Chapter 59
Chapter 59
“It’s disappointing that all you could come up with was blaming your dead wife.”
“You think I’m like you, Chairman?”
“You learned all this under me, didn’t you?”
“……”
“What pisses me off is that you turned out this pathetic after everything I taught you, you son of a bitch.”
“Turns out, scheming just doesn’t suit me, Brother.”
“So you only figured out you’re a field guy after all this, huh?”
I couldn’t be happy about Chairman Pyeon saying he’d spare me. Looking closely, it seemed Dad had orchestrated all of this with the confidence that the Chairman wouldn’t kill me since I didn’t know anything. And Shin Chi-woo must’ve known that about him, too.
But even if I survived like this, I felt no gratitude toward either of them. I was furious with Shin Chi-woo and with my dad—down to my core.
Even if it was revenge for Mom, he should never have done this if he had thought about me. If he truly loved me, he should have found another way to get revenge. In the end, it was my dad who dragged everyone into ruin.
Let’s be honest—this wasn’t about justice. He did all this to gain something, even if it meant hurting and scarring me. It’s not like Mom was coming back from the dead. This was all for his own gain—for control of the company. Dad was just as cowardly and selfish.
“I have no regrets. I wanted to avenge my wife.”
“I told you I didn’t kill her.”
“The woman at the factory said the same thing. That she didn’t kill anyone.”
“You little fucker. Are you taking that bitch’s side?”
“What if she, like you, was actually telling the truth? You’re also denying it now, aren’t you?”
“You won’t shut your mouth until you’re dead.”
The moment a death sentence fell from Chairman Pyeon’s lips, I silently stared at the knife in front of my dad. I had been lucky enough to escape the Chairman’s wrath for now, but Dad probably wouldn’t.
“Thank you for sparing me, Chairman.”
“He tried to sell the company—this company that’s like my own child, like everyone’s here. He has to be punished.”
Honestly, I didn’t grab the knife because I wanted to save my dad out of love. It was more that, even now, I wanted to drive that blade straight into the heart of the man who caused all of this—Chairman Pyeon. This was my chance, when no one was paying attention.
So this is what it feels like when your vision goes white. I picked up the knife from the floor and lunged at the Chairman.
“Fuck… Move!”
“Put the knife down, now. Please, listen to me!”
But among all these people, only one had been watching me closely. The moment I grabbed the knife, someone jumped in front of Chairman Pyeon. It was Shin Chi-woo.
“Seo Wan-yi, drop the knife. If you cause a scene here, Director Seo won’t be able to rest in peace.”
“Get out of the way, you bastard. Shin Chi-woo, you’re the worst one here!”
“Put it down. I’ll explain everything to the Chairman. Right, Chairman?”
“Of course… I said I’d spare Wan-yi, so even if she’s being rude like this, I have to keep my word.”
“You heard him. Put the knife down.”
“Shut up!”
“Put it down, Wan-yi.”
He stood in front of me, shaking his head, gripping the blade in his bare hand. I knew it was hopeless, but I still fought with everything I had to wrench my wrist free.
“Move! Get out of the way! Should I kill you first?!”
“You think you’re the only one here with a knife?”
“Then bring it on. Fuck all of you! I’m not scared of any of you!”
“Let her go, Chi-woo. Who knows? Maybe the daughter will succeed where the father failed.”
“You might get hurt, Chairman.”
“I’m not long for this world anyway.”
I was holding a knife, threatening to kill someone, and yet no one tried to stop me—except for Shin Chi-woo. Not even my dad stepped in. Everyone else just watched like it was an amusing spectacle, like I was something weak they could swat away with a finger.
It was no surprise that a woman couldn’t overpower a man. I felt like my wrist might snap, and I could tell Shin Chi-woo wasn’t using full strength—he clearly didn’t want to hurt me.
Then a thought flashed through my mind: I wanted to make everyone here regret underestimating me.
I released the knife from my right hand and caught it with my left. And then—with the intent to kill—I swung my left arm at Chairman Pyeon.
