I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 177

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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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Chapter 177
Ashley Holmes gazed at me with eyes disguised by a smile.
Perhaps someone in the audience had already decided to raise their hand.
And just as I predicted, Ashley Holmes pointed to a different man, not me.
“Our CEO Jeon Sung-guk wanted this, but we should give the opportunity to whoever raised their hand first for fairness, right?”
[To be fair, you’d have to pick me, Ashley.]
I looked at the man standing where Ashley Holmes pointed.
Tall with exotic features.
[The guy Ashley Holmes supports who’ll get dumped later.]
“Would you tell us where you’re from and who you are?”
Ashley Holmes acted naturally.
[What is this, I already know what’s going on between you two.]
But I kept my mouth shut and watched their performance.
“I’m John Khan from GK Investment Firm.”
“John, would you come forward then?”
“Yes.”
John Khan stepped forward and rolled up his sleeves.
At that moment, Ashley Holmes began to feign surprise.
“Oh my… I came here because of a question I received suddenly today, but I didn’t bring medical staff to draw blood at this party. I could do it myself, but for the fairness of the experiment, I think we should do this with medical staff present, not in such an impromptu setting like this.”
[Slippery as an eel, aren’t you….]
I raised my hand again.
Ashley Holmes frowned slightly and pointed at me.
“Our CEO Jeon Sung-guk certainly has a lot of curiosity.”
“From what you said, isn’t Thomas something consumers can buy at any regular pharmacy and test themselves?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then wouldn’t most consumers not be medical professionals? I think testing in this situation might actually align better with the purpose of Thomas, don’t you?”
The crowd began to murmur.
Ashley Holmes rolled her large eyes a few times as if searching for an answer, then looked at me.
“Of course, that is the purpose of Thomas. But I think I didn’t mention this point. BloodTherapy is still unstable, but we’re a company waiting to become complete through investment.”
“So being able to test 250-plus diseases isn’t possible yet either?”
“It will be in the future. Of course, that requires research and personnel.”
Ashley Holmes avoided my gaze, unwilling to take more questions, and looked at the crowd.
“I’m sure there are people here who don’t believe in uncertain results yet. Of course, BloodTherapy’s Thomas is still unstable. But with your trust and investment, I promise you a future where this kit will definitely be sold throughout the United States within a few years.”
Applause erupted at Ashley Holmes’s words.
I glanced at Jeon Tae-guk.
Jeon Tae-guk was also applauding enthusiastically.
Mark came over and whispered.
“Sung-guk, doesn’t that basically mean they haven’t actually accomplished anything yet?”
“Exactly. FaceNote had real substance, but Thomas is basically nothing except for that pathetic sample.”
“But why are people so enthusiastic about it?”
“Because I want to believe. I want to believe what that woman said—that a single kit can diagnose over 250 different diseases.”
I crossed my arms heavily.
Nothing in this world was more terrifying than belief itself.
And now I had to shatter that very belief.
* * *
Jeon Tae-guk approached us with a champagne flute in hand.
“Sung-guk, Mark. What brings you two here?”
“Are you thinking of investing here, hyung?”
“Yeah. Very interested. What about you two?”
“I came for the food.”
Mark shook his head while eating a salmon roll.
“Sung-guk, are you interested?”
“A little, but honestly, there are no concrete results yet, so it’s hard to have faith in it.”
I leaked some information deliberately.
If Jeon Tae-guk could grasp the implications from this hint, he had the makings of a true businessman.
“Hmm… doesn’t that just mean there’s more work ahead for the company? From what I hear, the beginning is pretty similar to FaceNote. FaceNote has grown steadily and is just starting to receive investments and expand now.”
“Tae-guk, I appreciate it, but comparing FaceNote to BloodTherapy is a bit much. We have substance, but they only have ideas published in scientific journals. Honestly, there are no clear results to show.”
Mark bristled when he compared FaceNote to BloodTherapy.
“You two might think that way because you’re the founders of FaceNote, but from an outside investor’s perspective, they look similar. Both have potential, but the future is uncertain for both.”
[Right, one’s a total flop and one’s a massive hit.]
Stung by Jeon Tae-guk’s words, I gulped down plain water in frustration.
And Jeon Tae-guk, oblivious to the tension, added more fuel to the fire.
“Honestly, FaceNote is so stiff, but Ashley Holmes throws parties like this to attract investors. Isn’t that impressive?”
“Hyung, you actually like this party with cheap caviar and champagne just for show?”
“It’s a startup. When I see things like this, I think the company is really making an effort for its investors. Honestly, FaceNote just serves pizza all the time.”
[Jeon Tae-guk! I’m going to make you regret those words!]
I drank more plain water.
Jeon Tae-guk patted my back.
“Sung-guk, don’t get so worked up. You can’t always be number one. Is it because you’re feeling like the spotlight’s being stolen by Ashley Holmes?”
“That’s not it.”
Jeon Tae-guk smiled and downed his champagne.
“Yeah, that’s what everyone says.”
In that moment, I began to dimly understand why Ashley Holmes had called me here.
Ashley Holmes had invited me and Mark, the founders of FaceNote, to draw investors’ attention.
But even if every question I raised was valid, coming from a rival startup CEO, it would be easily dismissed as jealousy.
[Did I just get played….]
Just then, Ashley Holmes approached with a smile.
Jerry Chang was beside her.
Ashley Holmes deliberately whispered to Jerry Chang right in front of Jeon Tae-guk, acting overly familiar.
[Is she trying to provoke jealousy? Surely Jeon Tae-guk isn’t actually interested in Ashley Holmes, is he?]
The moment I looked at Jeon Tae-guk, I could see a determination in his eyes that I had never witnessed before.
