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CH35 | DI
🕑 Added 2025-02-23 04:03:25 +0000 UTCAfter returning to the office, the first thing I did was check Dobby’s desk.
“Not here.”
Dobby usually orders takeout and eats in the office, but today, he was nowhere to be seen. Even after an hour, he still hadn’t shown up. It was obvious where he had gone.
He was probably spreading rumors about a shady fund that a so-called unicorn with an 80% success rate might launch.
‘Looks like things are going smoothly on that end.’
Anyone interested in this shady fund will likely approach Dobby first instead of coming straight to me.
Negotiations happen when they deal with me directly, and anyone sane would want to gather as much information as possible before negotiating.
They might even give Dobby some homework—like asking him to find out specific details from me.
Maybe they’d pass along a message like, ‘I’m considering participating if you address these concerns.’
Once all the pieces are gathered, they’d prepare to move forward.
‘Dobby makes things so convenient.’
While waiting for Dobby to return, I had something else to do—finishing the calculations I couldn’t complete earlier.
‘Rachel… turns out she is a trust fund baby.’
A trust fund baby. The term refers to the privileged heirs who inherit massive wealth through trusts.
I had my suspicions, but Rachel turned out to be one of them.
Still, that wasn’t the most important part.
What I really needed to know was the scale of that trust.
It’s clear that the trust was established by her grandparents.
Parents can also set up trusts, but as long as the grantor is alive, the beneficiary can’t withdraw funds freely.
If it’s her grandparents’ inheritance, then Rachel likely isn’t the sole beneficiary.
Rachel once mentioned she has twelve cousins.
Their parents are probably alive too, so let’s assume there are about twenty beneficiaries in total.
‘She did say ‘every year,’ didn’t she…’
That’s a significant detail.
A trust manages various assets such as cash, real estate, stocks, and bonds owned by ancestors.
If the money comes in at regular intervals, it’s likely not the principal but the income generated from it—like dividends, interest, and so on.
This income is divided among twenty people. Rachel’s share amounts to tens of millions of dollars.
‘If $60 million comes in annually…?’
For twenty people, that’s a total of $1.2 billion per year. That's roughly 1.5 trillion won.
Interest alone on the inheritance exceeds 1.5 trillion won.
If that’s the case…
This isn’t just old money—it’s one of the top-tier wealthy families in the U.S., likely among the top ten.
Maybe that’s why Goldman’s MD was so deferential to her.
‘No, that’s overthinking it.’
So far, it’s more like wishful thinking on my part.
There’s no certainty that $60 million is generated annually.
It could simply mean Rachel has access to that amount.
‘And there’s no Mosley in the rankings of elite families.’
Rachel’s last name is Mosley.
As far as I know, no Mosley appears among the ranks of the wealthiest families.
However, I quickly found a counterargument to this question.
‘Her maternal family.’
Mosley is her father’s surname.
I don’t yet know Rachel’s mother’s maiden name.
Her maternal family might belong to a family of unimaginable wealth.
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly.
It’s still just a possibility for now.
But it’s a possibility I need to confirm.
‘This means I absolutely have to go, doesn’t it…?’
I now had one more reason to attend Thanksgiving at the royal palace.
It’s no longer just about Rachel’s father or Terranoth.
I must meet her mother as well.
There’s a chance her maternal family might be even more extraordinary than I imagined.
The problem is how.
How can I secure an invitation?
‘Rachel’s actions keep defying my expectations…’
Her decision to donate $60 million was something I didn’t anticipate at all.
Understandably so.
Even I, whose life is on the line, implemented safeguards like six months and $4 million. Who could’ve predicted Rachel, who has nothing to gain, would act so impulsively?
This isn’t exactly a good thing.
Thinking about how that could’ve cost me $9 billion sends chills down my spine.
‘I’ll need to be more careful moving forward.’
Rachel isn’t just kind with her words—she’s the kind of person who opens her wallet without hesitation and believes others too easily.
‘What should I do…’
I could use the orphan-and-tragic-story angle again, but I’m wary because I already said, ‘David might be a con artist.’
On top of that, I even hinted that I used a ‘heartbreaking story’ as a strategy.
What’s more troubling is Rachel’s excessively kind nature—it makes her the perfect target for exploitation.
