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CH90 | Heir
🕑 Added 2025-04-07 03:37:03 +0000 UTCCarlos Ghosn, with his thick, asymmetrical eyebrows.
He gave off an aura reminiscent of a Naraka, a guardian deity standing watch at the entrance of a temple.
I steadied myself and assessed his abilities. As expected, his business acumen was at an S-tier level.
With that realization, the once-demonic face before me began to look almost angelic.
Smiling, I extended my hand for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Min-jae from Taewoo Group."
"I've heard a lot about you from David. He mentioned you're the successor of Taewoo Group. He also told me you created InnoPhone."
"David sure has a lot to say."
"And I understand you've recently acquired Kia Motors as well."
Carlos got straight to the point.
It was clear he already had a good idea of why I had traveled all the way to France to meet him.
"To be frank, I would like to invite you to become the CEO of Kia Motors."
"I appreciate the offer, but I honestly don’t understand why. We've only just met, haven't we?"
Carlos had yet to gain worldwide fame.
It seemed he was skeptical of my motives for recruiting him in the first place.
In that case, I needed to show him just how well I knew him.
"I’ve been following your work for a while now. I firmly believe that Renault’s growth owes a great deal to your leadership."
"You seem to know quite a bit about me."
"You're originally from Lebanon, spent nearly twenty years at Michelin, and moved to Renault two years ago. I also know that both GM and Ford tried to recruit you."
Before coming to France, I had done my research.
With the information I had gathered from my planning department and Captain Kang, along with the details I confirmed by assessing Carlos in person, I crafted a convincing response.
"I'm impressed—you really do know quite a bit about me. But I've only been in the automotive industry for two years. What exactly do you expect someone like me to accomplish as CEO of Kia Motors?"
"Does a CEO really need to be a product expert? What matters is setting the right company culture and building a system that drives profit. Those are tasks for a management expert, not necessarily an automobile expert."
"Hmm… I can see that you have a broad perspective. But I’m not convinced just yet."
Carlos showed a flicker of interest.
Sensing an opportunity, I re-examined the details I had on him, looking for what truly motivated him.
"I'll offer you an annual salary of $5 million, along with performance-based bonuses. On top of that, I guarantee a five-year contract. If, for any reason, you're forced to step down from Kia Motors, you'll receive five years' worth of salary as a lump sum payout."
It was an exceptionally generous offer.
Of course, part of the reason was his outstanding abilities, but there was something else, too.
Carlos Ghosn had a materialistic streak—a strong preference for money.
This wasn’t just based on the data I had gathered but also from my own knowledge of his future.
In three years, he would become the CEO of Nissan, earning an annual salary exceeding 1 billion yen.
So while I couldn’t quite match that amount, offering $5 million should be enough to tempt him.
"Are you sure you can offer me that much? I heard Korea's economic situation is quite dire right now. If I accept such a high salary, won't the media and public react negatively?"
"The official salary Taewoo Group can offer you will be around $100,000. However, through the SAVE Fund, we can compensate you with the full amount we promised."
A $5 million salary—over 6 billion KRW.
There was no way my grandfather would approve such an exorbitant salary, so I had devised a covert plan to pay Carlos discreetly.
As soon as I finished speaking, I turned to David.
Despite us not having rehearsed this beforehand, he smoothly picked up where I left off.
"Taewoo Group and SAVE Investment are closely connected. If you prefer, we can draft the contract under SAVE Investment's name."
"Hmm, that is a very appealing arrangement."
"Another thing I can guarantee is complete autonomy. While Kia Motors is a subsidiary of Taewoo Group, you will have full authority over its operations. No one will interfere with your management."
This had already been agreed upon in executive meetings.
For Taewoo Motors and Kia Motors to engage in fair competition, they needed to operate independently.
And if Carlos became CEO of Kia Motors, even my grandfather wouldn’t be able to interfere.
"I'm starting to like this more and more. So, you're saying I’ll be able to run the company my way?"
"As you may know, Korea is currently undergoing IMF-imposed restructuring. That makes this the perfect opportunity for you to implement the transformations you envision."
"Alright! I’ll go to Korea."
Carlos’ asymmetrical eyebrows lifted simultaneously.
For a brief moment, I almost turned my head away, but thanks to my second-life experience, I managed to maintain eye contact and respond with a smile.
"I'll give you time to settle things with Renault. You’re welcome to bring your entire family to Korea. We’ll arrange for you to live in the best possible accommodations."
"I appreciate the offer, but I expect to make quite a few enemies while running Kia Motors. I don’t want my family to get dragged into this, so I’ll go to Korea alone."
So, he was fully committed to becoming a "devil" in Korea as well.
