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CH62 | DI
🕑 Added 2025-03-23 04:25:16 +0000 UTCAs soon as Ha Si-heon left, Raymond turned his head towards Gerard.
“Do you realize what I have done?”
He eventually decided not to request a redemption.
This question was to verify if Gerard understood the reason.
Gerard confidently replied, “Yes, I know. If Ha Si-heon moves to the family office, we will be able to control him. We can use his abilities to profit, and ultimately, smear his career.”
A satisfied smile spread across Raymond’s lips.
“That’s correct.”
He was proud of his son’s insight, which grasped the core of the plan without further explanation.
However, a dark shadow loomed over Gerard’s face.
“Is there something else worrying you?”
“No, it’s just… it feels like I’ve solved it using your power.”
There was a sense of guilt in his son’s voice.
Raymond sighed deeply and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder.
“No. You did this. You convinced me and led this to fruition.”
“But…….”
Gerard still looked unconvinced, his head bowed.
Raymond spoke with a smile full of understanding, “It’s because of your maternal family. Don’t worry. To them, it will seem like you’ve utilized me as a resource.”
He meant to package all plans as if they were Gerard’s idea.
This only made Gerard look more bitter.
“I thought I could handle it on my own………….”
In Gerard’s eyes, there was a visible self-loathing for not having managed on his own.
“There’s no need to hurry.”
“But…….”
“I know what you’re worried about. You fear that using your background rather than your abilities makes everyone think you are incompetent.”
Raymond had a clear understanding of Gerard’s inner thoughts.
“That’s right. It’s because I’m still relying on my father’s help at this age…”
“It can’t be helped.”
Raymond’s expression grew serious.
“If it were a bicycle, everyone around you is riding a two-wheeler, learning and growing by falling over themselves, while you are still dependent on training wheels.”
“……That’s an apt analogy.”
“But you are different from them. Even if they fall, they just scrape their knees. In contrast, a single mistake from you could ruin many families.”
A normal thirty-year-old could afford trial and error.
Even if they make a wrong choice, only they get hurt.
However, Gerard was different.
He was already a CFO of a company at a young age.
One wrong decision could lead to tremendous losses and many employees losing their jobs.
“Sadly, you don’t have the luxury of trial and error that ordinary people do. You must always practice with training wheels, and once they’re off, not even a single mistake is tolerated. The world expects that from you.”
“That’s true.”
A deep sympathy flashed across Raymond’s face, understanding the weight Gerard carried.
“Your situation isn’t ordinary. Therefore, the obstacles you face can’t be compared to those of ordinary people. Don’t judge yourself by their standards. If you must compare, compare yourself to others who are also riding tricycles.”
Raymond’s advice was filled with deep affection and belief in his son.
As father and son continued their deep conversation, a club staff member cautiously entered.
“Another guest has arrived.”
The new visitor was none other than Rachel.
As Rachel entered the lounge, all eyes turned towards her.
It was uncommon to see a young woman here, but above all, her striking beauty captured everyone’s attention.
Although she felt uncomfortable under the glaring eyes, “You’re here.”
As soon as their eyes met, a smile naturally spread across Raymond’s face.
How he had managed to have such a perfect daughter.
However, today wasn’t about admiring his daughter’s loveliness.
Raymond quickly assumed a serious expression and asked Rachel, “Rachel, is it true that you brought a person named Ha Si-heon to the Castleman Foundation?”
Raymond then carefully compared the testimonies of Ha Si-heon and Rachel to see if their stories matched.
The contents aligned.
That is, Rachel had first discovered the Castleman Foundation and recruited Ha Si-heon for the development of a cure.
However, during this verification process, an unexpected fact came to light.
It was because Gerard asked this question.
“Did you ask about the conditions for receiving the trust fund because of this matter?”
It turned out that Rachel had confided only to Gerard and had planned to withdraw funds from the trust.
Raymond’s forehead instantly furrowed with deep lines.
He couldn’t shake off his concerns for his daughter.
“Rachel, the trust fund is not meant for others. Are you planning to spend your life giving it away to others?”
Rachel shook her head as if to offer an excuse.
“I’m not giving it away. I’m not donating five hundred million; I’m investing in Sean to make a profit, and I can use a talented person for my own purposes.”
Rachel’s words were not wrong.
Her strategy was a very wise method of achieving her goals without financial loss.
Rachel was indeed perfect, not just in appearance and character, but also in intelligence.
However, Raymond still felt heavy-hearted.
He sighed deeply and continued, “Do you really have to work at the foundation?”
“It’s about protecting the patients and fulfilling their desperate wishes. It’s truly meaningful and valuable work.”
Of course, the purpose was noble.
However, Raymond’s sighs did not cease.
“You can start living your own life now.”
Rachel gave a sad smile and shook her head.
“I can’t do that. You know the reason.”
Indeed, Raymond knew why she acted this way.
It was due to a tragic accident at a lakeside villa when Rachel was just ten years old.
