InkBound
patreon
CH39 | DI
🕑 Added 2025-03-02 06:42:27 +0000 UTC“Are you saying that friendship sways with money?”
“In other words, it means our friendship won’t sway for anything less than 50 billion.”
Fifty billion dollars is roughly 69 trillion won.
How many friendships in the world wouldn’t falter under that amount of money?
“……”
Gerard was momentarily flustered but soon recovered his sharp gaze and declared firmly:
“You don’t think I’ll just sit back and watch, knowing your intentions, do you? I’ll make sure you can’t secure any investment.”
It was blatant hostility.
I suppressed a laugh internally.
‘For now, I’ve successfully changed my identity. In Gerard’s eyes, I’m no longer “a man preying on his sister.” Now, I’m “a fund manager eyeing his sister’s wallet.” This ensures all attention naturally shifts to my fund. It also means the focus of our conversation won’t deviate.’
“You seem to have a misunderstanding about funds. It’s not about embezzling the client’s money. A fund manager takes a portion of the profits. The industry average is 20%. From the total returns, the client takes 80%, and I get 20%. Objectively, the client secures the bigger share.”
“A win-win relationship where you leech off?”
“The world calls that symbiosis.”
“…Quite the smooth talker.”
“Thank you.”
A frown formed on Gerard’s forehead.
It seemed he found the interruptions in the conversation irritating.
“I can’t trust someone who only talks smoothly.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
"…"
“Trusting words alone and investing often leads to disasters. That’s why there’s only one standard for evaluating a fund manager:
profitability.”
“Numbers don’t lie. Only performance tells the truth.”
“…”
Gerard tried to steer the conversation toward my character flaws, but I shut that down immediately.
No distractions—just stick to the topic of the fund.
Gerard clamped his mouth shut.
It seemed he wanted to find something to criticize, but nothing came to mind.
Lucky for me.
It meant the conversation wouldn’t go astray any further.
Just as I was about to get to the main point—
Bzzzzzzzz!
Gerard’s phone rang loudly.
There was no need to guess who the caller was.
“Yeah, I’m coming. I didn’t do anything.”
It was Rachel.
After finishing the call, Gerard twisted his lips as he looked at me.
“We’ll talk next time.”
He handed me a bottle of wine before picking up two for himself and turning away.
Back on the way to the dining room.
Step, step, step.
The silence was the same as before, but the mood was markedly different.
I could almost hear the gears turning in Gerard’s head.
‘He must have a lot to think about.’
And for good reason—his pre-planned scenario had been flipped.
Gerard’s original plan was a “trustworthiness test.”
But I had upended that test right from the start by discarding the need for trustworthiness.
All thanks to the information Rachel provided beforehand:
—My brother doesn’t really approve of my friends… sometimes he even puts them through weird tests…
From the tone of her words, the test seemed to be of extreme difficulty.
There was no need to take on such a test.
‘I couldn’t pass even if I tried.’
“Trustworthiness” was entirely subject to Gerard’s personal judgment.
No matter what I did, if Gerard didn’t like me, I’d fail.
What I did instead was change the nature of the test.
Not a difficult task.
Just tweak the basic premise slightly, and it naturally restructures itself.
Originally, the target of his test was supposed to be
“a man preying on his sister.”
But now, the person he has to deal with is
“a fund manager eyeing Rachel’s wallet.”
A dangerous figure baiting investments with promises of extraordinary returns.
This changes the test from one of “trustworthiness” to a new one:
“The Conman Test.”
From now on, Gerard’s only task is to prove that I am a fraud.
To do that, he’ll need to demonstrate that my claims of overwhelming returns are false.
This means he’ll have to scrutinize my investments and monitor their performance.
Essentially, it’s a skills test to evaluate my capabilities.
And this is precisely the scenario I intended.
At first glance, it might seem risky, but this test is overwhelmingly in my favor.
‘That’s the easy part.’
With future knowledge and serendipitous opportunities on my side, high scores are guaranteed.
The results will be shown in objective numbers, leaving Gerard no room to dispute the outcome, and the advantage is that the results will come quickly.
It’s a perfect strategy.
However, while the groundwork has been laid, the game has yet to begin.
In other words, the “start” button hasn’t been pressed yet.
No matter—it’s better to showcase this in front of an audience for greater impact.
***
Meanwhile, Gerard’s mind was tangled in a web of confusion.
‘It’s clear this guy is the cause… but why…?’
Rachel had changed.
She had resurrected a dream she had shelved long ago after giving up on attending art school.
—How about running a gallery? I mean, there are things I can do now, like starting a foundation to support unknown artists…
To Gerard, it seemed like she had finally found her path after a long period of wandering.