The fact that he was choosing solitude to protect his family meant he was determined to carry out drastic restructuring and reforms.
"Then I'll see you in Korea. David will stay behind in France to handle the remaining formalities."
"Enough business talk. How about some wine? All this talking has made me thirsty."
"Agreed! Let’s drink French wine until we burst!"
I had successfully recruited Carlos.
Maybe it was time to loosen up and drink for the first time in a while.
David had already brought over several bottles of wine, and we grabbed them by the bottle, pouring them straight down our throats.
***
A few days later
Carlos arrived in Korea.
I accompanied him to the chairman’s office for introductions.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Carlos. I will restore Kia Motors to its former glory."
...When did he learn Korean?
Carlos, though not fluent, spoke well enough for my grandfather to understand.
I stole a glance at him and checked his skill stats.
As expected, Carlos had an A-tier language proficiency.
"To be honest, I don’t know much about you. But since Director Kim Min-jae recommended you so strongly, I trust him. I’ll leave Kia Motors in your hands."
"I will do my best to deliver visible results."
With a firm handshake, the formalities were complete.
Carlos then left for Kia Motors with the planning department staff to begin assessing operations.
As soon as he exited the chairman’s office, my grandfather finally spoke what had clearly been on his mind.
"I’ve never seen anyone with such an intimidating face. If you hadn’t come with him, I would’ve thought the Grim Reaper had come to take me away."
"Does his appearance matter? As long as he revives Kia Motors, I’d bring in a demon from hell if I had to."
"Haha, you’re right. If a demon can help the company, then we should hire one."
My grandfather chuckled, then naturally settled into the sofa, motioning for me to sit beside him.
"So... tell me, was there no woman in France who caught your eye?"
"Why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
"You should start thinking about marriage. How much longer do you think this old man will live? If I have one last wish before I die, it’s to see my great-grandchild before I leave this world."
Was that really his only wish?
This was the same grandfather who would fight off the Grim Reaper himself to see Taewoo Group rise to the top of the business world.
Of course, I knew he genuinely wanted great-grandchildren, but... was that truly all?
"I have no desire to date anyone right now. I barely have enough time to focus on work as it is."
"Ah, but having a stable family actually helps you run a business better! No more arguments—just clear your lunch schedule for tomorrow."
"...Are you telling me to go on a blind date?"
"Don’t think of it as a date. Just meet someone your age and get to know them."
I never expected Grandfather himself to arrange a matchmaking meeting.
If it were anyone else, I could’ve refused outright, but since it was him, I couldn’t just dismiss it.
"Are you at least going to tell me who it is?"
"I’ve arranged for you to meet the eldest daughter of CL Group. She's close to your age, so I’m sure you’ll get along well."
"The eldest daughter of CL Group? Isn’t she barely a college freshman?"
"If you had followed the normal academic path and served in the military, you'd still be in college yourself."
I couldn’t deny that I was curious—not as a man, but as a businessman.
After all, she was the heiress of CL Group.
"Alright. Since Grandpa set this up, I can’t exactly refuse."
"Good decision. My secretary's office will send you the details—don’t be late. A true businessman never breaks an appointment."
Grandpa looked at me with expectant eyes.
I felt a little guilty, but to me, tomorrow’s meeting wasn’t about romance—it was about business.
***
The next day
At a high-end restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, I met the eldest daughter of CL Group.
Her name was Go Yeon-jin, and despite her young age, she exuded a graceful presence befitting someone from an aristocratic family.
"Hello, I’m Kim Min-jae."
"Nice to meet you. I’m Go Yeon-jin. This is my first time in a setting like this, so I feel a bit awkward."
"I apologize. My grandfather can be a bit... pushy. I hope he didn’t trouble you too much."
"Oh, no! If I really didn’t want to come, I wouldn’t have agreed to this meeting."
Her cheeks flushed slightly.
...This wasn’t the dynamic I wanted.
What I was looking for was not romance, but a relationship that would be mutually beneficial—a business partnership, rather than a personal one.
Of course, I couldn’t just dive straight into business—so I started with some small talk instead.
"I heard you’re majoring in social welfare. You must have a strong interest in that field."
"It’s not that I dislike it… but my parents wanted me to pursue social welfare."
"They must be planning to entrust you with the family’s welfare foundation. I also serve as the chairman of the Taewoo Scholarship Foundation."
In reality, she would go on to become the CEO of CL Group’s Welfare Foundation—20 years from now.
But why did I remember that particular fact?
There was a reason.
Because, 20 years later, the CEO of CL Group’s Welfare Foundation would sue CL Group.
A corporate power struggle.
At the center of CL Group’s succession battle in two decades… was her.
That was why I came here today.
To plant the seed in her mind.