She had slipped and fallen into the water, placing her in a precarious situation.
Fortunately, an elderly caretaker at the villa quickly rescued her.
Sadly, during the process, the elderly man had passed away.
“It’s because of me he died…”
The memory of comforting Rachel as she cried each night was still vivid.
Since then, Rachel had lived with a sense of duty to live for two people, haunted by the compulsion to perform good deeds because she had survived by someone else’s sacrifice.
She was a beautiful, wealthy woman in her twenties, and while her peers indulged in the pleasures of life, she chose to carry this heavy burden, which pained her father.
Raymond sighed deeply and firmly grasped Rachel’s hand.
“Clifford would want your happiness.”
“I am happy living this way.”
Rachel continued with a determined look in her eyes.
“I must do this work. I knew it was the path I needed to take as soon as I heard about it.”
It wasn’t that he opposed the foundation activities; in fact, he thought it might heal Rachel.
Perhaps, after some time serving others…
Maybe Rachel could eventually escape her guilt and truly enjoy her own life.
The problem was just one.
“Don’t get too close to that person.”
Raymond warned sternly.
Rachel looked puzzled but soon smiled and responded.
“Sean is just a friend. No, more like an acquaintance I receive help from.”
Raymond didn’t see it that way.
Rachel was too emotionally generous.
He looked at her with concerned eyes and emphasized again.
“That man is not ordinary.”
He had sensed it from the moment he heard from Gerard and was convinced when he met him in person today.
Ha Si-heon was extraordinary.
Not that he was a suspicious person.
After directly questioning him, it was clear that Ha Si-heon had not deliberately trapped Gerard.
It was impossible to have prepared a redemption trap for the Genesis incident beforehand.
And while it seemed Ha Si-heon did not intentionally stay near Rachel,
Still, the situation lingered in his mind.
What will you do?
Redemption and trap.
The moment when Raymond had to choose between the two.
Even though it was his own decision, it felt like there was no choice.
This feeling was familiar, similar to the pressure he felt when meeting some clients.
At the pinnacle of society, those who rule the world.
The sense of intimidation felt in their presence.
It was chilling to realize that he felt this from a young Asian man in his twenties.
Having such a person near Rachel was inevitably a cause for extreme anxiety.
“You must never give your heart to them. Those people have emotions different from ordinary humans.”
Those who have reached the highest positions.
They do not hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve their goals.
If Ha Si-heon belongs to the same type…
Raymond was worried that Rachel might get hurt by being around such a person.
“We’re just moving together for the same goal. In fact, I’m using him.”
“That man is not someone who can be used.”
“It’s okay. I’m not a child anymore.”
Even with Rachel’s confident voice, Raymond’s mind was not at ease.
However, “I will continue with the foundation work. This isn’t something for father or Gerard to interfere in. It’s solely my choice.”
There was a firm determination in Rachel’s eyes.
Raymond knew well that no one could break the stubbornness of a daughter with such a look in her eyes.
He eventually sighed heavily and said, “Alright. If you need help or find yourself in a difficult situation, make sure to let me know.”
With this promise of full support to his daughter, Raymond inwardly resolved, ‘I have no choice but to separate them with my own power… I must remove Ha Si-heon from Goldman and the foundation. Make sure he has no contact with Rachel.’
The comforting fact was that to Ha Si-heon, the Castleman Foundation was merely a source of funds.
By pretending to help with the foundation work, he could receive initial investment funds.
That would be the end.
Then, Ha Si-heon’s interest in Rachel wouldn’t last long.
On the contrary, it was likely that he would show interest in Raymond, who held power and capital.
‘If I bring up that agenda…’
The sudden thought made him want to stand up immediately.
But he couldn’t ruin precious family time just because of work.
He couldn’t make that mistake again.
Eventually, Raymond returned to his room after ten o’clock at night.
He opened his laptop without even taking off his coat.
As he closely examined the documents related to Raymond’s major clients, who had invested heavily in this promising startup, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
“Phew…”
Theranos had been a promising startup where Raymond’s major clients had invested a large amount of money.
At the same time, it had been troubling him for the past few months.
There was something unclear about it, but no concrete evidence could be found.
The problem was that there was also no way to obtain that evidence.
‘I can’t push it directly.’
That could risk damaging relationships with his clients.
That’s when he met Ha Si-heon.
‘What if I use him?’
In other words, if he introduced Ha Si-heon as a talented individual and put him at the forefront to dig into the situation?
Of course, this was a move that came with considerable risk.
However, even if the clients got upset, all he had to do was fire Ha Si-heon.
Originally, Raymond’s main goal was to fire Ha Si-heon at an appropriate time, so there was nothing to lose.
“An uncommon hand has come in…”
Ha Si-heon was indeed a rare asset.
A talented discard.
There was no reason not to use it.
After much deliberation, Raymond decided and immediately wrote an email to his client.
And without hesitation, he pressed the send button.
