A day later, after the incident involving Gin Chu Won, Shan Wolf heard that Ingrid Mikage and her daughter, Kim Yeon Mikage, were finally able to reconcile their relationship.
The tension that had existed between the two for years had seemingly faded away, replaced with relief and quiet understanding.
However, while one family managed to mend itself, something else was beginning to collapse behind the scenes.
The atmosphere inside Won Group had taken a drastic turn for the worse. Employees who once walked confidently through the company halls now whispered among themselves in nervous silence.
Phones continued ringing nonstop across multiple departments while managers rushed in and out of conference rooms with pale expressions.
Staff members avoided eye contact whenever Gin Chu Won's name was mentioned, as if even speaking about him would drag them into the disaster unfolding around the company.
Outside the towering headquarters of Won Group, reporters crowded near the entrance like starving predators. Camera flashes repeatedly lit up the front gates while journalists shoved microphones toward every employee who stepped outside. Security guards struggled to maintain order as black company vehicles rapidly entered and exited the premises.
Then came the article that completely shattered what little composure the company still had left.
The newspaper company known as SeoulGun Newspaper released an explosive report regarding Gin Chu Won's private life. The article spread across the internet at terrifying speed, instantly igniting outrage throughout South Korea.
SeoulGun News:
Revealed by anonymous sources, chaos and confusion erupted inside an exclusive club in Seoul connected to the entertainment industry.
Executive Director Gin Chu Won of Won Group, known for overseeing the management and recruitment of rising celebrities, has reportedly disappeared following multiple allegations involving sexual misconduct, coercion, abuse, and illegal substance distribution.
Police authorities and higher investigative agencies are currently searching for him for questioning and formal inquiries regarding the ongoing case.
According to reports, several of the victims were underage celebrity aspirants who had received private audition invitations under the promise of debut opportunities and exclusive contracts.
Investigators allege that the victims were lured to the location under false pretenses before being subjected to abuse and coercion.
Authorities investigating the scene also discovered traces of multiple dangerous substances allegedly connected to Gin Chu Won, including a hallucinogenic compound known as "Devil's Breath," powerful aphrodisiacs, and cochineal based narcotic mixtures believed to have been used to manipulate victims.
As of the 18th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office confirmed that formal accusation complaints had been submitted regarding crimes involving minors, sexual abuse, unlawful confinement, narcotics distribution, assault, and bodily harm.
Investigators are continuing an extensive manhunt while attempting to uncover possible connections between the case and several influential figures within the entertainment industry.
Soon, some of the managers who were connected to Gin Chu Won were transferred to the countryside or sent outside the country by direct order of Chairman Eh San Won. The message was personally delivered to them by Jen Heo Won inside her office.
The atmosphere during the meeting was suffocatingly tense. Several managers sat quietly with stiff expressions while others lowered their heads in silence, not daring to argue against the decision. The moment Jen Heo Won finished reading the official orders, the entire room fell deathly quiet.
One manager clenched his fists tightly under the table while another swallowed nervously, his forehead already covered in sweat. Nobody dared to question whether the transfers were temporary punishments or permanent removals from the company's inner circle. Everyone understood exactly what this meant.
Won Group was cutting away every connection tied to Gin Chu Won before the scandal could spread even further.
Jen Heo Won let out a sharp breath before throwing the documents onto her desk in frustration. The papers scattered across the polished surface as anger flashed across her face.
"Fucking scumbags!!!"
Her voice echoed throughout the office.
She rarely lost control of her emotions like this, but the situation had already spiraled beyond what the company could contain. The scandal had not only damaged Won Group's reputation, it had also shaken the trust within the company itself.
Meanwhile, rumors had already begun circulating throughout the corporation regarding Gin Chu Won's vacant position as Executive Director. Employees whispered among themselves during breaks while executives quietly discussed possible replacements behind closed doors. Several names were already being mentioned as potential candidates for the seat.
