The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 11

Just when Chairman Ryu was silencing talk of in-laws with his scolding, Chairman Joo went one step further.

“…When Dokyung comes, how about we all dine out together.”

At his words, the dining location changed from Jaedamjae to an upscale Korean restaurant.

While the attendant hurriedly made calls to the place where the two chairmen would be going, I struggled to swallow my troubled expression.

I thought Grandfather would stop this!

But thinking about it, Grandfather had cherished Ryu Dokyung like his own grandson since childhood. The kid was spirited and even recognized as Seohe Group’s heir, enough to make him covetous.

With Chairman Ryu personally pairing his beloved grandson with his own granddaughter, Grandfather had reason to be pleased.

‘If Seohe bows their head and comes to us first, he won’t refuse, is that it?’

While I was lost in thought, Grandfather tapped my arm. Then he wrinkled his nose and said.

“Sae-i, you ride with Dokyung.”

“Me, sir?”

“It’ll be more comfortable for you two peers to chat about this and that on the way.”

“Right, having us old folks around would just be uncomfortable!”

As soon as Grandfather started, Chairman Ryu immediately chimed in.

These business rivals who tear at each other when fighting, now putting on a friendly act and patting each other’s shoulders in front of me – it was quite refreshing.

“…I’ll do as you say, Chairman.”

Having no choice but to agree, Grandfather seemed satisfied and separated from Chairman Ryu. Then he glanced at me with a strange expression.

‘What, what is it.’

Gone was his stern face, replaced by slightly drooping eyebrows and trembling lips. Just like…

‘A puppy looking for praise?’

Yes, that’s exactly what it looked like.

Surely he doesn’t still think I like Ryu Dokyung and is going to such lengths for that reason?

“Ahem, anyway you two, ahem! Have a good conversation.”

…It seems I’m right.

Somehow he seemed to emphasize the word “two.”

After closing my eyes and rolling my eyeballs a few times, I approached Grandfather. I whispered in his ear the words he seemed to want to hear.

“…Thank you, Chairman.”

As if my guess was correct, Grandfather’s complexion brightened. After coughing a couple more times, he poked Chairman Ryu’s side.

“We’ll go ahead! Let’s have a chat about money matters between us old folks.”

“That, the Sua Motors sale matter…”

The two chairmen headed to the restaurant first. Leaving me alone in Jaedamjae’s reception room.

***

With both chairmen gone, there was no need to guard the reception room.

I decided to wait for Ryu Dokyung at Jaedamjae’s front gate for faster movement.

About twenty minutes passed like that.

Ryu Dokyung, who arrived late, got out of his car. Perhaps because he came in a hurry, he looked more natural than during our last meeting.

“…Where’s the Chairman?”

He asked me as soon as he got out and we met face to face.

I explained the whole situation. Leaving out the two chairmen’s opinion that Ryu Dokyung would be fine as my partner.

“…They said for us two to ride separately.”

After sighing with a briefly troubled expression, Ryu Dokyung eventually opened the door of the car he came in.

Without getting in the car himself, he stared intently at me. With a somewhat bewildered face, he spoke up.

“What are you doing.”

“Pardon?”

“Get in, here.”

So he opened the door to give me a ride. I thought he’d just drive off alone, but this was unexpected.

I bowed my head gratefully and got in, then he took the seat next to me.

“Let’s depart.”

After speaking to the accompanying driver, Ryu Dokyung kept his mouth firmly shut.

‘They said to have lots of conversation on the way…’

I didn’t particularly have anything to say to him either, so I maintained silence together with him. It was also awkward for me to speak first… Thanks to that, the inside of the car was deathly quiet.

It was Ryu Dokyung who broke the silence. Glancing at me pretending to sleep, he heavily parted his lips.

“…Ju Sae-i.”

The cold, low tone made me feel like my body was freezing.

I didn’t answer right away. It was a learned response from childhood. When Ryu Dokyung called me in that tone, he was definitely angry.

Anyway, in times like this, pretending not to hear was the best strategy.

‘Did it work?’

It was right then that Ryu Dokyung, who had been silent, let out a deep sigh.

“…I know you’re not sleeping. Stop blinking with your eyes barely open.”

I’m caught!

My shoulders automatically hunched up. I opened my eyes slightly, then checked his expression.

