Corporate Villain
Copyright© 2025 by K.W
Chapter 27
“There’s no need to do it like we did in Pyeongchang-dong starting tomorrow.”
In front of the house, by the entrance, Manager Noh Gyu-hyung parked his car and took out the luggage from the trunk that he brought from the Daejeon house.
While I was receiving the luggage from him, the executive spoke.
It was already 8 in the evening.
I couldn’t sleep at my mother’s house and come up because of work tomorrow.
It wasn’t just me or the executive taking a day off; it was practically impossible for both of us to leave our posts for six days under the pretext of a honeymoon.
So, I had lunch with my mother and spent a little time before coming up.
“Don’t come early and just stare blankly while we eat. Just come at the right time. The car is already registered, so once you enter the complex, a call will come to the house.”
“Yes.”
That was the part I had discussed with the executive.
In a house where just the two of us live, I wondered if there was any need to invite Manager Noh Gyu-hyung inside, like we did in the Pyeongchang-dong family home.
It seemed uncomfortable to me.
I had done the secretary work before, and I knew what it was like for the owner to spend time just looking at their phone while people ate breakfast.
And to have such a presence nearby during breakfast.
I wasn’t confident about that part.
“There are days when we have to go to Pyeongchang-dong, right? Once or twice a week.”
“Yes.”
“Just come a bit earlier to the family home on those days, like you’ve been doing.”
“Am I not supposed to come here and take you both to Pyeongchang-dong?”
“Hmm.”
The executive shook his head and said,
“This person has a car.”
This person...
It’s still an awkward title to be called.
Yet, it’s a title that brings gratitude and a sense of reassurance.
“We can go to Pyeongchang-dong in this person’s car. This person has to go to work as well. We’ll just have breakfast at the main house, and then go our separate ways to work—I with Director Roh. That’s all you need to know.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Oh, and you know about the banquet at the main house this weekend, right?”
The Pyeongchang-dong greetings had already been done right after the honeymoon, before going down to greet the family in Daejeon.
The great chairman, his spouse, and Vice President Kang Young-jin and his spouse.
It was just a light dinner with the people of the Pyeongchang-dong main house, but separately, this coming weekend, a small garden party-style banquet was being prepared for the direct family of the great chairman (Chairman Kang Man-ho’s siblings and their children), as well as some guests from the external family of Executive Director Kang Moon-jung, from the Hanshin Newspaper side.
It’s not often, but occasionally such banquets are held in the Pyeongchang-dong garden.
The nature of the banquet changes depending on who is invited.
When Vice President Kang Young-jin and Director Joo Yeon-hee were involved, the in-laws from the VR Group were invited, but this time, instead of the in-law’s family, people from Executive Director’s external family, the Hanshin Newspaper side, were invited, which was a bit special.
I actually felt more at ease with this arrangement.
Imagine if they had invited our family just like they did during Vice President Kang Young-jin’s time.
It would just make everyone uncomfortable.
“Yes.”
“Alright. You’ve worked hard today. Go on in.”
“This is...”
I gestured to Director Roh, who was eyeing the luggage taken out of the car, that I could carry it in myself, and told him to head home quickly, even though it was already late, as I ushered him into the car.
I entered the house.
Sure enough, there were traces of someone having been there all over the place.
Clearly, when I left for Daejeon in the morning, I couldn’t empty the sink and had to leave in a hurry.
The sink was as clean as a mirror, and my bedroom bed was perfectly made, just like a hotel room bed.
“Executive Director Yoon.”
“Yes!”
The voice of the executive director calling me from the first floor rose up.
Looking down through the indoor stair railing, I saw the executive director standing in front of an unopened painting.
The painting Vice President Kang Young-jin had given as a wedding gift yesterday in Pyeongchang-dong.
Staring blankly at the painting that had been casually propped against the wall under the TV in the living room, I approached the executive director, who seemed to be pondering what to do with it.
“Yes.”
The executive director, having finished contemplating what to do with this troubling gift, tore open the kraft paper wrapping with an expression that said he had found the perfect spot for the painting.
“Take this and follow me.”
He went up to the third floor.
If this house were our base camp, the third floor would be the headquarters within it.
I was curious about the executive’s intention in bringing a painting gifted by Vice President Kang Young-jin to this space.
“Over here, a bit higher...”
“Like this?”
“Just a bit more. Yes, that’s good. Hold still just like that.”
When seated across the conference table, the executive and I could both turn our heads this way to see it fairly.
He had ordered me to fix the picture frame in that position, then stepped back a few paces and took out his phone to take a photo.
“That’s it.”
“Should I put it back here?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s see, do you happen to have a toolbox at home ... or not?”
“No, no. Who would need to hammer at this hour? It was just to see the position. After we go to work tomorrow, I’ll have the management office people hang it up when Aunt Jin-ok comes.”
I couldn’t help but ask.
It was a gift received in front of all the family elders, so I understood why it was brought here, but considering the relationship between Vice President Kang Young-jin and the executive, it couldn’t possibly be hung in this house.
“Why insist on hanging it here...”
“To see it every day. And to keep from getting complacent.”
“...”
“I received quite a nice gift. Every time I come up here and see this painting, it will surely motivate me.”
At times like this, I really think, Kang Moon-jung is truly Kang Moon-jung.
“May I enter Mr. Yoon’s dressing room?”
As if he had finished his business on the third floor, the executive cautiously asked.
“Yes, of course.”
In this house, in this space, was there anything that the executive needed my permission for?
Even my bedroom, my dressing room, I was always ready to reveal everything to the executive without any secrets.
We went down to the dressing room on the second floor together.
Entering, I was surprised to find several articles of clothing that hadn’t been there when I left for Daejeon in the morning, now inside the wardrobe.
And how did the executive know that these clothes would be in this wardrobe, among the many others?
It was pajamas.
Three sets of pajamas with different patterns were neatly arranged alongside some unfamiliar underwear.
“Jin-ok’s aunt has washed and organized everything new, so you can just wear them right away.”
“ ... Yes.”