secretary because Executive Kang Moon-jung suggested it, but the group’s secretariat asked me to make and submit a daily report on the executive’s schedule.”
At my words, Joo Dongjin’s eyes widened.
“The people in the group’s secretariat? They’re not as meticulous as you think, Mr. Dongjin. Reality isn’t like dramas or movies. The whims of the owner’s family change all the time. Matching those whims isn’t an ordinary task. You can’t be sincere in everything you do. Do you know what I did then?”
“ ... I don’t know.”
“I’ve thought about how much salary I’m receiving from this company.”
“What does that...”
“The work that the group’s secretariat is demanding of me, when you get down to it, doesn’t seem to be of any significant importance. If it were truly important, they would have assigned someone competent, not me. Someone who could handle it professionally. Are you a professional, Joo Dong-jin? I wasn’t at the time.”
“...”
“So, I just did it tactfully. Moderately. I omitted content that seemed unfavorable to Executive Kang Moon-jung, and elaborated on content that was praiseworthy or beneficial.”
“Then to Executive Kang Moon-jung...”
Why?
Was I as foolish as you?
Is that what you’re expecting?
“Of course, I spoke honestly. As you said, Dong-jin, it wasn’t the group’s secretariat but Executive Kang Moon-jung who first entrusted me with the role of an executive assistant.”
“...”
“People think I went straight from being an assistant manager to a deputy general manager. But that’s not true. I did skip a step, but there was a time, however brief, when I carried the business card of a manager.”
Joo Dong-jin, tilting his head in confusion, not understanding what I meant, I said to him,
“When I told them honestly that I received such orders from the group’s secretariat, they guessed as much. For keeping my loyalty to the executive, I was promoted from manager to deputy general manager in just six months. It was then that Executive Kang used the power of the owner’s family for the first time because of me. Thanks to that, I was completely freed from the reporting duties you’re doing now.”
I stood up from the office desk where I had been half-seated, facing Joo Dong-jin.
“I’m giving you a chance now. The good university, the expensive tuition you paid for four years to graduate and join this difficult job. If the work at this job is just to monitor someone’s daily routine and report to someone else like a spy ... can you really be proud of yourself?”
“...”
“I don’t think I could be. So let’s do some real work from now on, together. I can see you’re a person who lacks tact compared to your ambition and greed. But I don’t particularly need someone full of tact. If necessary, I can teach you that.”
He started looking at me with a surprised face.
You thought you’d be out immediately, didn’t you?
“What does that...”
“It’s Director Jang Dong-ju’s order. Ultimately, it’s my father-in-law, the chairman’s order. With so much at stake, how could I express disappointment or resentment over such a matter to my father-in-law?”
“...”
“What would I gain from that? It would only sound like I’m trying to fight against my father-in-law. And is he someone I could even win against? Contact Director Jang and tell him you’ve been caught. Then I’ll tell him it’s too bothersome and tiring to start over with someone new and that I’ll keep using you. Actually, changing people midway is also tiring.”
“...”
“Dong-jin.”
“Yes, Director.”
“I’ll start speaking informally to you from now on. Is that okay?”
As if he had made up his mind, Joo Dong-jin took a deep breath and answered.
“Yes.”
“Alright, let’s do that. I already have enough on my plate, I don’t want to worry about Dong-jin while working.”
It was right then.
Suddenly, a call came through.
The number of Jinsung Cheol, the Madrid branch manager, was displayed.
I first extended my palm towards Joo Dong-jin, signaling him to wait a moment, then switched the call to speakerphone.
“Yes, I’ve answered the call.”
– Director, it’s Jinsung Cheol.
“Yes, Branch Manager.”
As Jinsung Cheol’s voice flowed from the speakerphone, Joo Dong-jin’s face was filling with thoughts.
I kept my gaze fixed on Joo Dong-jin as I continued the conversation.
– The suspicion you had, Director, was correct. As you suggested, I prepared the painting gifts and met with the farm owners.
“Yes.”
– He said he would visit Spain personally between August and September.
“Is it Director Park Je-dong?”
– Yes. He promised that if we proceed with the contract renewal then, if we call 4.5 euros to the branch in advance, he would ensure the final renewal at 4.1 euros.
He’s offering 0.8 euros higher than the contract I secured?
He’s insane.
– He says he’s already set up a personal account in Spain. On the day of the final contract renewal, each farm will receive 100,000 euros, totaling 300,000 euros.
“Just 300,000 euros to raise the price by 0.8 euros per liter?”
I said it and then was shocked inwardly.
300,000 euros.
That’s well over 400 million Korean won.
I referred to that amount of money as ‘just.’
Unknowingly, I’ve become this bold.
“Yes.”
“Did you record this matter?”
– Yes, I recorded it with the consent of the farm owners. But the farm owners are worried.
“What are they worried about?”
“If this matter comes to light at headquarters, wouldn’t it make our future relations with them uncomfortable?”
“Discomfort arises when you try to keep covering up a problem. Since we’re already in for a five-year renewal, just convey that we hope this incident will build deeper trust between both parties.”
“Yes, I’ll make sure to pass that along.”
“You can send me the recording you made, right?”
“Of course. I’ll send it to you right after we hang up. And about the Kinzone Winery matter.”
“Yes?”