(Director Choi Myung Hwa)
(Episode 56)
- Sit down. - It won't take long.
I thought about...
whether I should loathe you...
for being my biological mother...
or whether I should trust the promise you made me.
Wouldn't it be best to avoid ruining both our lives?
Don't talk as if I should care about you.
You're the least of my worries. I'm only going to care about myself.
Mi Ran.
- You have a whole life ahead... - Don't cross the line.
The only thing that exists between us is our deal.
I don't intend to confuse you.
I gave Jung Min the documents regarding Bisang Apparel.
So I did my job.
Now it's your turn to do something for me in return.
How badly do you want me to destroy Se Hoon's life?
Slander him or frame him. Do everything you can...
to get him socially ostracized...
so that he'll come and beg me for forgiveness.
Rather than focusing on what you want,
why don't you focus on the things you can have in the future?
Just stick to one role.
You don't deserve to be my mother now that we have our deal.
Okay, fine.
There's nothing good or bad in it for me.
So I'll just let you have what you want.
Se Hoon should get punished...
for having mistreated you.
Judging by your temper, I bet you like seeing things to the end.
So I'll look forward to seeing you destroy his life.
Hey, Ji Eun. Wait.
Why are you running away?
Shut your mouth.
My life became complicated...
because of what you did.
We really do have an ill-fated relationship.
Cut the nonsense.
I don't want anything to do with you.
You're the one who caused a mess...
by getting me involved between you and Se Hoon.
Do you not get it because you're dumb?
Everything got ruined because you made Will have second thoughts.
Does being unreasonable change anything for you?
I'm not being unreasonable. Let's just say I'm venting at you.
Mi Ran, let me warn you.
If you mess with me one more time, I swear I won't let it slide again.
Just be grateful that you didn't get sued...
and live a quiet life.
You and I will continue to butt heads.
But what's she doing at the gallery?
Is there really something going on between her and Director Choi?
(Seo Jung Min)
You have resentment towards the chairman, don't you?
(Director Choi Myung Hwa)
I already checked. You were the one who gave the tipoff to Reporter Kim,
the guy who was friends with your late father.
Yes, I tipped him off.
Can you tell me why?
You already know why.
Then you must be seeing Jung Min with an ulterior motive.
You're seeing him to take revenge on the chairman...
for taking over your father's company.
Ji Eun.
You really have a way of surprising me.
How about a cup of tea? I think this will take a while.
Bring us some tea.
(Seo Jung Min)
No matter how good you are at keeping a straight face,
your eyes tell me everything.
I never intended on deceiving you.
What if I tell Jung Min...
that you tipped off the reporter?
You won't do that.
I have all your lies recorded on my phone.
That day, at the VIP styling event, you made me put Mi Ran on stage...
even though you knew she could walk.
And you even lied saying the phoenix flower painting was fake.
It's all on my phone.
Then Jung Min will find out...
that you're trying to ruin Seorin Group.
But of course, he's already suspicious of you...
thinking you were the reason the chairman collapsed.
But being suspicious about something...
and actually knowing that it's true are very different.
Do you also want to see the videos?
You're pretty good.
I'm not sure.
But I had to be prepared to deal with a professional.
Then now that we both know what our intentions are...
including each other's weaknesses,
what should we do now?
I don't intend on doing anything with you.
Then why are you here?
I came to tell you that I won't keep quiet about your secret...
if you tell Jung Min...
that I was the one who tipped off the reporter.
You're very interesting.
I'm not sure.
I made too big of a mistake to think of all this as interesting.
You know how they say you become wise after the mess has been made.
So that means we took over at an unreasonable price, right?
Not exactly.
They had nothing that was worth any money.
If any contingent liabilities occurred during the process of...
deciding how much debt we were going to pay off for them,
repayment rates, and the term of the loan,
we would’ve been held responsible.
Yes, exactly.
That means you made a rough estimate...
of how things would benefit our company...
and took over their business...
at the lowest price possible.
It may seem heartless, but it's not illegal.
Okay, you may leave now.
(Donghae Daily, Reporter Kim Hak Cheol)
I ran into Reporter Kim working at Donghae Daily.
It was about two weeks ago after the styling event.
Of course, it was by coincidence.
