Episode 1: Prologue
In the VIP room of Jinbaek Hospital,
Baek Dong-ha, the chairman of Jinbaek Group, lay on the bed.
Baek Dong-ha was a titan who had built Jinbaek from nothing with his bare hands, a devil who held everything in his grasp.
But the world does not wait for human time.
At an age not even seventy, Baek Dong-ha was nearing the end of his life.
Without the life support system, it was clear he would have already departed this world.
“Chairman!”
“Father!”
“Darling!”
His wife, three children, and his chief secretary, Jo Hak-ju, wailed before Baek Dong-ha.
It was a sudden illness.
No one could have predicted he would leave the world this way.
And so, Baek Dong-ha had unfinished business to settle.
“I need to resolve the inheritance issue,” he said in a strained voice, looking at his eldest son, Baek Yoon-sung.
“You’ll take charge of Mulsan.” [TL Note: Mulsan (물산), lit. Trading Company]
Mulsan was a colossal enterprise, boasting over 30 trillion won in revenue and nearly 10,000 employees.
But Baek Yoon-sung’s eyes were filled with disappointment.
“…Mulsan?”
Taking charge of Mulsan meant being distanced from the chairman’s seat.
The company held almost no controlling stake in the group.
“Father!”
Baek Yoon-sung’s gaze was cold.
Even as his father lay dying, he seemed indifferent to that fact.
His eyes burned solely with the greed to become chairman.
Seeing his eldest son’s expression, Baek Dong-ha felt his heart tear apart.
‘This is why…’
This was why he was struggling so hard to settle the inheritance before his death.
If he didn’t tidy things up now, the aftermath was obvious.
Once Baek Dong-ha passed, his children would fight to become chairman.
Some might end up in prison, others might even be killed.
Because when it comes to money, there are no siblings.
Blood may be thicker than water, but the stench of money is fouler than the scent of blood.
His children would lose their humanity in the pursuit of greater wealth, living as greedy hyenas in this world.
That was not what Baek Dong-ha wanted.
“Build up Mulsan first!”
With those words, Baek Dong-ha’s gaze shifted to his second son, Baek Cheol-young.
But he couldn’t continue speaking.
“Cough!”
A piercing pain began in his chest and enveloped his entire body.
Baek Dong-ha instinctively knew.
Time was running out.
He would die soon.
He had to finalize the inheritance before then.
“Cheol-young, you take charge of Finance.”
But Baek Cheol-young reacted the same way.
He didn’t hide his disappointment.
“Finance?! Then who gets to be chairman?!”
“Cheol-young!”
“Father! Please trust me! I can do it! I may have caused trouble when I was younger, but not anymore. I’m living diligently now!”
At that moment—
“Enough!”
The youngest, Baek Seo-yeon, stepped forward.
The late-born youngest daughter, just graduated from college at a young age.
Baek Seo-yeon glared at her two older brothers and continued.
“What are you doing?! Can’t you see Dad is unwell?!”
At her words, the two brothers frowned and fell silent.
Then, Baek Seo-yeon gave a warm smile to Baek Dong-ha and said,
“Go on.”
Baek Seo-yeon was expectant.
Since her brothers had been given insignificant roles, she believed something significant would fall to her.
‘Maybe I’ll even become chairman.’
But then,
“You’ll take charge of Entertainment,” Baek Dong-ha said curtly.
Baek Seo-yeon froze at his words.
Her eyes darted back and forth, wondering if she had misheard.
“…Entertainment? Did you just say Entertainment?!”
“Yes, Entertainment. You’ll do well there.”
“Dad! Wait a minute! You want me to mess around with celebrities?! That company’s worth less than 300 billion won!”
Seeing Baek Seo-yeon’s face contort, Baek Dong-ha wore a bitter expression.
He had expected his children to be disappointed.
But they were still young, with much to learn, and not yet ready to take on Jinbaek.
“You’re all still lacking to lead Jinbaek.”
“Dad!”
“Father!”
As his children’s voices filled the hospital room, Baek Dong-ha’s gaze turned to his wife, Jin Woo-ryung.
“You understand my intentions.”
Instead of replying, Jin Woo-ryung merely nodded.
“I’m sorry for all the hardships I’ve caused you.”
She had been by his side through thick and thin, always there despite his excuses of being too busy, leaving them with painfully little time together.
Only at the end of his life could he express this regret.
“It’s okay,” she said.
Then, Baek Dong-ha’s gaze fell on his chief secretary, Jo Hak-ju.
“Jo…”
Jo Hak-ju was his lifelong friend.
They had shared soju in tough times, the only person he could truly rely on.
“I trust you. Without you, I could never have grown Jinbaek to what it is.”
And so, he made a request of Jo Hak-ju.
When his children had matured, he asked him to work with Jin Woo-ryung to choose the next chairman to lead Jinbaek.
Standing before Baek Dong-ha, Jo Hak-ju spoke in a warm voice.
“I understand. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you. Truly, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I couldn’t close my eyes in peace. I’ll leave it all to you.”
At Baek Dong-ha’s frail voice, Jo Hak-ju let out a sigh.
Holding Baek Dong-ha’s hand gently, he spoke.
“Chairman, don’t speak so weakly.”
“I’ll go ahead and wait for you, so take your time coming.”
“I’ll follow slowly behind.”
“Good.”
“Then, let me give you my final report.”
“…Final report?”
Baek Dong-ha’s eyes narrowed at the unexpected words.
But Jo Hak-ju wasn’t one to speak idly.
Baek Dong-ha listened closely.
And then—
“These children here are not yours.”
“…!”
“Yoon-sung, Cheol-young, and even Seo-yeon—they’re all mine.”
A brief silence followed. Baek Dong-ha blinked, unable to comprehend Jo Hak-ju’s words.
He thought he must have misheard.
Until he saw his wife Jin Woo-ryung’s smile.
Jin Woo-ryung was smirking cruelly, her lips twisted.
Her eyes were saying, “Hurry up and die.”
Baek Dong-ha’s gaze frantically shifted back to Jo Hak-ju.
Jo Hak-ju was smiling coldly.
“I wouldn’t joke at a time like this. It’s true. They’re all my children.”
Baek Dong-ha’s eyes turned bloodshot.
He struggled to rise from the bed.
But the shock was too great.
He had believed Jo Hak-ju was his friend…
He had lived his entire life for his wife and children…
“Urk!”
Baek Dong-ha’s breathing faltered.
Jo Hak-ju had disconnected the life support system.
“Having served you for half my life, I’ll see you off on your final journey as well. Go quietly.”
Until his last breath, Baek Dong-ha glared at Jo Hak-ju with bloodshot eyes.
That was all he could do.