I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 164

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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164 – Greed
164.
“Brother, isn’t that your sister-in-law over there?”
At Namsan Hotel.
Dae-hoon and Geun-su were sitting in the hotel lobby waiting to meet someone when they spotted Kwon Ju-ah sitting by the window.
“That’s her.”
Dae-hoon spoke softly.
“I’ll go greet her and come back.”
Just as Geun-su was about to stand, Dae-hoon gestured for him to wait.
“Let’s go together. I wanted to properly greet her too. All I’ve done is see her briefly at the hospital.”
“Then let’s go together.”
As Dae-hoon and Geun-su stood up to approach her, an unfamiliar man walked toward Kwon Ju-ah.
“Huh?”
Dae-hoon stopped mid-rise.
He sat back down.
“Who is that guy?”
“I’ve never seen him before, brother.”
The unfamiliar man sat across from Kwon Ju-ah.
The conversation was brief.
There was no nodding or laughing.
It was only a very short moment.
Soon the man stood up.
It was before even the coffee arrived.
The two men watched as the man left the hotel lobby.
They studied his face carefully.
They needed to know who Kwon Ju-ah was meeting.
Only after the man had left the hotel could Dae-hoon speak.
“Just now… didn’t he say ‘marriage’?”
“… Yes, I heard it.”
It was unmistakably clear.
That word—marriage.
“Geun-su. What kind of situation is this? I feel like I’m about to misunderstand that woman right now, but that’s okay, right?”
Dae-hoon asked Geun-su with a considerably troubled expression.
Geun-su was equally bewildered by this situation.
He knew she was a woman Alex had been seeing recently,
which is why everyone called her sister-in-law,
and she even had the nickname ‘Code Pink’, yet here she was at a hotel discussing marriage with another man.
It was certainly a situation ripe for misunderstanding.
Still, Geun-su said something different.
“Brother. I think we can misunderstand later.”
“Later?”
“Look at that woman’s expression. That’s not the face of someone who’s decided to marry.”
Only then did Dae-hoon truly look at Kwon Ju-ah’s face.
Kwon Ju-ah remained seated exactly where she was.
Her bag strap clutched tightly in her grip.
Her gaze fixed on empty space.
Her expression was contorted,
and her face looked as though it might crumble at any moment, far beyond mere bewilderment.
She wore the expression of someone on the verge of tears.
It was not the face of a woman who had made a decision to marry.
Seeing that expression, Dae-hoon’s thoughts shifted somewhat.
“Right, not now, then.”
Dae-hoon examined Kwon Ju-ah’s face once more.
“It seems premature to jump to conclusions. Instead, let’s find out what’s actually happening.”
“Understood.”
Geun-su nodded and rose to investigate the situation.
Until then, Kwon Ju-ah remained seated exactly where she was.
*******
“Sigh…”
Kwon Ju-ah exhaled a deep breath.
Before Kwon Ju-ah lay an extraordinarily thick contract.
It was thick enough to rival the medical textbooks beside it.
The people who had delivered the contract were from the Taerim Financial Group Legal Team.
The blind date with Yun Tae-gyeom had been a disaster.
Absolutely wretched.
The moment he sat down, he said “Let’s go ahead with the marriage” and left.
He made the decision entirely on his own, without asking for my response or even consulting a doctor.
I was utterly shocked.
I was so stunned that I couldn’t even get up for a long while, just sitting there in that spot.
The cold gleam in Yun Tae-gyeom’s eyes as he looked me over sent shivers down my spine, and even now the memory made me shudder.
But that was all.
I simply cut off contact as my answer.
I made no response whatsoever.
Part of me wanted to shout at him, “I’m not marrying someone like you,” but there was no need.
Even that would have been a courtesy and luxury for that man.
I refused to take any calls from him.
I blocked not just his number, but all unknown numbers.
Dreading what Father would say if I went home, I worked back-to-back shifts.
I slept in the on-call room.
I didn’t go home.
In-bae asked what was wrong, but I couldn’t answer.
I was ashamed.
I despised myself for creating this situation, felt utterly humiliated by it.
I owed In-bae an apology.
The choice didn’t seem particularly poor, yet circumstances had spiraled beyond my control.
But there was nothing insurmountable about it.
I would resolve the situation and return to In-bae.
Since In-bae hadn’t confessed, I had decided to do so in his stead.
It wasn’t because In-bae had become wealthy.
Even if In-bae had remained exactly as he was in high school, I would have confessed.
Everyone called him Alex, but I preferred the name In-bae.
I still cherished the In-bae from those days.
Only when I was with In-bae could I truly breathe, could I genuinely smile.
That was enough for me.
Even if In-bae became a pauper, it wouldn’t matter.
I could earn enough for both of us to live comfortably.
That’s why I left my phone behind.
To escape the constant, relentless calls from Taelim Financial Group.
I left my phone behind so patient care wouldn’t be interrupted.
Yet they came to the Hospital.
The Taerim Financial Group Legal Team cornered me despite my busy schedule and explained the contract terms before departing.