And we were quite close back when I worked at Bisang Apparel.
We hadn't met in a long time, so we chatted about this and that,
and when I told him I'm in Seorin's joint project team,
he was dumbfounded...
and asked me if I knew the inside story.
So that reporter told you that the chairman purposely...
assessed the company at a low price when he took over?
After my father suddenly passed, the company went bankrupt...
and went under receivership.
Going under receivership is pretty much a dead end.
But back then, things were too hectic.
And off-balance-sheet liabilities are still liabilities...
even though they're not recorded on financial statements,
so the court accepted it when Seorin asserted...
that it'd take a toll on their company.
And that's how it was able to get sold at a cheap price.
The chairman would've received a premium on the takeover price,
but that probably wasn't enough to fulfill his greed.
He was friends with my dad.
But instead of paying more for the company,
I found out he paid way less than what it was worth.
And that made me extremely angry.
At that very moment, I lost my discernment,
and that's when I told Reporter Kim that Mi Ran could actually walk.
Like you said, it's true that I had a grudge.
But of course, I had no idea that Reporter Kim would...
blackmail the chairman for money.
You make it sound so convincing it makes me want to believe you.
I love...
Jung Min.
And because of that, I want our conflict to end.
You want both of us to keep quiet?
Why don't we use your weakness and my feelings for Jung Min...
to settle a deal between us?
If not, I plan to tell Jung Min everything.
Jung Min is extremely suspicious of you,
so he'll probably kick you out the moment he finds out.
And of course, he'll lose faith in me too.
I've become interested in you, Reporter Kim.
You can ask me questions once we meet.
I'll see you later.
Didn't you learn to knock before you enter?
Didn't you learn to stand up when the CEO comes in?
If you wanted me to keep my manners, you should've done so first.
What do you want?
Who are you to cancel the decision...
that was made by the CEO?
I'm not interested in treating you like the CEO...
when all you do is cause damage to our company.
I heard the CEO at BS went to the same school as you.
The chairman is currently vacant,
and the board is going through your dismissal,
so I don't think it's adequate to sign an MOU with them...
to expand our platform business.
Don't just distort and assume things.
This is a great opportunity for our retail business...
to grow into a bigger shopping mall.
Listen, Mr. Jang.
We're discussing whether to dismiss you or not,
so don't do anything too enthusiastic.
Just keep a low profile and wait until the board meeting.
The meeting is in a few days.
According to commercial law, the stockholders own the company,
and the so-called owners...
are nothing but major stockholders. Do you not know that?
I don't ever recall denying that.
The stockholders may own the company,
but the board members are the ones who have a say.
And the board wishes to keep you in check...
because you ruined the company image and failed to make a profit.
Is there a problem with that?
What a great excuse.
You need to learn to get your facts straight.
Do you think you're off the hook now that you've announced...
that you had nothing to do with Mi Ran's lies?
People don't really know the consequences of their actions.
I'll find evidence regarding your illegal transfer...
and make sure you get punished.
I'll escort you myself the day you get arrested.
My goodness, what an honor.
Then I guess I should prepare for the worst.
Hey, Ji Eun. Can we talk later?
I'll call you back. Bye.
How much do you trust Ji Eun?
No, let me rephrase that. How much do you think you know...
about Ji Eun?
What's the ulterior motive behind that question?
We all know that Mi Ran lied to everyone by going up on stage,
but Ji Eun was the person in charge of the styling event.
What kind of punishment will she be getting?
Are you going to let it slide because she's your girlfriend?
I'm getting sick of how crude you can be.
That's why you lost your chance to be with a great woman...
and ended up so miserable.
You keep acting as if you're the one with all the authority,
so let's see how you deal with her.
I'm going to raise an issue...
regarding Ji Eun to HR.
And I also plan to discuss it with Chung Group.
It looks like you're trying to use her to pressure me.
But I'm sorry to tell you...
that I won't be fooled by your cunningness.
You may think that way, but it's hard to take action.
After all, we always end up contradicting ourselves.
It's going to be a hard decision for you to make.
Ji Eun told me...
that getting a job at Seorin Group was a once-in-a-lifetime chance,
and she compromised because she was scared to lose it.
She asked me for help...
because she knew the chairman was the only person...
who could settle the problem caused by Mi Ran.