[Sigh, what a headache. I wish he’d pour that kind of dedication into Samjeon Group instead!]
I quickly pulled Mark away.
“Mark, let’s go home. I don’t think there’s anything else worth seeing here.”
That was when it happened.
Ashley Holmes approached me.
At the same time, Jerry Chang and Jeon Tae-guk’s gazes fixed directly on me.
Ashley Holmes gently pinched my cheek.
[Ashley, what are you doing? I’m not an easy man like Jeon Tae-guk or Jerry Chang.]
I brushed her hand away with obvious displeasure.
“Sung-guk, thank you so much for coming all this way. I was really impressed by how sharp your questions were earlier.”
“I was just curious. Ashley, you don’t have that level of data yet? If we started around the same time, you should at least have that much data before beginning operations.”
“The medical field requires long-term investment. Saving humanity isn’t something that gets resolved in just a few years.”
[Smooth words, but…]
“It doesn’t seem like saving humanity gets accomplished through parties either.”
“To secure investment, even though this isn’t my nature, I have to do it, don’t I?”
Mark also looked at Ashley Holmes aggressively.
“Ashley, I don’t think it’s good to plant the delusion that all startups gather investors through parties like this.”
“You and Sung-guk are something else. Your personalities are quite aggressive. Don’t you like our party?”
Ashley Holmes wore a troubled expression, and each time she did, the gazes of the men around us turned colder.
I whispered to Mark.
“Mark, I think we should leave now.”
Then I looked at Ashley Holmes.
“Ashley, when will we be able to see the performance of BloodTherapy testing the ‘Thomas’ kit?”
“We’re planning to invite people every week. Feel free to come anytime if you’re interested.”
“Next time we meet, I hope it won’t just be empty words like today, Ashley.”
“Sung-guk, why are you being so intimidating? I appreciate that you see me as a competitor, but there’s no need to belittle and crush your competition, is there?”
The men’s gazes grew even colder, and Mark quickly pulled me along.
“Sung-guk, staying here seems like a losing proposition. Let’s get out of here.”
I left the party venue without responding to Ashley’s final words.
* * *
As I was completely exiting the party venue, a man caught my eye.
It was John Khan.
The man who had raised his hand earlier, competing with me.
Everyone at this party would believe that the people here came from GK Investment Firm, as John Khan himself had said. Of course, he might still be with GK Investment Firm now.
But John Khan’s true identity was that he was in a romantic relationship with Ashley Holmes.
At the same time, all the money used to obtain this building and host this party actually came from John Khan.
It was something I had discovered in my previous life when I was defrauded by Ashley Holmes and conducted a reinvestigation.
John Khan stood at a distance, watching Ashley Holmes surrounded by male investors, his expression tinged with bitterness.
I grabbed Mark’s shoulder.
“Mark, I need to have a word with this person. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Sure, Sung-guk. I’ll get some fresh air outside. This place is suffocating.”
“Okay.”
I sent Mark ahead and quietly approached John Khan.
“Hello. I was surprised to see you raise your hand before me. I thought I was the quickest.”
“Ah, you’re Jeon Sung-guk, the CEO of FaceNote, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Jeon Sung-guk.”
“I’m John Khan. As I mentioned, I work at GK Investment Firm.”
John Khan forced a smile.
He seemed displeased with the situation.
[Hmm… should I provoke some jealousy….]
I subtly gestured toward Ashley Holmes.
“Ashley Holmes’s company certainly attracts a lot of male investors. I suppose it’s because Ashley Holmes is beautiful.”
[By my standards, she’s absolutely not beautiful.]
But I was covering for this situation with my superior acting skills.
I could see John Khan’s brow furrow slightly.
“I think it’s more about seeing the potential of BloodTherapy.”
“Of course, the idea of testing for about 250 diseases with a single kit sounds impressive. But Germany’s Siemens already has machines that test for far fewer diseases. So wouldn’t it be a wiser investment to put money into Siemens, which already possesses the technology, rather than BloodTherapy?”
“Hmm… thank you for the information.”
John Khan wasn’t the type to reveal his true feelings easily.
Then there was only one thing left to do—drive the wedge deeper.
“Anyway, be careful with that woman. If I weren’t a minor, I’d say she’s quite touchy. She even pinched my cheek earlier. She seems to use this technique to attract male investors.”
“So Sung-guk didn’t fall for it?”
“No. I’m a minor. If Ashley got fresh with me, she’d go straight to prison.”
I could see John Khan’s expression harden.
“I’m just joking! Please forget everything I said. I was just jealous that such a beautiful woman founded such an impressive company.”
“Sung-guk is quite handsome yourself.”
“Fortunately, FaceNote only has male investors who don’t pay attention to my face. Well, enjoy the party more. I have something to attend to.”
I studied John Khan’s expression one last time before slipping out of the party venue.
Regardless of my departure, John Khan was staring intently at Ashley Holmes as she mingled with other investors.
“Sung-guk, what were you talking about with that John Khan fellow?”
Mark, who had been taking a walk, approached with his hands in his pockets.
“John Khan is Ashley Holmes’s accomplice. More precisely, he’s like her boyfriend.”
“Sung-guk, how did you figure that out?”
“When she asked for a few drops of blood earlier. I clearly raised my hand first.”
“So they were working together?”
“Yes.”
Mark turned back to look at the party venue in surprise.
“Ashley’s a real bad woman. So what did you tell John Khan?”
“I told him that Ashley was being inappropriate with male investors.”
Mark stopped in his tracks, visibly startled.
“Sung-guk….”
“What?”
“You’re completely….”
“A bad guy, right?”
“Yeah.”
Mark nodded in agreement.
“Mark, I only care about winning.”

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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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