NOVEL NEXT Chapter 243
Since Yoon Da-ho had noticed, it was obvious that his grandfather had also caught on to the fact that I was up to something.
“An invitation?”
“Yes. It’s a letter sent by the former chairperson of the Ho Myung Group.”
The letter that Yang Hye-in politely handed to me was, quite literally, an invitation. It was a fancy piece of stationery in a high-quality envelope, perhaps an attempt to flaunt their wealth.
Surprisingly, the letter was handwritten.
[I would like to have a meal together this weekend and share some stories. I’m looking forward to it.]
It was a short message, almost like something you’d send to your granddaughter.
I thought it was something that could have been said over the phone, but… well, if you’re from a wealthy family, I suppose appearances matter just as much. Putting on a show and dressing up is partly to let others know how well-off you are. Just like how male peacocks flaunt their colorful feathers, it’s a survival tactic in its own way.
In reality, I didn’t need to bother with such things, considering I was already the richest teenager in the world. Everyone who knew me was already aware of this fact, so there was no need to flaunt it. That said, I had no reason to hide it, nor could I.
If they wanted to pursue me, they would have to prove they were deserving of me.
“If I’ve been invited, I guess I should respond.”
I returned the letter to Yang Hye-in.
“Please set the time and place.”
At the very least, I had to set the venue. The reason was simple.
“I’d prefer somewhere at the highest point of any of Yujin Group’s buildings.”
I had already been kidnapped once while trying to have a one-on-one conversation. Unless that former chairman had completely lost his mind, I doubted he’d try to kidnap me again, but if I hadn’t learned to be cautious after going through that, it would only prove I was incredibly foolish.
If I were at the top of a high-rise building filled with people committed to protecting me, no matter what happened, they wouldn’t be able to take me out of there.
“Please let Yujin Group know in advance. Request that they pick trustworthy security personnel.”
“Understood.”
“And please stay close to me during the meal. You never know what could happen.”
“…Yes, I’ll make sure to stay on guard.”
“And….”
I looked at the three people watching my conversation with Yang Hye-in.
It would be great if the three of you could come along. We may not be able to eat together, but being on the same floor would certainly put my mind at ease.
Who knows what might happen in a mansion with only three people?
Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t trust the security personnel. It was just that I thought someone might sneak in and mess with those three.
I felt a little paranoid, but you can never be too careful.
“Sara….”
Ha Neul wore an incredibly touched expression. Sohee and Sua looked the same.
These girls seem to get all emotional just from one of my actions.
I wonder when this infatuation will wear off?
It’s not about when it will wear off; it’s about worrying if it ever will!
…Now I’m curious when your infatuation will fade.
That’s not going to happen. I never even had an infatuation to begin with.
Oh, really?
I let out a deep sigh inwardly.
*
It was certainly odd that I, the one who had been invited, had to prepare the venue for this strange dinner gathering, but surprisingly, the former chairperson of Ho Myung Group showed quite a bit of politeness.
Looking at the image I had from the birthday party last time, I thought he was the kind of person who would only think about his own position and wouldn’t show any manners.
He was probably more wary of the Yujin Group than afraid of me. After all, they were capable of starting a war if they desired.
I wasn’t sure how valuable I appeared to the people of Yujin Group. However, I guessed that their perspective on my worth was heavily weighted by the assets I owned rather than my personal relationships. My existence alone could determine whether billions flowed in or not for a colossal corporation.
Honestly speaking, if I were to fall for the old man’s words and actually marry Yoon Da-ho, it would be a disaster.
What Yoon Da-ho tried to gaslight me into would likely be the old man’s scheme to manipulate a mentally unstable Sara from behind.
That feels unpleasant.
I’d like to hit him with something.
“Is the food to your taste?”
“Yeah.”
I abruptly asked, but the old man seated in front of me answered boldly, showing no sign of awareness that he was sitting in enemy territory.
“I think it tastes even better since my grandson and his wife prepared it.”
I couldn’t tell if that was a joke or serious.
“It’s not me who prepared it; it was the Yujin Group. I can’t cook.”
“That doesn’t matter. Whether you cook it yourself or hire a chef, it’s all ultimately done with your own resources.”
His voice was strangely comforting.
“….”
“….”
When I didn’t respond, he didn’t push the issue either.
For a while, the only sound that echoed was the clinking of knives and forks moving about.
“Oh, by the way.”
After a while of cutting and chewing on steak, the old man opened his mouth as if he had suddenly thought of something.
“I heard you’ve been gathering stocks lately.”
“Yeah.”