In the end, the chairman paid me a little...
and dealt with the situation.
So Ji Eun knew...
that my father would do everything he could...
to stop the article from getting published?
It was obvious that he was going to stop us from publishing anything.
Seorin is one of the major advertisers...
of our newspaper company.
Even if we tried, it would've been a really short article.
Does this resolve your suspicions of Ji Eun?
Well, I guess I could understand why she tipped you off...
depending on how I choose to see things.
I may not be the most ethical reporter,
but I do have a really good hunch.
You must like Ji Eun a lot.
I love her.
The moment I started suspecting her...
for causing harm to our company,
my heart started to ache so much.
Then does that mean you're more level-headed now?
The fact might be important,
but I decided that my emotions matter to me a lot more.
And I realized that it requires a lot of work...
to protect your love.
I'm sure she didn't want to continue living in guilt.
And although it caused a mess,
she probably just wanted to set things right.
I know you might feel deceived,
but what's done is done, so just forget about it.
Rather than seeking an answer,
I should try to focus on what my heart wants.
If you're okay with it, let's have a drink together one day.
Sure.
By the way,
I came across a few documents regarding Bisang Apparel.
And I'm starting to wonder if Ji Eun also saw them too.
Documents? What documents?
No, it's nothing.
My gosh.
(Mom)
Hey, I just got home.
I met a friend.
Oh, right.
I forgot that it was Mr. Kang's birthday today.
You told me about it earlier.
What? What do you mean?
No, nothing's going on.
I do want to get some rest because I'm tired.
But I should drop by and say hello.
He's very kind to our family.
No, I don't need to eat dinner.
I'll be right there after I take a 30-minute break.
I didn't tell Jung Min.
But you called him already?
Okay, I'll see you later.
It's so hard to lie.
(Jang Se Hoon)
It's none of your business.
Now that I know what happened,
I don't want you to make an emotional judgement.
Do you still not want to believe it...
even after you read the files I gave you yesterday?
Are you just going to ignore it...
because it's all in the past?
When your father's company was in a crisis,
the chairman took full advantage of it.
You also handed over the files regarding Bisang's irregularities...
to the prosecution.
- How is that any different? - What?
Oh, wait. I know.
Are you going to tell me that you had no choice...
because they threatened to arrest your father?
Is that what you're going to say?
People tend to overreact when they're pushed to a corner.
You failed to convince Director Ahn to help you.
Then you found out...
that Bisang was taken over at a cheap price.
So are you trying to get me involved to save you from your crisis?
Are you trying to...
get in between me and Jung Min?
Yes.
It's best to do what my heart wants.
I'm not the type to get shocked...
and ask you how you could do something like that to me.
Business is all about winning and losing.
I take after my dad's business skills.
And I'm old enough to know...
that sometimes, it's better to take a step back...
than to worsen the situation.
I think I can finally let go of you now.
I missed you and wanted you to be mine,
so I didn't think it was completely over between us.
But today, I finally get it.
After 10 years, I finally get what our problem was.
You have no idea how much I wondered...
what went wrong between us.
We loved each other so much,
and we went against your parents...
and lived with each other because it was what we desperately wanted.
So I just couldn't stop wondering how we were able to...
let go of each other so easily.
- But now I get it. - It took you this long?
We both care more about our own selves.
We don't know how to yield or sacrifice for each other.
That's why we had no hope.
So don't ever get involved in my business again.
I'm sorry for getting involved in your business.
Get over the fact that our love was a failure.
I hope you meet a nice woman...
who's able to embrace all the scars you have.
Like you said, we have no hope.
So just go and find hope in Seo Jung Min.
My gosh.
Here.
It's just ordinary seaweed soup.
Are you kidding me? It's not just ordinary seaweed soup.
I added beef and abalones.
You always add tons of stuff.
The abalones would've tasted a lot better...
if you stir-fried them in butter.
That's what you want.
Mr. Kang likes abalones in his seaweed soup.
You even know his taste?
What about his fortune? Do you know how much money he has?
Will you stop being absurd?
I like him for who he is.
It's really hard to believe that.
Do you think you would've dated him if he were broke?
My gosh.
It's true that I started dating him because he had money.
