The Seductive Proposal and the Calculated Alliance
Mi-hyun tilted her head with a cool, professional smile that managed to blend corporate poise and playful challenge, as if she were discussing quarterly targets rather than a life-changing offer. “So, your reaction to the intriguing lady’s proposal? You’re supposed to hand over the entire Sekyung Group to your older brother instead of the uncle, right? You really should be reacting with more enthusiasm, don’t you think?”
Her voice was crisp, commanding, every word measured like a boardroom decree. “You’re not trying to steal the hotel management rights, are you?”
“No,” she continued without hesitation, her tone light and almost affectionate. “To be honest, I’m not. No matter how capable someone is, they can’t just take over from an uncle and expect to get away with it. It’s not a bad idea to be taken by such a skilled outsider, is it?”
She paused, letting the words sink in, then added with a knowing smirk, “And the management skills seem a few steps above my uncle’s, if the way you dismantled Jungwoo Construction is any indication.”
She spoke with casual certainty, as if reviewing a performance review, but Mi-hyun was well aware of the recent history. A few years ago, Sekyung Construction had narrowly won the bidding for a six-trillion-won project after Jungwoo Construction tried every possible rumor, sabotage, and dirty trick. Mi-hyun had personally handled the counter-stories, the exhaustive background checks, the relentless legal battles, and the flood of evidence that led to a massive tax audit. The result had been Jungwoo’s collapse, the CEO and his family’s double suicide, and the mass protests by workers and families on the streets. To the outside world, it was simply another victory in the fierce world of chaebol power.
But Mi-hyun knew the truth. Lee-won had been the one who orchestrated every step of that destruction.
“Who proposed this marriage, exactly?” Lee-won asked, his voice cool and measured, hiding the bitterness. “My aunt, Director Woo Seong-hee? Or my father?”
Mi-hyun’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Me.”
Lee-won let out a low, disbelieving laugh. “Ah… I see.”
“President also seemed quite pleased. Solving the management rights issue in one fell swoop. Before you went back to seminary, he kept saying he wanted you as his daughter-in-law.”
Lee-won’s expression remained stone-faced, but inside, something twisted. He remembered the weekend visits as a child, playing with her and the dogs, laughing until they cried. Those memories felt like another lifetime.
“And you and I were always close, weren’t we? You used to come over every weekend, and the dogs and I would play together. Don’t you remember?”
Yes, he had known exactly how she would twist that memory. Lee-won forced a bitter smile, swallowing the cynicism. Mi-hyun had once loved dogs fiercely. She would chase them, bite their ears, and refuse to let them go no matter how many times they made a mess. But after the first year, when they grew bigger, she would suddenly decide they were “untrainable” and send them to other families.
Lee-won had believed she would never abandon them. Every weekend, he would come, take care of the dogs, and teach them manners. He had thought she would keep them forever. But Mi-hyun had abandoned six dogs in six years. After that, he had completely cut ties with her family.
“If we have a child together, it would be the perfect merging of both families, wouldn’t it? Grandfather has been dying to hold his first grandchild. Even if you call me unfilial, I couldn’t argue.”
Her words were a deliberate jab, aimed at stirring guilt after the funeral. It was cruel, even for her.
“Even so, no one would make such a decision without consulting me.”
“How could I consult with you? I’m only thinking about returning to seminary. If you had brought it up then, I would have simply resigned and brought in an outside professional manager.”
Lee-won’s eyebrows furrowed sharply. A faint smile curved the corner of Mi-hyun’s mouth.
“Do you think Grandfather didn’t know? He turned down every woman who tried to get close, but last year he started attending those pre-seminary meetings on your behalf.”
“Exactly.”
Lee-won fell silent, admitting it. His father had always been uneasy, so Mi-hyun’s proposal must have been a relief. A marriage would prevent him from becoming a priest, and the management conflict would dissolve naturally.
“So that’s why the inheritance restriction was imposed.”
Mi-hyun’s tone grew cautious, sensing the anger he was trying to hide. “First, Grandfather set two conditions. The first is that the management rights of Sungil Hotel go to me.”
She had expected that. But the director was still Woo Seong-hee; Mi-hyun was the one who had never properly studied management. It was almost amusing how her greed and cunning had sharpened her instincts.
“And the second?”
“If you refuse our proposal and return to seminary, I want you to completely step away from the group’s management. You can’t just leave whenever you feel like it and betray the uncle. It would be better to side with the uncle from the beginning and at least get some benefits.”
