The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 29

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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 29

 

***

 

The day after location filming.

 

During this time, I had been holed up in my room to avoid running into Uncle’s family.

 

Jaedamjae wasn’t a mansion made of a single building.

 

For example, Uncle’s family lived in the annex to the right of the main residence where Grandfather stayed, Aunt Jeong-hui lived in the left annex, and we lived in a slightly separated annex. Each dwelling had connecting passages, so it could be considered one large house.

 

So even living together, encounters were rarer than expected.

 

Moreover, Uncle was currently away on overseas business. I thought avoiding just Ju Suyeon would be quite easy for me.

 

Despite my efforts…

 

“Ju Sae-i, let’s have a talk.”

 

Ju Suyeon came all the way to my room, which required quite a journey from her own room. Moreover, she opened the door without even knocking and settled herself right inside my room.

 

“If this is about what happened at school last time, I have nothing to say to you, Suyeon.”

 

“Ah, damn it, come on!”

 

As if I had hit the mark, Ju Suyeon suddenly stamped her feet.

 

When I quietly let out a sigh, Ju Suyeon widened her eyes again and argued back.

 

“What did you do so well that you’re sighing in front of me?”

 

“Hah…”

 

“Hey!”

 

“Right, Suyeon. What did you do so well that you’re coming to me to vent your anger?”

 

I had plenty to say to Ju Suyeon myself. I just didn’t bring it up because I didn’t want to bother talking to her.

 

“Does the Chairman know? That you bullied Seongha.”

 

“…!”

 

“Well, he probably doesn’t know. If he did, he would have sent you into overseas exile. Like your brother.”

 

My cousin brother and Ju Suyeon’s older brother by five years, Ju Daehui.

 

Someone who lived like a scoundrel relying only on his status as a chaebol heir, then incurred Grandfather’s wrath about four years ago and was sent overseas as if being driven out.

 

When I mentioned his case, Ju Suyeon’s face turned red and blue with anger. It seemed I had properly touched a nerve.

 

“Behave yourself while I’m letting it slide. I don’t expect an apology, so just don’t touch Seongha.”

 

“…You.”

 

“Suyeon, did you understand?”

 

“Who are you to call him Seongha!”

 

Oh my…

 

I thought she was yelling because I was being arrogant, but she’s angry because I called him Seongha.

 

She really doesn’t seem to know what’s important. Since we couldn’t communicate, my will to deal with her gradually disappeared.

 

Having lost my fighting spirit, I ignored Ju Suyeon and just scrolled through my phone screen.

 

Just then, a text arrived from Grandfather’s personal secretary.

 

[Miss, I’m contacting you regarding the Chairman’s summons. I’ll escort you to his private office like last time.]

 

Grandfather, nice timing.

 

“I have to go, Suyeon. The Chairman is calling for me.”

 

“Why does Grandfather keep calling you…!”

 

“Anyway, if you’ve said everything you wanted to say, go rest. It must be tiring getting angry every day.”

 

I left the room, leaving Ju Suyeon behind.

 

As long as this was Jaedamjae, she couldn’t pull any suspicious stunts in my room, so I felt relieved.

 

***

 

Though I came because he told me to come to his private office, Grandfather was nowhere to be seen.

 

‘Did he step out for a moment?’

 

I sat hesitantly in a chair and looked around Grandfather’s private office. It had the same antique atmosphere as when I came before.

 

Without Grandfather guarding his private office, the entire space seemed to be shrouded in silence.

 

The calligraphy hanging on the walls, the well-maintained lush plants, and even the clock’s second hand that broke the silence with sound every second.

 

‘It’s comfortable…’

 

The tranquil atmosphere felt like it was relieving the stress I received from talking with Ju Suyeon. Moreover, sitting in the soft chair, my body was completely relaxing…

 

“Uaah…”

 

Just as I had become drowsy in an instant and was stretching while sprawled in the chair.

 

“You came quickly. I was taking a look around the garden.”

 

Grandfather, who had returned to his private office, greeted me with a simple greeting.

 

When I hurriedly straightened my slouched body, Grandfather chuckled.

 

“Why don’t you sit comfortably. I heard you went filming yesterday too.”

 

“How could I in front of the Chairman…”

 

“Now, now.”

 

“Then, just a little…”

 

Since he gave permission, well…

 

I slouched slightly in the chair and waited for Grandfather to sit in front of me.

 

Grandfather, who had returned to his seat, took out a flower he had hidden behind his back and handed it to me. It seemed he had picked it while looking around the garden.