However, it was obvious that the position would remain vacant for a while.
No one wanted to step into that office while the investigation was still ongoing. The chair itself had practically become cursed within the eyes of the company.
All things considered, the incident regarding Gin Chu Won could be seen as punitive justice.
But it was also thanks to external forces that Gin Chu Won was ultimately pushed out. Most notably, Ingrid Mikage's meticulous planning and the frightening determination she carried in her mind to completely "kill" the vice president's plans once and for all.
Even now, Ingrid Mikage remained seated quietly in her office, her fingers lightly resting against the desk as she stared at the city skyline outside the windows. The chaos currently swallowing Won Group was exactly the outcome she had calculated from the very beginning.
Yet despite all of her cold planning and careful execution, one particular thought still lingered in her mind.
"And also... Shan Wolf," she muttered embarrassingly while blushing faintly.
The moment his name left her lips, Ingrid quickly looked away in slight embarrassment, pressing a hand lightly against her cheek as if trying to calm herself down. Without Shan Wolf's involvement, many things would not have aligned so perfectly.
Meanwhile, elsewhere inside the company, Eva Kim tightly hugged Rachel So Mi the moment she saw her.
"Thank you, Rachel! Thank you for listening to my request!" Eva Kim said excitedly, her voice filled with relief and gratitude.
Rachel nearly stumbled backward from the sudden embrace before letting out a small awkward laugh. Eva's hands gripped tightly onto her shoulders as though she genuinely could not contain her emotions anymore.
Thanks to Eva's persuasion, Rachel had ultimately been the one to leak the information and hand over the evidence to her sunbae working at SeoulGun Newspaper.
"N... no," Rachel So Mi replied softly while shaking her head. "You're the one I should be thanking, Eva."
Her expression slowly darkened afterward. The earlier warmth in her eyes gradually disappeared as the horrifying memories of the evidence resurfaced in her mind.
"There was clearly enough evidence showing he was the shittiest scumbag imaginable. He played ruthlessly without caring about anyone else." Rachel clenched her fists slightly while speaking. "The incident where he caused that ruckus at the club became the deciding factor, but... those young girls..."
Rachel's voice trailed off in disbelief.
Even now, she still struggled to process everything she had read.
"When I reviewed the evidence before handing it over..." Rachel lowered her gaze, her face filled with disgust and sorrow. "So many innocent young girls had their lives ruined, killed, and tossed aside like garbage. As a woman myself... I'm ashamed."
The room fell silent for a moment afterward.
Eva Kim slowly loosened her hug as her own expression became heavy. Neither of them could laugh anymore after remembering the details hidden inside the files.
"And... and if we had kept Gin Chu Won inside the company any longer..." Rachel continued quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "He would've kept sexually harassing me."
She bit her lip before speaking again.
"And... Jen Heo Won possibly wouldn't have even paid attention to me since she needed her cousin's vote."
Rachel knew for certain that Jen Heo Won would not have cared about her at all in the first place.
The only reason Rachel had even been acknowledged recently was because the internal conflict surrounding Gin Chu Won had become too massive to ignore. Under normal circumstances, someone like her would have simply been overlooked inside the company hierarchy.
Eva Kim noticed Rachel's troubled expression and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Rachel... are you okay?" Eva asked softly.
Rachel bit her lips for a moment before slowly looking toward Eva. Her expression suddenly turned unusually serious.
"Eva, this isn't free, you know," Rachel said quietly. "You agreed that you would listen to my request. No take backs."
"Yup, of course...!" Eva replied almost immediately before nodding her head repeatedly. "Just say it and I'll do it."
Meanwhile, Shan Wolf had stepped out onto the company balcony for a breather.
The cold weather brushed against his face while he held a hot cup of coffee in one hand. Below the massive corporate building, the city remained busy as traffic lights reflected across the streets like scattered stars.
"Man, the office is way too hectic today," Shan Wolf muttered tiredly.