That, in itself, was undoubtedly a good thing.
But until recently, Rachel had been on the verge of resigning, carefully timing when to submit her resignation letter.
A change that occurred in just a few days.
‘There must’ve been a trigger for this…!’
Although he found it odd, it didn’t pique his curiosity enough to dig deeper, so he let it go.
But then, not long after, Rachel mentioned a male friend.
—A friend I work with at Goldman… He was originally a medical student but is now working in finance to develop treatments…
The moment he heard it, Gerard felt a chill run down his spine.
The timing of Rachel’s transformation curiously aligned with this man.
Rachel said she wanted to invite him to the house, fully aware of what it meant to bring someone to their family home.
This wouldn’t bring Rachel any benefit—it would only create complications.
On the other hand, for the man?
As a sense of foreboding crept over him, Gerard received a text that sealed his suspicions.
—Have you ever withdrawn money from the trust?
Rachel had deflected, saying it was “just in case,” but Gerard was sure now.
A parasite had attached itself.
He had to get rid of it immediately, but the timing was poor.
‘This can’t escalate… not now.’
Even a minor issue couldn’t arise at this moment. Gerard himself was facing the most critical test of his life: the succession test.
It wasn’t just any test—it was the test that would decide his future.
With his two uncles considering retirement, they were searching for the next leader of the family business.
Currently, there were two main candidates: his mother and Gerard.
Neither had extensive management experience, but the day-to-day operations of the company were handled by professional managers anyway.
The role of the next chairman was to provide the company with its overarching direction.
His mother represented the fourth generation, and Gerard, the fifth.
Ultimately, his uncles’ dilemma boiled down to one question: Stability or growth?
Having served on the board for years, his mother could maintain a consistent management style.
However, in a rapidly changing business environment, consistency in management was not always an advantage.
On the other hand, Gerard, as part of the digital native generation, was more in tune with the current era’s trends.
He was also a proven talent, having built a significant track record over six years and risen to the position of CFO.
There was just one obstacle—his youth.
Gerard was only thirty years old.
No matter how capable he was, the older generation believed there were inherent limits to being so young.
As a result, he was given ambiguous authority.
Gerard could develop all management strategies, but he needed his mother’s approval to implement them.
It was a transitional measure.
If he could prove his abilities under this setup, he would eventually gain full authority.
But what if, in this situation, Rachel touched the trust fund?
Of course, Gerard was concerned about the emotional and financial damage his sister might suffer.
But an even greater risk loomed: the succession itself could be jeopardized.
It would only reinforce the elders’ prejudice that “the fifth generation still doesn’t understand the harsh realities of the world.”
‘Handle it as quietly as possible.’
Neither his mother nor his uncles could find out.
That was the original plan.
Identifying Rachel’s “just a friend” wasn’t difficult.
There were only two people who weren’t intimidated by the family’s wealth: Ha Si-heon and Gonzalez.
Rachel’s conspicuous effort to avoid giving these two any attention was also a clue.
The reason Gerard called out Ha Si-heon first was simple.
Unlike Gonzalez, who was draped head-to-toe in luxury brands, Ha Si-heon’s attire was relatively modest.
His excessively handsome looks and striking physique were also factors.
‘So, it’s you, “just a friend.”’
In the end, Gerard’s intuition was correct.
The parasite leeching off Rachel was this man.
However, he thought one threat would be enough to drive him away, but he was wrong.
Even when confronted with a proverbial gun to his head, Ha Si-heon remained unfazed.
—Yes, I want it.
He didn’t even try to hide his intentions.
—Fifty billion dollars.
He casually wrote down an absurd amount on a blank check.
Gerard neither possessed such a sum nor had any intention of handing it over, even if he did.
‘No need for that.’
Gerard’s cufflinks had a recording function.
Every word Ha Si-heon said was captured.
If Gerard played this recording for Rachel, she would surely see his true nature and distance herself from him.
The immediate problem was resolved.
And yet, Gerard’s unease lingered.
‘He must know this… there’s no way he doesn’t.’
Ha Si-heon was clearly a sharp man.
He must have realized that their conversation would reach Rachel’s ears.
Even so, if he dared to make incriminating statements…
‘Does that mean he doesn’t care if I expose him?’
Ha Si-heon claimed he was after investment capital.
—I’ll multiply it. A hundredfold, a thousandfold.
That confident smile of his.
He must have something to back it up.
If he intended to use it as bait to lure investors…
‘He’ll do it in front of Mother, too.’
That would be a problem.
Not because Gerard feared his mother would be deceived.
Despite her unassuming demeanor, she was also part of the maternal family—a formidable background.
She wouldn’t fall for such shallow tricks.
