Chapter 6
From a young age, Joo Won had been raised by his grandfather, a man known as a cold-blooded individual, and he too was molded into someone similar.
His memories of his father were vague.
The only image he remembered was of a man who was indecisive, overly emotional, and incapable of protecting what was his.
Being overly emotional meant creating inefficient relationships around oneself, which eventually led to hurting the people who mattered.
His father, whose relationships with women were complicated, constantly exhausted his mother and eventually drove her heart to the point of illness.
When Joo Won turned ten, his mother, suffering from depression, ultimately took her own life.
His father briefly showed his face at the funeral, but he did not even appear for his mother’s funeral procession.
At that time, he had left for Hawaii with the woman he was seeing.
That was the reason Joo Won could never acknowledge him as a father until the very end. He was no different from a beast that had abandoned its humanity.
His grandfather, a man with a perfect and meticulous personality, never tolerated such a father.
When the public learned that his father had been assaulted after having an affair with his friend’s wife, he had also tarnished the reputation of the group.
Using that incident as a turning point, his father gave up all his positions within the group and was kicked out of the company. He then left Korea with the woman he had committed adultery with.
After that, his grandfather became even more harsh and ruthless toward Joo Won, refusing to tolerate even the smallest mistake.
Joo Won also pushed himself harder, living flawlessly in order to erase the shadow of his father.
He never showed weakness to anyone—not even his grandfather—and always lived on edge, never lowering his guard.
Feeling as though his breath was being constricted, Joo Won loosened the knot of his tie.
Whenever he thought of his father, the only weakness in his life and the person he wished he could erase completely, it always felt as if his throat was being squeezed.
Three years ago, his grandfather’s health had deteriorated, and he now spent half of each year living in Hawaii.
Joo Won did not want his grandfather to learn about Yoon Jae Yi’s existence.
The woman’s presence, though for a different reason than his father, might become his weakness.
His grandfather was the kind of person who could turn even ordinary circumstances into something that benefited him.
Even if someone shared his blood, he felt no guilt in cutting them off and discarding them if they were no longer useful.
When he was young, Joo Won had desperately endured everything, struggling to avoid being abandoned by that grandfather.
Joo Won took a short breath, trying to escape the nightmare-like memories of him.
But the more he tried, the more cold sweat formed along his perfectly straight forehead.
“I worked really hard. Because I wanted to be useful in any way I could.”
At that moment, the woman’s voice rang vividly in his mind like an alarm.
Her refreshing laughter flashed before his eyes.
The suffocating feeling that had been tightening around his throat suddenly disappeared without a trace, and his breathing became easier.
She had loosened the man who had always lived as if walking across thin ice, constantly tense and alert.
The girl in the photograph his aunt had shown him long ago—the smile on her face had not changed at all.
“You grew up well.”
As he said those words silently to himself, the corners of his mouth, which had been stiff with tension, softened.
However, at some point, Joo Won hardened his expression again and stared at the tablet screen.
He had returned to his usual sharp appearance—the cold eyes and intimidating expression that made him look almost hysterical.
To carry out his previously scheduled appointments, Joo Won left the company and headed toward the meeting place.
Seong Hyun watched Joo Won’s expression through the rearview mirror. His face was more rigid than usual.
Since they were on their way to the blind date arranged by Chairman Kang, Joo Won’s reluctance was clearly showing on his face, making his expression sharper and more sensitive than usual.
Chairman Kang had recently been rushing more and more to arrange Joo Won’s marriage.
Since it was a political marriage and the purpose was mutual benefit anyway, the identity of the other person did not matter much.
Even if someone had lived a promiscuous life before marriage, if the conditions matched, it was customary for the relationship to proceed directly into marriage regardless of feelings.
The woman Joo Won was meeting today was the only daughter of a well-known mid-sized frozen food company.
It was not the massive corporation Chairman Kang desired, but the company was famous for having solid finances. More importantly, because she was the only daughter and would inherit the entire company, Seong Hyun assumed that was what had caught Chairman Kang’s interest.
Kang Joo Won usually followed Chairman Kang’s wishes, and if today’s blind date went smoothly, marriage would likely not be far away.
No matter what kind of woman entered his life, Seong Hyun thought Joo Won’s daily routine would not change and would continue exactly as it was now.
He would go to work at the same time every day, spend late nights buried in company affairs, and continue a marriage without emotions.
Women were always the ones who ended up getting hurt after being captivated by his flawless appearance, handsome face, and lean, well-trained physique.
Kang Joo Won was born with a heart made of ice and never gave it to anyone.
To him, his heart was nothing more than an organ whose only purpose was to circulate blood and maintain survival.
Seong Hyun wondered if it had ever beaten for someone else, or ever grown warm because of another person.
If such a moment had existed.
But he could not imagine it at all.
Seong Hyun glanced at Joo Won through the rearview mirror.
During car rides, Joo Won usually never let go of his tablet. But today, perhaps because his thoughts were elsewhere, he seemed deeply lost in thought, staring out the window instead.
Before long, they were approaching their destination.
With the employee’s guidance, Joo Won entered a private room where he would not be disturbed by other people’s attention.
The woman who had arrived first stood up when Joo Won entered.
After briefly looking at her, Joo Won gave a slight bow before taking his seat.
“I’m Kang Joo Won.”
Hearing his deep voice, the woman opened her lips slightly and smiled.
“I’m Seo Ah Rin.”
Even though they sat across from each other at the same table, it felt as if the space between where he sat and where Ah Rin sat was divided by an invisible boundary, as though they existed in different times.
The sharp bridge of his nose rising beneath his straight forehead made his already cold impression even more intimidating.
“You don’t remember me, do you?”
Joo Won’s quiet gaze, which had not been directed at her, finally crossed the table.
“I briefly greeted you at Chairman Kang’s seventieth birthday celebration, so you probably don’t remember me. That was actually the first time I saw Kang Joo Won.”
“Ah, yes.”
Even under Joo Won’s indifferent gaze, which clearly showed he did not remember her, the woman did not look disappointed or intimidated.
“Actually, I was the one who insisted on arranging this meeting today.”
Her gaze remained fixed on Joo Won.
“Because my first impression of Kang Joo Won was very strong.”
The woman’s honesty in openly revealing her interest caught Joo Won’s attention.
He moved only his eyes slightly and belatedly looked over her.
He remembered the brief profile of the woman that Director Park had given him before they left.