He leaned lightly against the railing before raising the coffee cup toward his mouth. However, just as he was about to take a sip, he suddenly noticed Eva Kim and Rachel standing near the corner of the balcony.
"Can I borrow Shan Wolf tonight?" Rachel asked unexpectedly.
"WHAT?!" Eva's eyes widened in complete shock.
"PAHH!!!"
Shan Wolf instantly spat out his coffee in surprise after hearing that sentence.
The loud coughing sound immediately caused Eva and Rachel to turn toward him in alarm, only to discover Shan Wolf standing there awkwardly with coffee dripping slightly from his mouth.
The atmosphere froze for several seconds.
"Umm... I didn't mean to eavesdrop on this conversation," Shan Wolf said awkwardly while wiping his mouth.
"How much did you hear, boo?!" Eva asked scoldingly while pointing at him accusingly. "It's not nice to secretly listen to a woman's conversation, boo!"
"I didn't hear much of it," Shan Wolf quickly defended himself. "I was just about to have a little coffee break, and then suddenly I heard something about borrowing me or something?"
Rachel suddenly realized how terrible her wording sounded. Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment as she waved her hands nervously.
"Oh... umm, please don't misunderstand," Rachel said quickly. "It wasn't meant to sound weird."
Shan Wolf raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
Rachel hesitated for a moment before finally confessing the real reason. She explained about her sunbae working at the broadcasting station and the older woman's sudden interest in Shan Wolf after learning about him through the incident.
"Hold up," Shan Wolf interrupted with a shocked expression. "You're asking me to fuck a 40 year old woman out of nowhere?"
"Yes," Rachel answered bluntly.
Eva Kim immediately covered her face in second hand embarrassment while Rachel herself looked away awkwardly.
"The news broadcasting station said that, in exchange for releasing the article, she personally wanted you," Rachel explained carefully. "I honestly don't know why or how she even learned about your existence."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"And another thing... typically, it isn't easy for the press to create such massive outrage against an investment company like Won Group. There were definitely conditions involved behind the scenes."
"They wanted something?" Shan Wolf asked with disbelief.
"Yes," Rachel replied while nodding seriously. "The demand was this. After we met the individual known as the Gossiper and received the documents, we were supposed to hand everything over to the broadcasting station."
Rachel awkwardly avoided eye contact afterward.
"And... if the IR employee Shan Wolf wasn't coming with us..." she muttered quietly.
"They wouldn't release the report."
"Me...? Why me...? I'm not even in contact with anyone from the press," Shan Wolf said with visible confusion.
He pointed at himself while looking between Rachel and Eva as though expecting one of them to suddenly reveal this was all some kind of joke.
"I don't know either, Mr. Wolf," Rachel So Mi replied honestly. "All I know for certain is that we need to meet this Gossiper and figure out what this person could possibly be scheming."
Rachel crossed her arms lightly as her expression turned serious again.
"Anyway, since the information involved Won Group, I thought it would be best to side with Eva and strike a deal."
"Rachel, what do you mean by Eva's side?" Eva suddenly said while moving closer toward Rachel with a playful smile.
Without warning, Eva intertwined her fingers together with Rachel's hand.
"We're on the same side now," Eva said with a smirking face.
Rachel's entire expression immediately stiffened.
Her face slowly turned red from how unexpectedly close Eva had gotten to her. Their shoulders lightly touched while Eva casually leaned herself against Rachel as though she enjoyed teasing her reactions.
"E Eva..." Rachel stuttered awkwardly while trying not to look directly at her.
Meanwhile, Shan Wolf stared at the two women with an increasingly complicated expression.
"But to say they wanted my boo..." Eva muttered while narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "I wonder who this person could be..."
She tapped her chin lightly while thinking hard.
Several seconds later, Eva's eyes suddenly widened slightly as though an idea had appeared inside her head.
"Then... how about this...?"
---
Chapter 79 — End.