“…”
“Especially among the nuns, I’ve heard they often donate personal assets to the church. But we can’t allow a religious foundation to hold forty-five percent of the group’s shares and control everything. That’s why we can’t even mention bringing in an outside professional manager.”
“Ah. So the inheritance condition is just a safety net to guarantee the deal will be honored?”
Mi-hyun’s smile faded. She nodded slowly. “I’m truly sorry, but we had no choice. We’re all in this together. You can’t choose just for yourself. Grandfather accepted the request as fair.”
Lee-won closed his eyes and chose his words carefully. He finally understood why his father had written those words, but the bitterness remained.
Mi-hyun’s concern and her father’s had been well-founded. After Jungwoo Construction’s collapse, Lee-won had been consumed by overwhelming guilt and pain. The thought that management was not the path for him had left him restless. Whenever he prayed and reflected, he grew more anxious. Having dropped out once and now being over thirty, returning to seminary would be difficult. But he had refused to give up the last chance. It was not too late. If he could turn back now, he could still take the path that suited him most, the path he had earnestly sought, the path he had promised to his father.
He did not want to resent his father. The instinct to protect the empire they had built for decades and the desperate desire to give his son a stable position were perfectly understandable. Mi-hyun’s wisdom and ambition could not be condemned either. The conditions she had set were reasonable and beneficial to both sides.
“A very fair transaction, then.”
His tone was soft, wrapping the sharp words in velvet. Mi-hyun had noticed the edge immediately. Her red, sharp lips pressed into a thin line.
“No need to call it a transaction and mock yourself, oppa. Everyone gets married with conditions and settles in. Honestly, who in this world actually does a true love marriage? But everyone still lives well enough.”
“That’s true.”
“I know you’re naturally harsh and demanding. Honestly, is there anyone who knows you as well as I do and can match you perfectly? This is a true win-win.”
“…”
“After we marry, we’ll have many children and raise big dogs in the yard. You love animals and children. I’ll do exactly as you wish. We can spend cozy weekends surrounded by the kids, and when I have no performances, I can take long vacations and travel with the family. Honestly, what can’t we accomplish if we both want it?”
Mi-hyun knew exactly what he loved. She was the kind of woman who thrived on sophistication, competition, and excitement. The quiet domesticity he offered disgusted and repelled her. The words left a deep sense of humiliation in Lee-won’s chest.
But he refused to show it. In a situation where his choices were already limited, there was no point in fighting her.
Still, there was one last thing he needed to confirm.
“The producer from Santa Barbara Theater, Morris Chen. I’ve seen photos with him occasionally. Do you have any plans to advance to Broadway?”
She answered with perfect composure. “Why are you worrying about what Yellow Paper is saying? It’s all trash novels anyway.”
“NYT doesn’t consider those trash novels.”
Lee-won gave a wry smile and fired back. He had expected a sensible answer—either she would reveal her relationship with Morris and reject the marriage, or she had already ended it. Instead, Mi-hyun sighed and began to explain properly.
“They requested an embargo from that side, but I have no choice. I’m starring in Queen Margot, which is premiering at Santa Barbara Theater. Two-year contract. That’s why I’ve been meeting with Mr. Chen so frequently.”
“…”
“If I have to micromanage every business meeting, I won’t be able to do my job properly. You should understand that. If you had to ask me for permission every time you met someone in a business capacity, how would it ever work? Right?”
…This was bad.
Lee-won realized she had no intention of breaking up with her boyfriend. She would never admit it outright, but as long as he did not expose the truth, it would not matter. In fact, he was certain she would never let him expose it.
Even if they cooperated and coexisted, the relationship was not equal. If he rejected the transaction, Mi-hyun would lose nothing. But Lee-won would have to lose almost everything he had.
He narrowed his eyes and looked at her.
Of course, this marriage was a win-win contract. And it was advantageous to him. Marriages within powerful families often took this form. Affairs during marriage were common. But starting with a government contract and becoming a showroom couple from the very beginning was unusual.
Lee-won was more morally rigid than most. He still believed that marriage was built on love and trust, that fidelity to a spouse was an absolute duty. The idea that he was too old-fashioned and naive compared to Mi-hyun stung.
“You seem much more old-fashioned and innocent than me, Mi-hyun.”
A sharp-eyed woman would detect the hidden sting behind a calm reply. Mi-hyun hesitated, then let out a sigh and whispered, “Lee-won oppa, if you think this proposal is just calculated, you’re wrong. It hurts.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve actually liked you for a long time. If you hadn’t gone to seminary, I would have confessed in high school.”
…That sentence was better left unsaid.