But I'm saying that's not all.
I'm seeing him because he comforts me when I feel lonely,
he became friends with me despite my nasty temper,
and he tells me I'm pretty even though I'm old.
That's pretty nice to hear.
- My goodness. - He's here.
But what's all this?
It's your birthday today.
We come into this life with tears in our eyes,
complain while we're alive, and die with disappointment.
What's the use of celebrating birthdays?
I never celebrate my birthday.
My gosh.
This is your first birthday after we started dating.
It'll be a nice memory to look back on.
When are you guys getting married?
Why would we get married?
"Why would we get married"?
Then what are you doing? Are you just having fun?
I thought I'd get a rich stepdad.
I was kind of looking forward to it.
I can be your foster father.
What's the use? There's no value in that.
That depends on how you behave.
After all, I get to decide what to do with my fortune.
Gosh, look at you trying to use me.
My goodness, you're the most stubborn girl on earth.
Now stop being absurd.
- Hello. - Hello.
Is the restaurant not open today?
It's Mr. Kang's birthday today.
Oh, really? Happy birthday.
- Happy birthday, Mr. Kang. - Thank you.
Ji Eun and Jung Min will be here. You guys should join us.
Is she the older woman you have feelings for?
My gosh, that's absurd.
He's young enough to be her nephew.
My gosh.
I'm sure he doesn't seem like my nephew.
Yes, he does.
Are you guys dating?
Why? Is there a problem with that?
I mean, there's no problem.
But you'll be the one getting hurt in the end.
It might seem okay now.
But things will change after 10 years.
Young Eun.
Just worry about where you will be after 10 years.
Don't meddle in our relationship.
Do you like Yeo Jin?
Well, maybe.
You must be happy to be so popular.
That's why you should make me yours.
Wait a minute. I guess you guys aren't dating.
My goodness.
Jung Min, you're here.
Yes, I'm sorry I'm late.
- Where's Ji Eun? - She's probably coming from home.
I'm sure you had a busy day at work. You didn't have to come.
It's your birthday. Of course, I should come.
Mr. Kang, this is for you.
I thought it'd be nice for you guys to go to a hot spring together.
Thank you. I was going to ask her to go on a trip with me.
And thanks to you, she'll have no choice but to go.
Will you guys be staying the night?
Do I need to get your permission at my age?
Just don't come back with a sibling.
Stop talking nonsense.
My gosh, don't ever hit your kid even with a flower.
She keeps going astray because you're always hard on her.
That's okay. I'm used to it.
Mom only cares about Ji Eun. Forget it.
Okay.
Starting from today, I'll take care of Young Eun.
My goodness, you must be happy to have someone take your side.
My goodness.
It's dark outside, so I'll go and bring Ji Eun.
He's always so kind. I love him so much.
I don't know how I'm supposed to look.
It's normal to get disappointed in the person you love sometimes.
Jung Min.
Keeping a secret from you wasn't that difficult.
It was just like drinking another glass of wine when I didn't need it.
Ji Eun.
What are you going to keep lying to me about?
My feelings for you haven't changed.
But things will change drastically between us from now on.
I'm going to keep loving you no matter how much it hurts.
They were each given a second chance to get to know each other.
So they should thank us.
Seo Jung Min will soon get shocked.
An iron gate is opened with a key, not your strength.
Jung Min knows that Ji Eun has a grudge against the chairman,
so he'll start thinking differently of Ji Eun even though he likes her.
People see what they want to see...
and hear what they want to hear.
Love grows apart due to greed,
gets destroyed by expectations,
and fades away because of doubt.
I don't think that only applies to Jung Min.
I'm going to make her hate me.
Then at least she won't be able to forget me.
Love that's mixed with hatred is a lot stronger than love...
and hatred put separately.
And the only way to beat greed is to become even greedier.
Now that we've decided to split Seorin in half,
let's start negotiating.
Sure.
We can walk the same path as long as we have the same goal.
(Phoenix 2020)
My love, Ji Eun, we've been through a lot,
and I trust that we'll continue to overcome many more hardships.
I have no choice but to ignore how much you're going to get hurt.
Will you understand me for choosing to be realistic...
and forgive me?
If you ignore my calls again, I might actually hit you next time.