Her family is surely aware of this too. It might be self-serving paranoia, but better safe than sorry.
Rather than forcing things, it’s better to proceed as naturally as possible.
Our princess has a soft spot for her orphaned friend. With a heart so generous that she’s willing to donate a fortune, there’s no way she’d leave me alone. For now, I just need to trust that and wait.
***
Meanwhile.
Back in her department, Rachel was struggling to focus on her work.
She kept recalling the faint smile on Ha Si-heon’s face, filled with unspoken sorrow.
–I’ll be fine, Rachel. Cherish the time with your family.
He said that, but there’s no way he’s fine.
This is the same person who suggested they go out for Korean food together during Chuseok, the Korean holiday. He must be missing his family terribly.
—I’m just planning to check out some restaurants.
On Thanksgiving, most restaurant patrons would be families.
The thought of Ha Si-heon sitting alone, pitifully picking at a turkey, weighed on her mind.
‘I wasn’t planning on going home anyway…’
Rachel had no intention of going home in the first place.
This Thanksgiving would be the first since her parents separated, and she would have to choose between her mother and father.
Not wanting to face that, she had decided to stay in New York under the pretext of work.
But then…
—This might be… the last holiday.
After hearing those words, there was no way she could stay away.
‘Maybe…’
Maybe Ha Si-heon had unexpectedly been separated from his family.
Yet here he was, telling her not to take her parents for granted.
It wasn’t until then that Rachel realized how immature her own thoughts had been.
If, by any chance, this were to be her last holiday with her family, she would regret it for the rest of her life. So, she had to go home.
But the image of Ha Si-heon, sitting alone miserably, still lingered in her mind.
‘It would be nice if he could come too…’
As much as she wanted that, it wasn’t a simple matter. Inviting someone to her family estate was a far bigger deal than it might seem.
After agonizing over it, Rachel finally decided to call her brother during a free moment. Before asking their parents, it was safer to gauge his reaction first.
[What’s the occasion? You never call at this hour.]
“What are you planning to do for Thanksgiving?”
[Aren’t you not coming anyway?]
“I’ve decided to go, even if it’s a bit of a stretch. What about you?”
[Daytime at home, nighttime at the club.]
The “club” her brother mentioned wasn’t an ordinary one—it was the Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, a social club for elite figures in business and politics. Their father was currently staying in the club’s guest suite.
[Why don’t you drop by for a bit and make an appearance?]
Rachel wasn’t particularly fond of such gatherings, but this time was different. The club members were the type to donate millions of dollars to philanthropic causes. It could be a huge help for Ha Si-heon and David, who desperately needed to raise funds.
“Do you think they’d allow a guest?”
[Beautiful ladies are always welcome.]
“Not exactly a lady, though…”
[…]
A heavy silence came from the other end of the line. After a few seconds, her brother finally spoke again.
[You don’t know what Dad always says?]
Of course, she did. But her brother still felt the need to spell it out.
[All men are beasts.]
Their father didn’t believe in platonic friendships between men and women. That was why Rachel hesitated to invite Ha Si-heon—she was afraid of sparking a misunderstanding.
“We’re absolutely not involved romantically. He’s just the coworker I’m closest to. We get along really well, and he’s been such a big help…”
There was nothing romantic about her relationship with Ha Si-heon. They were just friends of different genders.
Despite her explanation, her brother’s response was firm.
[Do you not remember prom?]
Of course, she remembered.
Prom was her high school graduation dance, and for most, it ended with an all-night afterparty. But Rachel’s prom was a disappointment. Because of her father.
Her father had invited her prom date into the drawing room and asked him about their return time—while cleaning his Glock.
And when Rachel returned home before midnight, her father had lamented the fact that a “minor Cinderella” had dared to stay out until such a late hour—again, while cleaning his Glock.
Ultimately, Rachel had been forced to come home before 10 PM. Her date, who had spent the entire evening glancing nervously at the clock, had claimed to feel unwell and rushed her home.
That date had only ever been a friend, but no matter how many times Rachel explained this to her father, it made no difference.
[That Vince guy, too.]
Her brother was referring to the first male friend she’d made in college.
Upon learning that Rachel was close to a male classmate, their father had invited Vince to their home, promising not to repeat the prom debacle.