I had made my position abundantly clear—I would not marry.
But the Legal Team said something entirely different.
“Whether you marry or not is not our concern. We came solely to explain the contract terms accurately.”
With that, they proceeded to explain the contract.
After delivering their entire spiel, they left behind a thick contract and departed.
I felt utterly powerless.
No one listened to what I said.
My refusal to marry reached no one’s ears.
Everyone was simply voicing their own opinions.
The contract itself was even more appalling.
Asset attribution before marriage, property division standards upon divorce, liability scope for debts, and separation of inherited and gifted assets were merely the basics.
Prohibition on business involvement, restricted access to internal information, separation of specific assets acquired during marriage, exclusion of rights to company shares, stock options, and unlisted stocks, restrictions on media interviews and social media statements, obligation to remain silent on certain issues, and mandatory broadcast appearances.
It wasn’t a marriage contract—it was closer to an employment agreement, or rather, a slave contract.
And every clause carried a penalty clause.
It was meticulous, comprehensive, and ruthless.
According to the contract, I would have to merely exist and breathe.
No—even breathing alone would constitute a breach.
The moment I signed, I would become a puppet of Taelim, of Yun Tae-gyeom.
I would have to act, speak, and smile exactly as they commanded, exactly as they desired.
Kwon Ju-ah covered the contract.
She would never sign it.
This wasn’t a marriage—it was selling her off.
.
.
.
A thick contract lay on Kwon Sang-yeol’s desk as well.
It was a contract the Taerim Financial Group Legal Team had delivered in person.
Upon receiving it, Kwon Sang-yeol’s face split into a grin from ear to ear.
He was elated.
The contract’s contents hardly mattered.
It seemed a bit strict, but who lives without being careful about such things?
Besides, this was a chaebol family.
It was only natural to be cautious with every action and word.
But what truly mattered was this:
The contract had arrived from Taerim Financial Group, and
once he signed here, his daughter would become a daughter-in-law of the Taerim family.
With just a signature on the contract, his company could establish a partnership with the Taerim family and plan for long-term growth.
Everything was perfect.
All it took was a signature.
The problem was Kwon Ju-ah.
She wasn’t coming home.
She claimed to be busy, practically living at the Hospital.
He needed Kwon Ju-ah here to get her signature on the contract.
But she wouldn’t come home.
She seemed to be deliberately avoiding it.
He knew.
His daughter didn’t want this marriage.
But that was merely foolish thinking born of her inexperience with the world.
Once she was married and living that life, she would thank her father and feel grateful.
One day she would realize what an extraordinary opportunity he had opened for her.
But to make that happen, he needed her signature.
He’d considered going to the Hospital, but not yet.
If he went there, his daughter would undoubtedly throw a tantrum.
It would only backfire.
Now was the time to wait.
He pondered how to get her signature when she wasn’t even coming to the Office.
Then, he heard the sound of fingers pressing the door lock code.
Moments later, Kwon Ju-ah appeared.
Upon spotting her father, Kwon Ju-ah seemed momentarily startled, but she spoke to him naturally.
“Didn’t Father go to work?”
“I have some business to attend to, so I’m planning to head out this afternoon. You mentioned you have a shift, didn’t you?”
“I came to pick up some clothes to change into.”
“All right. Once you’ve gathered your things, let’s talk for a moment.”
“Why?”
Kwon Ju-ah asked.
“There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“…I understand.”
I fled into my room as if escaping.
I’d deliberately timed my arrival for when Father wouldn’t be home, yet here he was.
I was flustered.
Even as I gathered my clothes, my heart felt unsettled.
He was definitely going to bring up the marriage.
I couldn’t decide what to say.
I wanted to resolve this situation without fighting with Father.
Having halfheartedly gathered my clothes, I emerged into the living room.
Father was waiting, holding a thick stack of documents.
The contract.
The contract that Taelim Financial Group had delivered.
The moment I saw it, I felt as though I couldn’t breathe.
Kwon Sang-yeol thrust the thick contract toward me.
“You received this too, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Just sign it and let’s get married.”
I was utterly shocked.
I couldn’t understand how Father could so casually ask me to sign a contract that held my entire future in the balance.
In that moment, I despised him.
I wondered if he was truly my father.
Shouldn’t a parent urge their child to reconsider, even if they were getting married?
“I thought I told you I’m not getting married?”
My voice rose slightly.
“But they say they like you. So what’s the problem?”
“I don’t like it. I don’t want this.”
My voice climbed another octave.
Kwon Sang-yeol seemed momentarily taken aback, but he quickly composed himself and spoke to me in a soothing tone.
As if it were nothing at all.
“Just do it. Just sign. All you have to do is close your eyes and put your signature on the line—what’s so difficult about that?”
I looked at the contract, then back at Father, and spoke.
“If this were about buying something, I’d sign. Even if it were expensive, even if people said it was a scam or a rip-off—I could handle that. But this isn’t like that. My entire life is at stake.”
“What?”
“If I sign here, I won’t be able to live my own life anymore. I’ll have to do whatever you tell me—who to meet, what to say on broadcasts, what poses to strike, what expressions to wear.”