“Die, you piece of shit!”
“Please, stop! Wan-yi!”
“G-get out of the way.”
“Get a hold of yourself!”
But my final strike was stopped in the most unexpected way—by my dad. Maybe he knew that if I started stabbing people, I’d be the one to die. So he stepped in front of the wheelchair-bound Chairman Pyeon, shielding him.
Seeing my dad shake his head like that, like he would never allow it—what could I possibly say?
“Wan-yi! Please trust me… Put down the knife, okay?”
“D-dad…”
“You can’t do this. Not you… My daughter, at least… shouldn’t hurt anyone…”
In the face of my father’s tears as he protected his enemy, I finally let the knife fall from my hands. After screaming that I’d kill someone, my whole body went limp and I collapsed to the floor.
Only then did I notice Shin Chi-woo’s hand, the one that had grabbed the blade, bleeding freely. But I turned my head away. I didn’t want to look at him anymore. I hated them all. I resented every one of them. And I especially didn’t want to see him.
“Our Wan-yi was so impressive I almost fell for her. Look at this—can you see how my heart’s pounding? Can you see how breathless I am with excitement?”
“Chairman, please…”
“How did a coward like you end up with a daughter like this…? I really know how to judge people. We can’t afford to lose a talent like her.”
Clap clap clap—applause rang out, followed by exclamations of admiration. Not only Chairman Pyeon, but even some of the middle-aged men watching the whole scene raised their thumbs at me, some even shouting “Bravo.”
But I didn’t look at any of them. I was staring only at my father with a face drained of all will. I wasn’t sad because of their mockery, or because I failed to kill Chairman Pyeon. I was sad because I realized there was nothing left I could do for myself.
“Kyoyong, isn’t it obvious even from this that Wan-yi is better than you?”
“Chairman! Wan-yi just lost her mind for a moment! Please…! It was a mistake—please forgive her!”
“Chi-woo, your hand?”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t a deep cut.”
Blood poured from Shin Chi-woo’s hand as he received a handkerchief from someone and wiped down the knife. Then he handed it to Chairman Pyeon and wrapped his hand tightly in the blood-stained cloth.
With the knife now in hand, Chairman Pyeon let out a long sigh and spoke to my father with a stern expression.
“At this rate, Wan-yi will end up committing a crime.”
“I understand what you mean.”
“No need to stain anyone else’s hands with blood.”
“Yes.”
“You rose by the sword—so it’s only right you end by the sword.”
“I agree completely.”
“Then go. For Wan-yi’s sake, I’ll preserve the honor of your death.”
“Thank you, Chairman.”
“Out of old friendship, I’ll make sure your funeral is handled properly.”
Chairman Pyeon tossed the knife back to my father and gave a nod. Without hesitation, Dad caught it, then looked at me—collapsed on the floor in shock—and smiled. He had no hesitation, because he knew I could only live if he died.
“Wan-yi, you know I love you, right?”
“No, no! Dad…!”
“I’ll go be with your mother first.”
“Someone help! Please, someone… ugh, ugh…”
“I’m so sorry, my little girl.”
“No! Don’t do it! Aaaagh—!”
I saw the knife in my father’s hand rise above his head and then plunge straight into the right side of his chest. Blood poured from his chest as he collapsed to the floor, and I couldn’t move an inch. I never imagined I’d watch my father die right in front of me.
“Wani… Wanyi…”
“Dad…”
“Trust me… Bel… Believe…”
“Dad! Dad!”
“Believ… b… be-lieve…”
“No… no, please…!”
“D-daddy… b… believe… uh…”
To think that a human life could disappear in an instant—it was devastating. Even as he apologized, my father’s eyes, dyed red with blood, held one clear truth: he truly wanted to save me.
Dad.
Why?
Dad…
Faced with this horrifying sight, no tears came. My vision just turned white. I couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t see anything.
Except my father’s blood-soaked face—nothing else existed in this, the worst Christmas of my life.