And he kept that promise. Their father had been friendly, even inviting Vince on a hunting trip to a private estate restricted to the upper class.
What happened on that trip, Rachel never found out. But after that, Vince distanced himself, and their friendship faded away.
‘So much for bringing Ha Si-heon to the club.’
If she took Ha Si-heon along and he ended up on her father’s bad side, it might even jeopardize his and David’s project.
Rachel quickly gave up on the idea of bringing Ha Si-heon to the club and brought up the next possibility.
“What about bringing him home?”
[…]
Another silence. Rachel swallowed nervously, waiting for her brother’s response.
[You know about Mom’s side of the family, right?]
She did. Her maternal family was extremely wary of outsiders—even her mother wasn’t an exception. In fact, her mother was stricter than her father in some ways.
While her father was suspicious only of men, her mother was equally distrustful of both genders.
“He’s a friend from Goldman. He was originally a medical student, and now he’s working in finance to develop treatments…”
Goldman’s name carried a sense of credibility. On top of that, Ha Si-heon was someone who had once been on the path to becoming a doctor and was now dedicating himself to developing treatments for rare diseases.
Surely, this would make a good impression on her mother, wouldn’t it?
Hoping for the best, Rachel let her thoughts run optimistic circles—until her brother shot her down.
[Let me say just one thing: Europe trip.]
Rachel’s post-high school graduation trip to Europe with a friend. She hadn’t known it at the time, but her mother had hired a private investigator to dig into her friend’s great-grandfather.
[Remember, Christine was a same-gender friend you’d known since kindergarten. And Mom still did that.]
“But that was for a month-long trip! A simple dinner is different. And really, he’s just a friend…”
[One more piece of advice: stop saying ‘just a friend.’]
Click.
The line went dead. If her brother’s reaction was this stern, her parents’ wouldn’t even be worth asking.
“No choice, then…”
Though momentarily disappointed, Rachel quickly remembered something new.
On her college club’s group trips, her mother hadn’t commissioned any background checks.
“Maybe this is…”
It might work.
She hurriedly tried calling again, but:
[The person you are trying to reach is not available at the moment. Please try again later…]
The familiar automated message played. Rachel immediately pressed the end call button.
In her urgency, she had momentarily forgotten—her brother never answers the phone twice in one day.
“Should I try again tomorrow…”
But there was no guarantee he’d pick up tomorrow either. It was rare for him to take calls two days in a row.
Coming to that conclusion, Rachel decided to send him a text instead.
[Would they say no to inviting multiple people?]
If she was lucky, her brother might respond—he sometimes replied to questions he could answer with a short message.
But even after waiting several minutes, no reply came.
As she stared endlessly at her phone, her thoughts began to drift elsewhere.
—In David’s current condition, he can’t endure another seizure.
David had left a strong impression on Rachel—a man who refused to surrender to death and instead chose to fight for change.
A man willing to challenge the rigid thinking of academics and the medical community.
‘Maybe like attracts like…’
David, too, was similar to Ha Si-heon. Not just someone who spoke noble words but someone who truly sought to change the world.
And yet… someone like that might leave this world for the mere lack of $60 million.
A person who was the last hope for many patients. Over something as insignificant as $60 million.
Rachel had the power to prevent that.
She had access to approximately $550 million from her trust, with an additional $40 million accruing each year. It was money she could withdraw whenever she wanted.
She had never needed to touch it before, so she hadn’t.
‘No, being cautious is the right approach.’
Ha Si-heon’s warning wasn’t without merit. She couldn’t just hand over a large sum of money based solely on the words of someone she’d just met.
But… even if she were deceived, would it really be such a terrible thing?
When weighing the likelihood of David being genuine against the possibility of him being a fraud…
Of course, it wasn’t as if she was actually going to withdraw the money. Still, wouldn’t it be good to at least find out how the process worked…?
[Have you ever withdrawn money from the trust?]
Rachel hesitated for a moment after typing the message.
If her family found out, they would undoubtedly bombard her with questions.
But…
Her brother was different. He had never once shared anything Rachel had confided in him with the rest of the family.
That was why she always sought his advice before taking any risky actions.
And this time… perhaps it would be wise to get his counsel again.
Resolving herself, Rachel hit send.