When we were young, he always looked at me with a scary face, but now his face was completely unreadable.

Unlike me who lived away from the Ju Family, it seemed like growing up as an heir taught him how to hide his emotions.

“If your eyes are open, answer.”

“…Yes.”

“You keep using formal speech that doesn’t suit you since last time…”

Trailing off, he opened his mouth again without giving me time to answer.

“Never mind all that, let me ask just one thing.”

As if he was going to ask something important, he paused for a moment. Because of that, the sound of me gulping was audible.

Looking troubled as he roughly tousled his hair, he finally moved his lips.

“If I did something wrong to you, tell me now.”

“What do you mean…”

This is supposed to be a question?

You didn’t do anything wrong.

No matter how much I thought about it, Ryu Dokyung had never wronged me. It’s not like I avoid him because I dislike him either.

Even though Ryu Dokyung was cold, he took good care of me.

He put up well with me following him around saying I liked him because he was handsome. Moreover…

‘I knew you’d be here crying. Ju Sae-i, get up.’

It was also him who comforted me when I cried every day after experiencing my mother’s death.

‘Crying doesn’t change anything. Not all adults are kind to you.’

Ryu Dokyung, who was born before me and lost family before I did.

‘Grandfather said this. Water conducts electricity well, but ice doesn’t conduct electricity. So become cold and solid. Ju Sae-i, you should take this to heart too.’

Yes, thanks to Ryu Dokyung I was able to get back up. After that, I chose my own future in my own way, which was leaving the Ju Family and bowing to Ju Suduk.

‘Of course that choice was a complete failure…’

So if we’re being precise about facts, I was the one who did wrong. If anything was wrong, it was me disappearing without a word to Ryu Dokyung who silently stayed by my side.

‘Still, he probably didn’t worry about it much.’

Someone like Ryu Dokyung would have lived well even after I disappeared. In fact, in the future I experienced, he often showed off his successful image through news articles.

So I didn’t need to worry much about him either.

After shaking off my stray thoughts, I looked at Ryu Dokyung. His eyes were waiting for my answer.

“No, there’s nothing like that.”

“Then.”

“We weren’t even close enough to wrong each other in the first place.”

Not getting overly involved with Ryu Dokyung, whom Ju Suduk was trying to make his son-in-law.

That was the choice I could make as someone barely surviving and plotting revenge.

As soon as I spoke those words, I bowed my head deeply. Ryu Dokyung was silent for a long time. Just as I was about to lift my head again to check his face.

“…You’re keeping your distance from me.”

With a hurt expression, he answered in a hollow voice.

This look on Ryu Dokyung’s face was a first in both my past and current life.

***

The meal was luxurious. Gleaming Korean dishes came out one after another.

However, I kept thinking about Ryu Dokyung’s lonely expression I saw in the car. I didn’t even know how I managed to swallow my food.

While drinking plum tea served as a palate cleanser, Grandfather spoke to Ryu Dokyung.

“Sudeok seems to like you, and Suyeon seems to like you too, Dokyung.”

Instead of answering, Ryu Dokyung looked at me. When I avoided his gaze, he smiled shallowly as if mocking.

“Well. I have to take care of Grandfather. I’m not old enough to discuss marriage yet, and I’m not interested either.”

It was a very welcome answer for me.

Since Ryu Dokyung politely expressed that he had no interest in relationships with women, Grandfather wouldn’t push himself too hard for my sake anymore.

“Is that so?”

Grandfather shrugged his shoulders toward Chairman Ryu.

“What about you, Chairman Ryu? You were coveting our Sae-i, but your grandson has no interest in marriage?”

The moment he heard those words, a strange light flickered in Ryu Dokyung’s pupils. He opened his eyes wide as if startled and hurriedly spoke.

“…I would consider it an honor to serve Chairman Joo as well.”

Why is he suddenly changing his mind…!

Ryu Dokyung’s ears turned red as he bowed his head deeply.

‘Wait, didn’t you just say you had no intention of meeting anyone!’

I had no idea why he was being embarrassed.

I quickly turned my head to check the expressions of the two chairmen.

‘Ah…’

Like viewers completely absorbed in a romance drama, the two were smiling contentedly without any dignity.

I suddenly had an intuition. An intuition that there would be several more occasions like this.

Cold sweat broke out all over my back.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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