Gerard’s concern came from an entirely different place.
If Ha Si-heon tried anything, his mother would thoroughly investigate him.
In the process, Rachel’s relationship with him would come to light.
If they were unlucky, she might even discover the trust fund issue.
‘Handling this quietly is no longer an option.’
It was time to change tactics.
From now on, Gerard had one goal:
‘I need to show that I’m fully aware of everything and in control.’
He had to demonstrate to his mother that he had recognized the suspicious figure approaching Rachel before she did.
And he needed to prove himself a prepared successor, capable of handling such situations deftly.
Entering the dining room, Gerard approached his mother.
He presented her with a bottle of wine and showed her the label.
“Will this be suitable?”
The expensive wine acquired from an auction.
Such wines were all stored in the safe room.
By bringing it out, Gerard indirectly communicated the fact that he had taken Ha Si-heon to the safe room.
“You picked out a good one.”
His mother nodded approvingly and then smiled at Ha Si-heon.
“You must have worked hard. Please, have a seat.”
Her smile seemed warm, but Gerard recognized it as the smile she wore when she was wary of someone.
He had successfully conveyed that Ha Si-heon was a person of interest.
Now there was only one task left: the moment Ha Si-heon tried to sway his mother, Gerard had to skillfully disrupt him—just like a prepared successor would.
“Earlier, you mentioned that expertise is essential in mergers and acquisitions?”
His mother’s question focused on M&A.
Gerard had recently been pushing for aggressive mergers and acquisitions to expand into new ventures.
However, his mother wasn’t entirely on board with the idea.
‘That’s probably why she invited Rachel’s colleagues here.’
To hear advice from Goldman, like seeking a second opinion on a doctor’s diagnosis, she wanted to cross-verify Gerard’s strategy.
But—
‘Of all people…’
The fact that Ha Si-heon worked in the M&A department gnawed at him.
If he presented convincing opinions here, it might make it harder to attack him later.
However, seemingly unaware of Gerard’s concerns, Ha Si-heon quietly focused on his meal.
In the end, the one who responded to his mother’s question was a loud man named Lanton.
“The key is whether the company’s value increases after the acquisition. In fact, over 70% of companies that pursue acquisitions end up incurring losses. This is often due to overestimating synergies or misjudging timing. Take the infamous AOL-Time Warner merger, for example. It was the largest merger in history, yet just months later, the dot-com bubble burst, resulting in the worst losses ever recorded. They failed to read the market’s trajectory. The mismatch of corporate cultures caused internal chaos, which left them ill-prepared to respond to the crisis…”
Though Ha Si-heon appeared uninterested in the conversation, Gerard remained vigilant.
‘He’s biding his time.’
If Ha Si-heon showed signs of speaking, Gerard planned to immediately cut him off.
If Ha Si-heon tried to flaunt his abilities, Gerard would counter with cold, incisive questions, leaving him flustered and on the defensive.
Undoubtedly, Ha Si-heon would want to step into the spotlight.
Gerard intended to shake that spotlight violently when the time came.
But Ha Si-heon showed no signs of moving yet.
Lanton’s noisy voice continued to fill the air.
“In fact, most M&A deals collapse during the due diligence phase. Less than 10% succeed—maybe 30% at best.”
“That’s a rather low success rate.”
“Haha, it’s not always like that. For instance, the teaser I’m working on right now has a success rate of 80%.”
“80%?”
His mother’s surprise wasn’t exaggerated.
Her voice carried curiosity and a hint of expectation.
“Three times the industry average. That’s impressive.”
She was being drawn in.
Gerard’s nerves sharpened.
‘Now’s the time.’
He felt instinctively that it was Ha Si-heon’s moment to step forward.
But Ha Si-heon remained calm, chewing on his meat.
“Is there a secret to that success?”
“With the right expertise, the success rate naturally improves.”
“Expertise, you say… What kind of expertise specifically?”
And then, the conversation suddenly shifted.
“That’s a question you’d have to ask this friend here.”
Lanton turned his head, and his mother’s gaze followed his lead.
At the end of that gaze was Ha Si-heon.
‘Damn it. He’s a setup.’
Gerard cursed internally.
Lanton had been nothing more than a warm-up act to set the stage.
To disrupt this, Gerard should have interfered with the conversation from the start instead of letting it wash over him.
He had missed the perfect timing to step in.
His mother was already deeply engrossed, and the spotlight was now shifting steadily toward Ha Si-heon.
Like a lively emcee, Lanton introduced Ha Si-heon with an upbeat tone.
“This is the man they call the unicorn of Goldman! A true expert with an astounding 80% success rate—a miracle worker!”
Comments
Rch_ii
hahah
