Capítulo 28: CH28
The sound of water splashing echoed throughout the quiet indoor swimming pool at the Walkerhill Hotel on a weekday morning. Seok-won's smooth, powerful strokes propelled him forward, his swimming skills nearly on par with that of a professional swimmer. Despite the freezing winter temperatures outside, the pool was comfortably heated, making it perfect for a swim.
After several non-stop laps across the 20-meter lane, Seok-won finally stopped at the end of the lane, placing his hand on the pool's edge to catch his breath.
"Phew! Finally, I'm starting to feel loosened up."
Seok-won tilted his head back, feeling refreshed. It had been a few days since he returned to Korea and, after adjusting to the time difference, he began to feel restless from not working out. Remembering the Walkerhill Hotel fitness membership he had, he decided to visit the facility.
As one of the few five-star hotels in Korea, the Walkerhill Hotel was well-equipped with exercise facilities, including a swimming pool, which left Seok-won highly satisfied.
He considered doing one more set of laps but then remembered he had plans to visit his father at the company in the afternoon, which made him hesitate.
"It's a shame, but I'll stop here for today and come back tomorrow."
Though the hotel was a bit far from his home, Seok-won decided he would use his membership to work out there during his stay in Korea.
He slowly swam over to the side of the pool and climbed out, using the ladder. Seok-won's body, well-toned from consistent exercise, boasted broad shoulders, perfectly sculpted abs, and a V-shaped physique, with muscles tightly packed in. Combined with his ruggedly handsome face, it was no wonder that he naturally drew attention from both men and women alike.
"Wow, look at that guy's body. It's no joke."
A woman in a bikini, sitting on a sunbed opposite, whispered to her friend beside her.
"Right? He's incredibly handsome too."
Her friend, with a short bob and a demure expression, subtly glanced at Seok-won and nodded in agreement.
"Do you think I should try talking to him?"
"Go ahead if you're confident. But he seems like the type who would have really high standards."
They weren't the only ones eyeing Seok-won; nearly all the women at the pool were sneaking glances at him, intrigued by both his looks and his physique.
Oblivious to their attention, Seok-won removed his swim cap and casually dried himself with the large towel draped over the sunbed. He grabbed his water bottle, which contained an energy drink, and took a sip when a noisy group of two men and two women entered the pool area.
"So, when I looked at the license plate of the car I was riding, it had a 'Heo' at the beginning."
One man, who had a flashy, almost thug-like appearance, was speaking, while a slender, model-like woman hanging onto his arm tilted her head.
"Oppa, what's wrong with that?"
The other man, whose sharp, slanted eyes gave him a fierce look, wrapped an arm around his partner's waist and laughed mockingly.
"Hehe, don't you know? Rental car plates start with 'Heo'. It's common knowledge."
Hearing this, the woman next to the thug-like man looked surprised.
"Oh my! So, it's not his car?"
"Exactly. He's just a wannabe trying to act like an Orange Tribe."
The man with the sharp eyes sneered as he spoke, while the woman beside him gasped.
"Oh my gosh! And here I thought he was really rich! Didn't he say he studied in the U.S.?"
"I heard that too. So it was all a lie?"
"That's crazy!"
The two men seemed to be around the same age but had different tastes in women—one preferred a slim beauty with fair skin, while the other was with a voluptuous, confident woman.
As the women burst into laughter, the man with the sharp eyes snorted dismissively.
"America, my ass. He's probably never even been on a plane."
"Hahaha! Oh, come on!"
Their noisy chatter was loud enough to be irritating, especially in the indoor space where sounds echoed more.
Though he considered saying something, Seok-won decided against it, not wanting to cause a scene. He instead collected his towel and belongings, intending to head to the locker room.
'You don't avoid filth because you're scared of it, but because it's dirty.'
Just then, someone called out to him loudly.
"Hey, aren't you Seok-won?"
"…?"
Turning his head, Seok-won saw that the man with the sharp eyes from the noisy group was pointing at him.
"Hey, don't you remember me? Don't you recognize me?"
For a moment, Seok-won frowned, not immediately recognizing the man, but then he remembered.
"Woo Ho-geun?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Woo Ho-geun, who had approached him, looked him up and down with a smug expression, as if assessing him.
"I heard you went to study in the U.S. When did you get back?"
"I came back for a short break."
Woo Ho-geun was the eldest son of Woo Yong-gap, chairman of Donghae Group, which was mainly involved in the edible oil and feed businesses. Though they knew each other, they weren't close enough to be considered friends.
Moreover, knowing the unfortunate future entanglement between the Donghae and Daeheung groups, Seok-won had no desire to become closer.
Whether aware of this or not, Woo Ho-geun continued to engage him in conversation.
"How long has it been since we last saw each other?"
"Three years, since Yoon-kyung's birthday party."
"Has it really been that long?"
"Sorry, but I have an appointment, so I need to go."
Not wanting to continue the conversation, Seok-won made an excuse and glanced around as if in a hurry.
"Oh, okay. Let's catch up some other time then."
"Sure."
Seok-won responded half-heartedly, collected his belongings, and walked past Woo Ho-geun and his group toward the locker room.
"Who's that?"
Jeon Geon-woo, the son of a four-term National Assembly member, asked as he gestured towards Seok-won with his chin. Woo Ho-geun, who had been glaring at Seok-won's retreating figure, clicked his tongue and replied.
"That's Park Seok-won, the second son of the Daeheung Group. A really annoying guy."