“In exchange, you’ll marry into a chaebol family. You’ll live without financial worries for the rest of your life.”
“I’ve lived without financial worries until now.”
Kwon Sang-yeol spoke as if shouting, and Kwon Ju-ah fired back.
Their voices grew louder.
“That’s not your money. It’s mine. I’ve fed you, clothed you, and dragged you this far.”
“I know. I’m grateful for it. That’s why I give all the money I earn to you, Father.”
“… How many times have you given it to me?”
Kwon Sang-yeol answered, somewhat sheepishly.
“I know it hasn’t been many times, but that’s all I can give you. I’ll keep giving it to you in the future. But I can’t sign this.”
“No. I don’t even need your salary. Just sign this. That’s the right thing to do.”
Kwon Sang-yeol spoke again.
As if it were nothing at all.
“I refuse.”
“I simply don’t understand. If you just sign here, you’ll live the rest of your life being called ‘Madam’ and living in luxury. Why are you rejecting that?”
Kwon Sang-yeol’s voice rose again.
“Because I won’t be able to live my own life.”
“You can’t live your own life even without money. So stop talking like a spoiled child. Every time I talk to you, I feel like I’m going mad.”
“Same here. I’m grateful you raised me. But I want to live my own life.”
“You ungrateful wretch who doesn’t appreciate the kindness of raising you.”
The moment I heard those words, I looked at Father.
Father had gaslighted me before, but he’d never said anything like this.
He’d pressured me without calling it pressure, but he’d never cursed at me.
But “ungrateful wretch”?
I looked into Father’s eyes.
His eyes didn’t look human.
They were filled with greed, devoid of reason.
I realized I couldn’t stay here any longer.
A sense of danger washed over me.
It felt like he would force me to sign no matter what.
I left for the entrance without saying a word.
I heard Father calling me from behind, but I pretended not to hear and just left.
Rage and fear drove me forward.
I was outside, but I had nowhere to go.
Only one person came to mind.
I wanted to see him.
Desperately.
I hailed a taxi and headed toward him.
******
I could only embrace Ju-ah, who had come to my home, without saying a word.
There was no need for questions or comfort now.
All I could do was hold her.
I’d heard from Dae-hoon how things were unfolding.
Yun Tae-gyeom wanting to use Kwon Ju-ah as Taelim Financial Group’s new image.
Kwon Sang-yeol actively endorsing it and leading the charge.
And Kwon Ju-ah caught in the middle, powerless to decide anything, unable to speak her mind.
Simply being pushed around.
Kwon Ju-ah wept in my arms for a long time.
She cried, saying she didn’t understand why her life had become this way when she never wanted it.
She cried, saying she’d lived faithfully without doing anything wrong, yet couldn’t understand why this was happening.
She cried, saying it was her own life, yet she’d never decided a single thing about it.
Not medical school, not her school, and now not even marriage—she’d decided nothing, and she wept.
After crying for a long time, she collapsed and fell asleep.
Days of continuous on-call shifts, the confrontation with Father.
Her body and heart must have been struggling to endure.
I laid Kwon Ju-ah on the bed so she could rest comfortably, draped a blanket over her, and left the room.
I sat on the sofa and gazed out the window for a long time.
I tried not to think of anything, but my thoughts wouldn’t stop.
The more I tried to turn away, the clearer it became.
I want Kwon Ju-ah to be happy.
This feeling has never changed, not once.
If Kwon Ju-ah could be happy anywhere, I could support her.
I could pat her shoulder and wish her well.
I could smile and give a generous wedding gift.
As long as Kwon Ju-ah could be happy.
But this wasn’t that.
This wasn’t marriage.
This wasn’t Kwon Ju-ah’s happiness.
It was a contract that didn’t treat people as people,
an unfair transaction that handed over an entire life.
This wasn’t a choice—it was being sold.
I had to stop it.
But how could I?
What right did I have?
I was just one of Kwon Ju-ah’s friends.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I had no legitimate grounds to enter this mess.
I wasn’t given that right.
So for the first time in my life, I decided to show desire.
I decided to claim for myself the right that had never been given to me.
I decided to be greedy for Kwon Ju-ah.
I wanted to give Kwon Ju-ah the right to laugh, the right to choose, the right to live her own life—completely and wholly.
If anyone tried to take that away from her, I would stop them.
From now on, I would stand beside Kwon Ju-ah.
To do that, I had to inform Taelim Financial Group.
I lifted my head and called for Scott.
“Scott. Could you call Ana for me?”
“Yes.”
Even as my heart churned with such complexity, Kwon Ju-ah slept soundly, breathing gently.
That’s fine.
Kwon Ju-ah can live like that.
She doesn’t need to know anything.
She just needs to be happy.
I’ll fight the battles.
It was a night of renewed vows to myself.
Through inventory, I became a magnate of the black market.
164 – Greed
E-book Publication
/ January 6, 2026
Author
/ Black Card
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/ Son Je-ho
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© Black Card, 2026
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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