Chapter 141: An Inevitable Downfall

“I hate to say it, but predicting stock prices is impossible now. The best we can do is watch the trends and pull out if we sense trouble.”

“That’s right. Company data for stock valuation is useless now. The current stock price is built solely on optimism about the future.”

“And the desires of retail investors play a role too.”

The people who were abruptly called in reported while carefully watching Jin Seo-yoon’s expression, but none of their answers were satisfactory or clear.

“I heard you were the best talents at Soonyang Securities, but you’re not very impressive.”

Jin Seo-yoon’s dismissive tone stung the pride of the top performers from Soonyang Securities, but they held their tongues.

Wasn’t she the owner’s daughter, not even a president?

“I apologize, but no one can clearly explain this situation. It’s a phenomenon we’ve never seen before since the Korean stock market began.”

“So, you’re saying no one knows how high it will go, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What about Soonyang Electronics? I invested 20 billion won; shouldn’t there be some action by now?”

“Soonyang Electronics isn’t a major concern. It’s just one of the many places the IT division invested in. The focus isn’t on trading profits from the stock increase but on its role as an affiliate.”

“Hmm….”

Jin Seo-yoon’s worries deepened as she received only vague answers, like being lost at sea, when she had hoped for a guiding light.

But couldn’t they find El Dorado once they crossed that vast ocean?

“Excuse me, Madam President, may I ask how much you’ve invested?”

“That’s none of your concern. I’m just buying a little more as the stock price rises and selling when it dips.”

“You’re sticking to the basics. That’s a good approach.”

The positive assessment from the securities firm managers slightly eased her anxiety.

“Keep our meeting today a secret. If word of this leaks within the group, I’ll suspect your loose lips. Remember, if I set my mind to it, there won’t be a place for you to stand in this country. I have that much power. Understand?”

The Soonyang Securities managers zipped their lips.

It was an undeniable fact that the Chairman’s daughter wielded that kind of influence.

She hadn’t secretly gathered the Soonyang Securities managers for investment advice. She wanted to hear reassuring words, and she got what she wanted.

“Take those and give them to my people. I wasn’t sure of their tastes, so I got some from different brands. Pick out three or four you like.”

Her fingertips pointed to shopping bags filled with luxury handbags worth millions of won.

She clearly said three or four. The securities firm managers all stood at once and bowed deeply. These kinds of windfalls were always welcome.

* * *

As the autumn breeze began to turn into winter winds, my aunt quietly sought me out.

Her first words told me I was stepping into a swamp with no way out.

“Do-jun, could you ask Representative Oh to postpone the interest payment? The economy is terrible, and department store sales have plummeted. Only the food court is barely holding on.”

“Is it that bad?”

I feigned ignorance, and she immediately launched into a sob story.

“Hotel occupancy is over 70% vacant. People have to eat to survive, so they come to the department store for groceries. It’s hard to tell if it’s a department store or a market.”

As I listened to her plausible lies, I had a strong urge to check the facts, but one wrong word could ruin everything.

It was already well over two hundred thousand won. If my aunt sold all her shares now, she’d make a fortune, and the department store group would slip from my grasp.

I had to bring up the stock issue naturally, very naturally.

“I’m sorry, Aunt.”

“Huh? What for?”

“If you hadn’t sold those shares for forty thousand won, this whole problem could have been solved at once.”

“Oh! That. It’s alright. Stocks just aren’t for me. And I made four times the profit anyway. I should be satisfied with that.”

Her mumbled excuse felt awkward, but I pretended not to notice and continued.

“It looks like it’ll easily go over three hundred thousand won… It’s really incredible, isn’t it?”

“What? Three hundred thousand won?”

Her startled expression was subtle.

A brief smile flickered at the corner of her lips, and that smile said it all. Hopefully, she had invested so much that the department store group was teetering on the brink…

“Yes, but they’re saying it’s like a crashing airplane.”

“What does that mean? Tell me more.”

“Well, it’s like eavesdropping on someone else’s party, why bother talking about it? We don’t own any shares….”

“B-But… I’m just curious. I used to be a major shareholder.”

She was clearly still a major shareholder. Her sparkling eyes gave it away.

“So, the word in Yeouido is that it could go up to around three hundred thousand won. But it’s like a faulty plane that’s only gaining altitude. It’s so precarious, no one knows when it’ll crash.”

“So, you’re saying it’s risky.”

“But if you time it right, it’s like money will just roll in, so people are holding on. High risk, high return. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

“Aunt.”

I looked her straight in the eye and said,

“Yes?”

“Please don’t even think about jumping in now. You know? The crashing airplane.”

I gestured like a plane crashing, and my aunt burst into laughter.

“What do you take me for? Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Then I’ll go back and talk to Representative Oh. Don’t worry too much. He’s not the kind of person who only cares about money and ignores your situation.”

A positive answer from my lips brightened my aunt’s expression.

“Thank you, my dear nephew. This aunt pays back every favor, you know that?”

“What favor? We’re family.”