Unlike Seok-won, who had gained admission to Harvard on his own merits, Woo Ho-geun had been a troublemaker since childhood, causing all sorts of problems and barely managing to enter a somewhat reputable university in the U.S. thanks to a hefty donation from his father, Woo Yong-gap.
But as the saying goes, "A leaking bucket leaks everywhere," and even during his time in the U.S., Woo Ho-geun had been involved in scandals involving women, drinking, and even drugs, much to his father's frustration.
Because of constant comparisons to the model student Seok-won, Woo Ho-geun harbored deep resentment and jealousy towards him.
"Damn it, that ruined my mood."
When Woo Ho-geun muttered in irritation, Jeon Geon-woo casually threw an arm around his shoulder, smiling.
"Hey, no need to get worked up. Let's just forget about it and have some fun."
His female companion, who was clinging to his arm, also tried to cheer him up, pressing her chest against him and playfully whining.
"That's right, Oppa."
Normally, this would have been enough to lighten his mood, but Woo Ho-geun continued to glare in the direction where Seok-won had disappeared before finally turning away.
After changing clothes and leaving the hotel, Seok-won drove his red Mitsubishi Eclipse to the Daeheung Group headquarters in Mapo. The sleek, two-door coupe had been a birthday gift from Chairman Park Tae-hong two years ago.
Arriving at the headquarters in time, Seok-won took the elevator straight to the 20th floor, where the chairman's office was located. Having been there several times before, he easily found the office and opened the door to enter. The staff in the secretary's office, who had been working, looked up at the sound of his entrance.
"Young Master! Welcome."
Among the five staff members, a man in his early thirties with a receding hairline recognized Seok-won and stood up.
"Manager Chu! It's been a while."
Recognizing the man, Seok-won greeted him warmly.
Chu Se-young, the manager, quickly walked around his desk and bowed deeply.
"I heard you returned to Korea. I'm so glad to see you in good health."
The incident involving Seok-won's shooting had been kept under wraps by the group, so most employees were unaware that anything had happened. However, since the secretariat was close to Chairman Park Tae-hong, they were fully aware of the situation.
Especially since Chu Se-young had accompanied Chief Secretary Gil Sung-ho to the U.S. with Chairman Park and his wife during the incident, he was even more informed.
"Thank you for your concern."
"The chairman asked me to send you in as soon as you arrived. Please, go ahead."
Nodding, Seok-won followed Chu Se-young towards the thick wooden door leading to the inner office.
"Young Master is here, sir."
Chu Se-young lightly knocked before opening the door slightly and announcing his arrival. A familiar voice responded from inside.
"Let him in."
Thanking Manager Chu with a nod, Seok-won walked into the chairman's office.
As Chu Se-young carefully closed the door behind him, Lee Chae-yeon, a junior secretary who had been with the company for only a year, spoke up, curiosity evident in her voice.
"Is that the chairman's second son?"
"Yes, he is. And quite the handsome one at that."
"When he first walked in, I thought he was a celebrity!"
"Haha, it's understandable, given how different he looks from Director Park."
"And I heard he's incredibly smart too."
"Of course. He's attending Harvard University. What more is there to say?"
Chu Se-young answered proudly, as if he had personally attended Harvard.
"He's so handsome, wealthy, and well-educated. He's practically a prince."
"Well, the chairman only has two sons, so he's bound to inherit a significant portion. He's definitely a prince."
"I wonder who he'll marry. I'm so jealous of her already."
With a dreamy look in her eyes, Lee Chae-yeon clasped her hands together as if in prayer.
At this, Deputy Manager Jung Yoon-kyung, who was sitting nearby, lightly tapped the desk with her palm.
"Ms. Lee Chae-yeon."
The sharp look through her black-rimmed glasses made Lee Chae-yeon flinch and immediately look over.
"Yes, Deputy Manager."
"I've told you before that discretion is crucial in the secretariat. Especially when it comes to the chairman and his family, you need to pretend you've seen nothing and heard nothing, understand?"
Deputy Manager Jung Yoon-kyung, who had been with the company for a long time and was known for her keen understanding of Chairman Park Tae-hong's moods, was like the matriarch of the secretariat.
As she sternly reprimanded her, Lee Chae-yeon quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry."
Even Manager Chu Se-young, who had been her senior by many years, pretended to be engrossed in his paperwork to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, feeling sorry for her but knowing better than to intervene.
"Yes, be more careful from now on. And that goes for you too, Manager Chu."
"Oh, yes! Of course!"
Caught off guard by the sudden mention of his name, Chu Se-young hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Deputy Manager Jung adjusted her glasses and walked over to the door of the chairman's office.
"Excuse me."
Amid the suddenly tense atmosphere in the secretariat, Deputy Manager Jung calmly tidied her clothes and lightly knocked on the door before entering.
As Seok-won stepped into the chairman's office, he noticed that his father wasn't alone; there was a middle-aged man he didn't recognize seated across from him.
"Come on in."
Chairman Park Tae-hong, seated at the head of the table, glanced at him, prompting Seok-won to approach and speak.
"I didn't know you had a guest."
"I asked Mr. Choi to join us for lunch to introduce you. This is Choi Jin-woo, the new CEO of the securities firm we just acquired."
The middle-aged man, with neatly combed hair and gold-rimmed glasses, smiled as he stood and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from the chairman."
"Park Seok-won."
Shaking hands and offering a polite greeting, Seok-won's mind was in turmoil.
'Why is he here?'
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