Despite my brief response, the old man continued speaking.
“I wonder if you know to be careful when doing such things?”
It sounded as if he was sharing some sage knowledge that I didn’t know.
“…What do you mean?”
My voice sharpened slightly.
Of course, he realized I had started to move. Asking that was naturally provoking my attention. If they made a counterattack, I’d need to consider my response strategy.
“Have you heard of stock manipulation?”
“Stock manipulation?”
I had no idea why he suddenly brought that up here.
“The price of stocks rises and falls in surprisingly simple manners. If you keep collecting stocks from Ho Myung Electronics, then, of course, those stocks will rise. Other people will see that rising and start buying as well, and if that cycle continues, when you sell all at once, you’ll have a significant profit.”
“Profit?”
I frowned, not understanding whatever old man was trying to imply.
“No matter how much we dislike it, a company won’t collapse just because the stock price drops a little. For a company this enormous, even if the stock price drops, there will always be people who want to cling on. People who can’t let go.”
“Is that so?”
So, what’s your point?
“Originally, operations are about gathering multiple people to create information and get money flowing, but… since you alone could manage it, I thought I’d mention it. Even if it’s just your solo buying and selling, if that action itself influences the entire stock market, then it could indeed be considered manipulation.”
“Is that so?”
As I tried to follow the old man’s train of thought, I finally realized why he was saying such things.
Oh, he thinks I’ll inflate Ho Myung Group’s stock price and cash out with a fortune.
“……Ha.”
And that ridiculous notion made me chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, nothing, really.”
I felt somewhat relaxed and again began cutting my steak.
“I just think our thoughts seem to be quite different.”
“How so?”
“I have no intention of selling the Ho Myung Electronics stock that I buy.”
I said that and looked at the old man while chewing on a piece of steak.
“No intention of selling?”
Only after listening to that question did the old man leisurely swallow the meat before replying.
“I mean it literally. I’ll just keep buying. Keep buying. Even if it seems I’m spending quite a lot of money.”
“….”
The old man frowned and stared at me, as if trying to comprehend my thoughts.
“Are you implying you want to take over management?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
If I keep buying stocks, the price will continue to rise. Naturally, to buy enough to take over Ho Myung Group, I’d have to liquidate my assets like real estate or stock, which I definitely had no intention of doing.
After all, that was also part of Sara’s wealth.
But still, I had to keep a nest egg.
Nonetheless, my ultimate goal was to buy a stake in the ‘Supercent.’
It would definitely be much cheaper than buying back shares later on if it ever hiked up.
“I’ll just take my time, keep, keep buying stocks, and steadily raise my stake. I’ll collect dividends regularly, attend shareholder meetings, show my face, and if necessary, I’ll even make statements. Then someday, when the time comes for me to need that percentage of stocks, I’ll use them in the way I want.”
“…What are you talking about?”
The old man continued to look bewildered.
“What’s the gain in that for you?”
Well, there isn’t any. At least not right now. Maybe even for the foreseeable future, there might not be any gain at all.
But if I just let it be…
The shares of Ho Myung Electronics will slowly, steadily, inch closer to me, bit by bit.
“Wasn’t the market cap of Ho Myung Electronics around 150 trillion won?”
I briefly raised my gaze.
“I receive dividends in trillions from Yujin Group, I get a few hundred billion from the theme park, and with my real estate income… well, if I spend about 10 trillion a year, I suppose it’ll take about 150 years.”
I spoke cheerfully.
“What do you mean by that? Are you implying you plan an acquisition?”
The old man spoke with a confused look still on his face.
Well, if you don’t stop me, it’ll eventually happen.
So what I’m trying to say is,
I will become a thorn in the side of Ho Myung Group.
That’s all it is.
And I was saying I would spend trillions yearly to achieve that.
I could do it.
I cut a piece of steak and put it in my mouth.
Whether the stocks rise or fall was irrelevant. I was going to buy regardless, so it didn’t matter. However, Ho Myung Electronics would never forget me. They would always remember that there was someone pouring in an absurd amount of money year after year, continuously drawing in their stocks at a rate unimaginable to others.
They would refuse to view me as just another minor annoyance.
It truly was something to behold.
Team Leader Han Garam had said, hadn’t she?
This country is too small to contain Yujin Group.
And that’s exactly true.
The old man still didn’t understand me and frowned.
It’s only natural he wouldn’t get it.
People with money tend to become entangled with it.
But if there’s one thing I learned from coming into this world,
It’s that those who are entangled are only those who have a mediocre amount of money.
That day, the steak was delicious.