I turned away after saying only pleasant things.

We’re family. And family always creates problems.

As I left the suite my aunt used as an office, a middle-aged man I vaguely recognized approached me in the doorway.

“Excuse me… Chief Jin. Do you perhaps remember me?”

Ah, this fellow… Wasn’t he the one who was there when Miracle lent money to my aunt? The finance director, was it?

“Are you Director Im?”

“Yes, that’s right. You remember me.”

He bowed his head slightly.

“Are you coming from seeing President Jin?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Director Im’s anxious expression, I knew he had something to say to me.

“Oh, Director. Could you get me a coffee? My aunt is so busy, she just said what she needed to say and kicked me out.”

“Ah, of course. Shall we go to my office?”

He seemed pleased and quickly led me away.

As I sipped the coffee Director Im gave me, he glanced at me, hesitating before speaking.

“Could you tell me what you discussed with the president… Is it something I shouldn’t know?”

“No, it’s fine for you to know, Director Im, since you’re in charge of finance. My aunt asked for a one or two-month extension on the interest and repayment to Miracle. She said the department store and hotel are struggling due to the bad economy.”

“I see. Even that would give us some breathing room….”

He even let out a long sigh. His complexion was dark with worry about money.

“Is it that difficult?”

“Well….”

Seeing his pale face and his inability to speak, I guessed the amount of money tied up in stocks was enormous.

Should I take a gamble here?

“How much did you dump into the stock market? Judging by your expression, it must be a huge amount. Am I wrong?”

He must have invested at least a hundred billion won.

“H-How did you know? Did President Jin tell you?”

“Do I need to be told? If you can’t even pay the interest on something you’ve used company stock as collateral for, it’s obvious. Isn’t the management in danger of being taken over?”

“You’re very perceptive.”

“Be honest with me. I’ll keep it a secret. My position is really difficult. Caught between a rock and a hard place – I can’t ignore my aunt’s situation, and Representative Oh is like an uncle to me… This is tough.”

Looking troubled, I threw out a casual remark, and Director Im quickly began to speak.

“Chief, the only person who can stop this situation is the Chairman. I know you have the Chairman’s full favor. Please, say something to him. I’m going crazy with anxiety.”

“Is it really over a hundred billion won?”

“The total funds invested so far are 140 billion won. We kept buying from 50,000 won up to 200,000 won.”

I barely suppressed a laugh and put on a shocked expression.

“What? One hundred and forty billion won?”

“Shhh. Keep your voice down.”

I quickly pressed Director Im, who was being cautious.

“From fifty thousand to two hundred thousand? Then you wouldn’t lose money if you sold now.”

“Of course not. We’d make at least three times the profit.”

“Seriously, my aunt is so reckless. Why is she holding onto it if she doesn’t know much about stocks?”

“It’s because of the people at Soonyang Securities. They were supposed to tell us when to sell… But they keep encouraging us, saying it looks like it will go even higher.”

What was this new information? Why was Soonyang Securities involved here?

Seeing my puzzled expression, Director Im explained the situation of how the Soonyang Securities people got involved.

“So, you’re saying people from Soonyang Securities are sticking by your aunt’s side and coaching her?”

“Yes, that’s right. They say these guys are veterans… But they seem recklessly aggressive, which makes me nervous.”

This was unexpected information. I hadn’t known my aunt had found someone to provide her with information and guidance.

If they advised her on the right selling time, my plan would fall apart, and my aunt would make a lot of money. I felt impatient.

“Actually, I met with those guys separately and told them to strongly advise President Jin to sell now.”

“And? Are they not listening?”

“After talking to them, they seemed desperate. If they advise her to sell and the stock price keeps going up….”

“My aunt won’t let it go.”

“Exactly. That’s what they’re afraid of.”

She wasn’t the type to let it slide. She was the type of woman who would retaliate with severe personnel actions.

The real problem wasn’t their careers. If they managed my aunt so well that she made a lot of money, the game would be over.

My lips felt like they were burning as I imagined my carefully built tower crumbling.

“Tell me who those people are. I’ll meet them myself.”

“Would you do that for us?”

Director Im’s expression brightened.

“I think I need to sort things out. Otherwise, we could face huge losses… This is making me too anxious to sit still.”

“How do you think I feel? No, how must President Jin feel? You saw how pale she looked? Something might happen if this goes on.”

I didn’t forget to give a final word of warning to Director Im, who was overly worried.

“Don’t even think about reporting this to the Chairman or asking for his help. My aunt is family, so she might get away with it, but all the executives at the department store and hotel will lose their jobs. He doesn’t forgive executives who fail to properly assist his family.”

Director Im let out a sigh.

“That’s the last thing I would do.”

I left the hotel, leaving the worried Director Im behind.

Those Soonyang Securities meddlers.

What incredibly lucky meddlers.

They showed up at just the right time to turn their lives around. They were unbelievably fortunate.

I’ve really got them this time.

I need to buy their lives entirely and make them push my aunt off the cliff.