Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 27: Co-CEO, Tae Lee Joon

Chapter 27: Co-CEO, Tae Lee Joon

Eunchae was so angry that her whole body was shaking. She paused for a moment at a crosswalk, trying to calm down before her anger took over completely. Her breathing was rough and unsteady.

“How dare he show up in front of me… Is he out of his mind?”

Eunchae stared angrily at the person walking ahead of her, even though they hadn’t done anything wrong. The more she thought about it, the more upset and angry she felt. She squeezed her fists so hard that a sharp pain ran through her hands.

“Ouch…”

She winced and glanced down at her right hand, her eyes narrowing. Without even noticing, she had squeezed her fist so hard that her short nails had pressed into her palm, leaving marks.

“Sigh…”

How upset and angry she must have been to not notice until her palm was in such a state. Seeing the wounds, some even slightly bleeding, she could only sigh.

As she thought about it, a bitter, hollow smile crossed her face. Tae Lee Joon had always caused her pain—both physically and emotionally.

“Let’s not cross paths again. Please, just never again…”

Her whispered words felt like a desperate incantation. Just as the pain from her unnoticed wound intensified, causing her to bite her lip, the light turned green.

Eunchae walked forward with long strides. The spring breeze gently caressed her, causing her long, thick hair to flutter as if dancing.

For someone muttering curses under her breath, she looked surprisingly graceful and captivating – so much so that anyone watching from afar would find it hard to look away.

***

The day of the meeting arrived.

Eunchae was still thirsty, so she opened the cap of her water bottle again. The bottle was already more than half empty, and after a long gulp, she emptied it completely.

“Careful, you’ll fill up on water. What if you need to use the restroom during the meeting?”

“Oh, right. I didn’t even think about that.”

Eunchae frowned as she closed the bottle and realized that Woo-sung was right. When she prepared the materials and the presentation for the meeting, she didn’t feel this nervous.

As she immersed herself in the preparations, nothing else crossed her mind. She was driven solely by the determination to secure the investment.

But now, sitting at the conference table, she couldn’t shake the growing tension and anxiety. It was probably the call from the bank yesterday afternoon, demanding payment.

The interest and principal due at the end of this month were substantial. She knew she had to seize this opportunity no matter what.

“Don’t worry too much, Director Yoon. It’ll go well. Judging by the emails we’ve exchanged with JCH Investment so far, they seem very interested in our technology.”

Lee Ki-sung tried to reassure Eunchae, encouraging her to think positively.

“Sigh…”

She licked her dry lips and took deep breaths in and out, trying to calm herself. Just then, they received word that the CEO of JCH Investment had arrived.

Clutching her trembling hands, Eunchae stood up and followed Woo-sung and Lee Ki-sung. The door finally opened, and the employee who had gone to greet the guests led the way into the conference room.

With a picture-perfect smile ready to greet the visitors, Eunchae’s expression instantly changed as her eyes landed on the man at the center of the group. It was Tae Lee Joon.

“…This can’t be happening…”

Eunchae’s pupils widened in shock, and her neck stiffened as she struggled to process what she was seeing. The shock left her speechless.

“That man…”

“What…?”

Woo-sung and Lee Ki-sung were also stunned, recognizing the man’s face.

“Director Yoon, Vice President. The JCH Investment delegation has arrived,” the young male employee, oblivious to the situation, cheerfully introduced Tae Lee Joon and the people behind him.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Tae Lee Joon, Co-CEO of JCH Investment.”

Dressed in a sharp suit, Lee Joon introduced himself with a subtle smile and extended his hand to Lee Ki-sung.

“It’s been a while, Vice President.”

“Ah… yes. Yes, it has…”

Lee Ki-sung nodded absent-mindedly and stared at Lee Joon’s face as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. When Lee Joon extended his hand slightly further, Lee Ki-sung finally snapped out of it and shook his hand.

“How’s your health?”

“Yes, I’m doing well, thank you.”

Still, in a daze, Lee Ki-sung barely managed to respond to Lee Joon’s question about his well-being.

“Ha…!”

As she watched what was happening, a hissing sound slipped through Eunchae’s lips. What on earth was going on? It wasn’t just her body that had frozen; her mind had gone completely blank, and she could hardly breathe.

The sight of this well-dressed man cut through Eunchae’s frozen gaze like a knife. She quickly closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, Lee Joon had already come closer and was now standing directly in front of her.

As the gap between them narrowed, a familiar scent of wood drifted into her nose and filled her lungs. It was the same deep, bitter scent that had always surrounded him.

The familiar sensation seeping into her senses began to awaken the feelings she had buried—the feelings that only reacted to Tae Lee Joon.

“Nice to meet you, Director Yoon Eunchae.”

Lee Joon extended his hand for a handshake. His casual demeanor toward her was so unexpected that, for a moment, Eunchae felt more bewildered than angry.

Why was this man acting like this? For what reason, exactly?

Only that single question echoed in her mind.

“Director Yoon Eunchae?”

At the sound of his smooth, low voice, Eunchae locked eyes with Lee Joon. Mechanically moving her lips, she finally managed to speak.

