Unhealthy - Chapter 39

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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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Chapter 39. Bait

Thanks to his relentless investigation through the night, tracking not only his departure records but also the movements of his personal secretary’s office that followed him like a shadow, he finally obtained an unexpectedly eye-opening harvest.

This coming Friday evening, the side-by-side reserved seats for Gi Tae-jun and An Hae-yeong on the Tokyo-bound flight. This was clear evidence that Taejun had finally begun to move.

A bitter arc formed at the corner of Jae-jun’s lips.

“Sorry about this. I’ll find her first.”

He whistled cheerfully. The route Taejun had designed was far too elaborate for simply luring Hae-yeong out with the promise of finding her aunt and then going through some perfunctory motions.

Jae-jun had thoroughly investigated even the vehicle data that Taejun had prepaid to a Tokyo rental car company for weekend use.

Was it a mistake that he uncharacteristically used a personal name instead of a corporate one, or was even this bait to hook someone?

In any case, what Jae-jun had obtained was definitely a card that could pressure Gi Chairman, Gi Tae-jun, and Hae-yeong all at once.

Taejun’s rental records obtained through an informant within the company contained not just simple rental times, but also waypoint and final destination data pre-synchronized with the vehicle’s navigation system.

Though it was nearly impossible to track in reality, exploiting security vulnerabilities in the rental car system to link Jae-jun’s device to the real-time GPS control network was child’s play.

It seemed Taejun planned to take over the rental vehicle as soon as he arrived in Tokyo with Hae-yeong and head toward the vicinity of Nagano Prefecture.

The red dot marked on the navigation pointed to a quiet rural village in Nagano Prefecture.

Even though the exact address was still shrouded in mystery, the reason Taejun was heading to the countryside with Hae-yeong, where there wasn’t even a proper hotel, was as clear as day.

Whether it was simply the pretext of finding Hae-yeong’s aunt, or a reckless escape plan to spirit Hae-yeong away overseas forever, was still unknown.

But one thing was certain: he had read the trajectory of perfectionist Gi Tae-jun’s decisive move in advance.

The moment Taejun entered the final destination with Hae-yeong and began moving, he could strike first.

Everything was going smoothly.

Jae-jun sank deep into his seat back.

A calculating gleam flashed between his drooping eyelids.

Just thinking about how Taejun’s perfect face would crumble when he dragged out the truth that Taejun had so desperately hidden made every nerve in his body tingle with excitement.

This time, he would finally surpass Gi Tae-jun and monopolize the card his father so desperately craved, seeing hope for Je-won Group’s future.

***

Even as Jae-jun celebrated prematurely with a victory toast, there were cold eyes observing every movement.

It was Gi Chairman, who had long used Taejun’s outstanding abilities and calm ambition as driving forces to elevate Je-won Group to its current position.

He already saw through Jae-jun’s shallow cunning like looking into his palm—when it would target his brother’s back, and at what point Taejun’s severe obsessive cleanliness would crack.

The report from the watcher he had attached like a shadow to Jae-jun finally brought a smile to Gi Chairman’s face.

“Your son boarded the Tokyo-bound flight a moment ago. He should arrive around 20:10 local time.”

“What does he know?”

“It seems he intercepted Executive Gi Tae-jun’s rental car reservation records and the synchronized navigation destination in advance.”

“Oh ho, so the boy does have some brains after all.”

A cold sneer crossed Gi Chairman’s lips as he listened to the report in the heavy silence of his study.

The sight of Jae-jun wagging his tail, mistakenly thinking he had outpaced his brother, was both disgusting and amusing.

Jae-jun’s greed had ultimately uncovered An Ji-min’s whereabouts, which Taejun had kept so secretly hidden, paving the way.

“It certainly took long enough. My son is much more useful than those incompetent, worthless bastards.”

Setting aside his disdain, Gi Chairman had to acknowledge Taejun once again.

No matter how much he had fallen from grace, Gi Tae-jun’s brilliant mind was extremely useful.

He quietly gazed at the pitch-black darkness outside the window.

An Ji-min, whom he had desperately tracked for years.

The final puzzle piece for perfectly subjugating An Hae-yeong, and the woman who would become Taejun’s only weakness, had finally come within range.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Since his sons had opened the hunting path by tearing at each other’s throats, he just needed to harvest the blood-stained trophy at the end to solve the problem that had been plaguing him.

“Get ready. The moment that bastard Jae-jun approaches An Ji-min, we just need to intercept that woman.”

Gi Chairman’s voice was low and resolute.

He had already foreseen that Jae-jun would secure An Ji-min first and propose a deal to him.

But predators don’t negotiate over prey brought by hunting dogs.

“We need to move before that bastard Jae-jun tries any foolish tricks. If he resists, bring her by any means necessary.”

As the command fell from the cunning predator who reigned over his sons, the secretary bowed respectfully and disappeared into the silence.

Now that place would become a brutal battlefield where Gi Tae-jun’s secrets, Gi Jae-jun’s ambitions, and Gi Chairman’s greed would explosively entangle in chaos.

***

In contrast to the outside situation where the clouds of that silent war were gathering, Taejun was spending a terribly quiet and diligent night of atonement.

“Give it to me. I’ll do it myself.”

Finding Taejun’s persistent kindness in trying to dry even her wet hair burdensome, Hae-yeong tried to stop his touch and snatch the hair dryer away.

But Taejun gently pushed Hae-yeong’s hand away and replied slowly.

“Why, does this seem fake too?”

“….”

Instead of answering, Hae-yeong stared at Taejun reflected in the mirror with a sullen expression.

Though he seemed indifferent, his touch on her hair was excessively delicate and careful, making it feel strangely alien.

“Fake or not, isn’t it good for An Hae-yeong?”

Though his expression was unreadable and colorless, somehow meeting his deeply sunken eyes made an indescribable guilt sprout in a corner of Hae-yeong’s heart.

“…What good is there for me in bossing around an older person? I just find it all uncomfortable.”

“There’s only one day left, so just enjoy it comfortably.”

“What do you mean only one day left?”

Hae-yeong narrowed her eyes.

She glared at him, understanding his words to mean that his period of atonement would end tomorrow, when she had been quietly deceived for years.

“We’re leaving the country tomorrow, so get ready.”

But Taejun’s following words were far beyond Hae-yeong’s expectations.

“Ah… tomorrow? Actually, I don’t have high expectations.”

She was blood relation she had never even met face to face.

There was no way there could be any great bond between herself and this aunt who didn’t even exist in her memories.

Despite Hae-yeong’s calm reaction, Taejun continued speaking like passing judgment without stopping.

“I’ve already prepared both passports and departure flights, so leave together as soon as you meet.”

“…Leave? What do you mean by that?”

Unlike Taejun who spoke casually as if discussing daily life, Hae-yeong was struck by sharp shock and whirled around to face him.

His words sounded not like a simple trip, but like a farewell pushing her toward a place of no return.

“What do you mean leave? Weren’t we supposed to come back together after just finding my aunt?”

Hae-yeong’s voice trembled thinly.

Instead of answering, Taejun turned off the hair dryer. Then he gently pressed down on both of Hae-yeong’s shoulders.

“When you meet that woman, leave immediately.”

Hae-yeong felt a chill freeze her to the bottom of her heart.

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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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