 

“This is…”

 

“It’s a trumpet vine flower. It was blooming beautifully on that wall over there.”

 

Is this a gift for me?

 

It’s not a bouquet but just a picked flower, but Chairman Ju Taeback, you’re a romantic elder who knows how to give flowers to your granddaughter…

 

I quickly expressed my gratitude.

 

“This is my favorite flower. Thank you.”

 

“Your mother loved it dearly too.”

 

I knew that Mother particularly loved trumpet vine flowers. The reason I, who had no interest in flowers originally, loved only this flower was also because of Mother.

 

Grandfather seemed lost in thought for a moment and was silent. Sunlight came in through the window without curtains.

 

I sat quietly and waited for Grandfather to speak.

 

“…Is the filming going smoothly?”

 

Grandfather broke the silence with a deeply sunken voice.

 

Even without asking me, he could hear about my appearance on set through acquaintances anytime, but he seemed to want to hear it directly from me.

 

I slowly shared the experiences and impressions I had while filming.

 

“Dojehyeon, is it? That child is quite capable too.”

 

“His role interpretation was good.”

 

“You have a useful eye for people too.”

 

Throwing in casual compliments like this. Grandfather seemed to be in quite a good mood today.

 

“Ah, right! And I might get my next project.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“Writer Choi Gi-yeong said she wants me as the lead.”

 

Grandfather’s pupils, which hadn’t moved at all, shifted slightly. It was surprising enough. I thought it was a dream at first too.

 

“Writer Choi Gi-jeong must have connected you?”

 

“Yes. I just got her contact information for now. I wanted to discuss it after telling the Chairman.”

 

After finishing my words, I pressed my lips tightly together. I felt nervous for no reason.

 

“I see, Choi Gi-yeong… That’s good news.”

 

After finishing his words, Grandfather quietly looked me over.

 

Only after staring for a long while did Grandfather withdraw his gaze from me. He spoke to me in a low voice.

 

“So are you happy?”

 

“Pardon…?”

 

“I’m asking if you feel like you can live now that you’re acting to your heart’s content.”

 

The question was so direct that I was momentarily breathless.

 

Not because I didn’t understand the meaning, but because the meaning was too deep. He probably remembered what I said about choosing acting because I wanted to live.

 

I lowered my head silently. My fingertips trembled finely.

 

‘Happiness…’

 

I chose acting because I wanted to live, not because I chose it to be happy.

 

At the end of the path I wanted to take, there would be revenge. So I didn’t particularly wish for happiness either.

 

However, looking back on the recent filming.

 

‘There wasn’t a day I didn’t smile.’

 

In my past life, I often heard people say I had forgotten how to smile, but on the filming set, I smiled brightly countless times. Even at trivial jokes, I found myself giggling.

 

To think I only realized this after Grandfather asked me.

 

Acting was enjoyable enough to make me forget the wounds of my past life. Watching the immersed actors and mixing myself in among them… it allowed me to escape from my thirst for revenge, even if just for a moment.

 

After hesitating, I nodded slightly. That I was happy.

 

Grandfather, who had been watching my reaction, closed his eyes and opened them again. It was the deep gaze of someone who had endured while carrying the weight of years on his back.

 

“…That child would have given her permission too.”

 

Grandfather clicked his tongue and let out a single remark mixed with regret.

 

That child. Now I knew who those words referred to.

 

I followed where Grandfather’s gaze was directed with my eyes. A very small picture frame that I hadn’t noticed when I was looking around earlier.

 

A young couple and a little girl were captured in the photo inside the frame.

 

It seemed to be a family photo taken with young Mother before Uncle and Aunt Jeong-hui were born.

 

Holding a bouquet in her hands, Mother smiled brightly between Grandfather and Grandmother. It was a completely different atmosphere from the expressionless portrait photo of Mother I had seen at the funeral home.

 

Grandfather looked at his daughter’s childhood appearance with sorrowful eyes, having sent her ahead.

 

‘He had kept Mother’s photo where his eyes could reach it.’

 

After leaving Jaedamjae, whenever I saw Grandfather occasionally appearing on the news with a carefree face, there was something I wanted to ask.

 

Whether he missed his dead daughter. Whether he had ever stayed up all night because he missed her so much.

 

‘Perhaps Grandfather had been missing Mother all along…’

 

Maybe he had lived regretting over and over again that he had only discouraged the acting she had longed for and wanted to do.

 

It felt like I had heard the answer to a question I had held back and couldn’t voice for so long.

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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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