“What is the meaning of this? Why are you here?”

“I believe I introduced myself just a moment ago. Have you already forgotten?”

Despite the scolding words, Lee Joon’s smile was polite, his tone respectful. But to Eunchae, it felt like a devil’s smile and words laced with malice.

Lee Joon laughed at her expected reaction, but quickly let the smile fade as he offered a piece of advice.

“So let’s focus on the business at hand. Don’t act recklessly by mixing personal matters with business.

His lips curved into a slight, elegant smile. The warning in that smile was chilling. It was a blatant command: Do not defy me; do as you are told.

***

The tension in the conference room was thick, almost suffocating. The only sound breaking the silence was the rustling of paper as Lee Joon flipped through the documents.

Eunchae still couldn’t believe what she was seeing as she watched Lee Joon. She had no idea how she managed to get through the presentation; her mind was a complete mess.

What on earth was his intention behind all of this?

Why had he suddenly shown up in front of her, throwing her into such a state of confusion? She couldn’t understand it.

Was this really for business reasons?

No matter how much she thought about it, that just couldn’t be the case. Nervously, Eunchae bit her lower lip.

Woo-sung was just as shocked and bewildered. He looked at Lee Joon, his eyes filled with hostility.

‘What on earth is going on? What is this all about?’

Lee Ki-sung, too, was sweating nervously, glancing between the three of them while also trying to gauge the reactions of the other JCH Investment representatives.

While everyone else was on edge, anxious, and tense, Lee Joon remained the only one unfazed.

Unlike the others, who were tense because of the heavy atmosphere, he remained focused solely on the documents. His eyes were serious as he went through the papers Eunchae had prepared, but his overall demeanor was calm and composed.

“I’ve read through everything. The presentation was clear, and the content is concise and neat.”

After a moment, Lee Joon lifted his eyes from the documents and looked at Eunchae, showing a hint of satisfaction. All eyes in the room turned to him. Eunchae only gave a slight nod in response to his praise.

Lee Joon’s lips curved up briefly at her reaction before he spoke again.

“To get straight to the point.”

He deliberately paused, taking a breath. It was a deliberate tactic he often used at the negotiating table to get attention.

Interlocking his fingers and placing them on the table, Lee Joon straightened his shoulders, asserting his dominance over the room. Even with that simple gesture, he made his presence unmistakably felt.

“I will invest in Seongwon EDP. Not only the amount currently needed but also any additional funds that may be required in the future.”

Eunchae and Woo-sung were so stunned by the unexpected offer that they were left breathless for a moment. Lee Ki-sung’s mouth dropped open as well. But the surprises didn’t stop there. Lee Joon had even more to offer.

“From what I’ve gathered, there was a halted research project on high-energy rapid-charging batteries. If you plan to resume that research, I am willing to invest in that as well.”

“Gasp…!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Ki-sung’s mouth dropped even wider, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Eunchae, too, was left with her eyes wide open, swallowing hard.

Woo-sung’s expression hardened, his eyes filled with a complex and suspicious look. To him, this investment proposal was not a source of excitement or surprise – it was suspicious. He was certain that the intention behind the offer was not pure.

Lee Joon glanced at Eunchae, who was too shocked and overwhelmed to breathe steadily, and then at Woo-sung, who watched him cautiously. Leaning back in his chair, he exuded an air of complete calm.

Eunchae instinctively tensed at his calm demeanor. Lee Joon’s gaze, heavy and lingering like a sticky film, swept across her face.

Caught off guard by his blatant stare, Eunchae bit down on her lips. She could almost feel his gaze brushing over her like a touch. Just as she licked her dry lips with her tongue, Lee Joon continued speaking.

“However, there is a condition.”

“And what is that?”

Of course, there would be a catch. Woo-sung inwardly cursed, his tone demanding as he questioned Lee Joon.

In response to Woo-sung’s immediate reaction, Lee Joon let out a low, mocking laugh. He cast a glance at the fiercely glaring Woo-sung before returning his focus to Eunchae, making it clear that the only person he was truly concerned with was Yoon Eunchae.

“I’d like to discuss that privately with Director Yoon Eunchae. Let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“What?”

“No way!”

Eunchae’s startled question was drowned out by Woo-sung’s exclamation as he shot to his feet, visibly agitated.

“What do you think you’re doing? Who gave you the right to ask for dinner? I absolutely won’t allow it!”

Lee Joon’s eyebrow twitched slightly at Woo-sung’s adamant refusal. He calmly watched Woo-sung’s flushed and agitated face.

For a moment, they stared at each other, a faint smile playing on Lee Joon’s otherwise expressionless lips. Woo-sung’s brow furrowed deeply at this sight; it was a mocking smile, a clear dismissal of him.

“And on what grounds does Team Leader Kim Woo-sung have the right to oppose this?”

“What?”

“Your position is lower than Director Yoon Eunchae’s, you’re close like siblings but not related by blood, and you’re certainly not her guardian. So, on what grounds do you dare to interfere?”

Lee Joon raised an eyebrow, adding a hint of challenge to his question.