“The doctor said you have to hold on for a long time, until this month or next month…….”
“Cough.”
Daesang Hospital VIP room.
A stout old man lying on a large bed slowly rose, then his secretary, who had stopped speaking, accosted the old man.
“Is everyone here?”
“Yes, Chairman-nim. Everyone has gathered.”
The old man lifted his head with difficulty and looked at his children sitting in front of his hospital bed.
Vice Chairman of Daesang Group, President of Daesang Electronics, Chairman of Daesang Department Store, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daesang Medical.
To the old man, they looked like employees of his own company rather than his loved ones. However, the old man spat out words that were different from his thoughts.
“My first son Yongseok-ie, second son Jangsik-ie, fourth daughter Yoonhee, fifth son Goseok-ie, my daughters-in-law, and our eldest grandson. Everyone is here.”
*-ie is a diminutive suffix attached to the end of a person's name as a sign of closeness and affection.
At the old man's words, everyone began to act despicable
The sons wiped away tears that hadn't come out, and the daughter and daughters-in-law covered their faces with handkerchiefs that had nothing to wipe.
At least the old man thought his eldest grandson was the best.
“…….”
Without saying anything, he was honestly targeting only what he wanted.
Seeing the eldest grandson's eyes, the old man slowly opened his mouth.
“I know very well why you all came all the way here. It's probably because of my inheritance.”
“Father, it's not like that, we came because we were worried about you.”
“I am sad that even Father says that……. We are not interested in that.”
The old man raised his voice in the heartless shenanigans that followed.
“How many times have we all gathered like this? The day we all got together.”
“That…… We gathered often. Even after all of this, our family is strong under the leadership of Father.…….”
“Once.”
“Pardon?”“We got together once. Like this. Seven years ago, the day I was hospitalized for a car accident.”
The ward became quiet in an instant. The children’s mind were running in their own way, as they thought of what this old parent of their was saying.
“Yongseok-ie and Yoonhee are stocks, and Jangsik-ie and Goseok-ie are buildings.”
“Father, what is that all of a sudden……?”
“These are the things you guys got as birthday presents.”
“Pardon?”
“But now that I've come to think of it, that's it. I've never received such a gift before.”
“…….”
“Except for this letter.”
The old man nudged out the quilt and pulled out an old letter underneath it.
“I got it on my birthday after the car accident seven years ago.”
“……Pardon?”
“The third Hanseok-ie's son wrote it.”
“Ha, Hanseok? That guy!”
As the first son Yongseok's voice grew louder, the old man firmly cut him off.
“So my grandson wrote me a birthday letter and that was the only birthday present I ever received.”
“…….”
“So I decided. All my inheritance, I'll give it to him.”
“!!!”
Everyone looked dumbfounded at the shocking remarks of the old man, but soon came to their senses and jumped up.
“Father! What nonsense is that……!”
“Father, what are you talking about!? Younger brother-in-law Hanseok had previously whistle-blowed……. Someone who isn't even family anymore!”
“But you're giving that guy’s son an inheritance?! Are you kidding me right now!!”
The old man quietly lay back in bed at the cries of his family, which were mixed with anger and resentment.
No matter what anyone said, the old man had no intention of changing his mind. The old man clutched the letter in one hand and quietly closed his eyes with a smile on his lips.
Soon, the old man's property worth 3 trillion Won will go to the unknown son of the son who was kicked out of the chaebol family.
* * *“Maybe it's because he's senile, so Grandfather has completely lost his senses.”
“What?”
A few weeks later.
The residence of the eldest son, Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok.
Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok, his wife, and his son Lee Yongjae were having tea.
“What do you mean, Son?”
Lee Yongjae's mother looked at him with curious eyes.
“The accident in which Uncle passed away, the culprit was not even caught in the hit and run, but wouldn’t someone who had a brain would know who did it? That guy too.”
Sipping tea, Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok's wife listened to her son.
“He wouldn’t want to get paid by the people who killed his parents.”
“Hey, how could he refuse that big money? He was kicked out and would probably have a hard time living…….”
“He’s going to say no. I know him well. When he was a kid, he couldn't stand injustice.”
Lee Yongjae's eyes were full of conviction. Then his mother put down the teacup with her eyes sparkling.magic
“Is that so?”
“Yes, don't worry. We'll get the inheritance back.”
“Ho ho ho! Right! As expected of my son! You calculated that, too!”
Lee Yongjae's mother's shrill laughter pierced his ears. Then, Lee Yongjae secretly looked at Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok.
“…….”
Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok quietly savored the tea without any reaction. It meant that he sympathized with what his son Lee Yongjae said.
When Lee Yongjae held the teacup with a faint smile, Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok's secretary rushed into the living room.
“Vice, Vice Chairman-nim!”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok, who had been quietly tilting his teacup, turned his head sharply.
“The, the inheritance of Chairman-nim…….”
At the secretary's words, the eyes of Lee Yongjae and his mother also turned to him.
“He, he accepted it. That son of former President Lee Hanseok…….”
“……What?!”
“He even kowtowed…… He accepted it with great joy…….”
As the secretary lowered his head, ‘Kwang!’, Vice Chairman Lee Yongseok set the teacup down with a trembling hand.