BETRAYAL INGREDIENTS

At the Kim Corporation :

At the Kim corporation:

"Mr. Kim, I don't think its a good idea" said Jino, taehyung's secretray.

"Although policy says you can't take over the company unless your married and have a kid, but I am not sure about your plan"

Taehyung , who was sitting on the chair smirked and said "I don't care Mr. Jino if it's a good or bad plan , you know why i want control over the company as soon as possible right?"

Jino nodded and said in a tone that carried a sense of awarness "Yes Mr. Kim, The control shift is necessary as soon as possible because Jackson still has 50 percent share of the company."

Taehyung asked him "When is he getting married?" just to get his point across.

Jino said hesitantly "Jackson is getting married in a month, so he can claim full control of the company after that. Also, he has a kid too."

Taehyung smiled and he leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk, his confidence radiating off him in waves. "See, Mr.Jino? See? That’s exactly why we need to get this fake marriage audition happening ASAP."

Jino blinked, his hesitation returning. "Right but, a fake marriage? Isn't that.... a bit extreme?"

Taehyung said while waving a dismissive hand "Extreme is letting Jackson waltz in here. This isn't extreme. This is STRATEGIC."

Jino finally had a bit of understanding , but his tone conveyed uncertainty "I know. It just feels extreme. And the candidate... these requirements you've set."

He pulled out his tablet and opened a document. " 'Sweet and convincing to the media, capable of caring for Ha-yun with her condition...' That's a lot to ask, Mr. Kim . Finding someone who can genuinely do this, who won't crack under pressure, and who can love Ha-yun even in a fake scenario...."

Taehyung's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Hayun's picture at the table with a card she made for taehyung for his 28th birthday. "It is. It's not ideal, Mr.Jino, believe me. But we need someone who can project that image."

He looked at the photo and smiled when he thought about his daughter and he thought about how important it was for her to have a guardian—someone she could rely on.

"And Miss Hayun," Jino prompted gently. "It's not just about the media, is it? She needs genuine care. Her illness…"

Taehyung with a slight concern and said "Her condition is my priority, Mr.Jino. Always. This isn't just a PR stunt. I need someone… stable. Someone kind. Someone who can be there for her, understand her needs… even if it’s just for show to the rest of the world. For Ha-yun, it needs to be real. At least, feel real to her."

Jino nodded slowly "Okay, So, basic and important quality is good enough for nurturing for Miss Hayun… and next is convincing enough to make this whole charade believable. Right. We need to refine the audition criteria. And background checks, thorough ones, obviously."

Taehyung stood up while holding the card Hayun made for him.

(The card will be added in further chapters or flashbacks.)

He got lost in the thoughts of how hayun will finally have someone to be with her all the time unlike him, who's always at work.

Taehyung with his focus sharpening once more , and while flipping through some pages said "Absolutely thorough. We can't afford any surprises Mr.Jino."

Taehyung smiled a little and said "No one outside this room can know the real nature of this audition. It's for a 'long-term personal assistant' position, remember? And-"

He hesitated a little bit before saying "With… extended family care responsibilities."

Jino smiled faintly "Right, ‘long-term personal assistant’ with a very specific… marital benefit package. Got it. I’ll get the team working on tightening the criteria and scheduling the auditions."

Taehyung spoke immediately "No. I will take the final audition after you and Mr. Dyun sort out 10 final candidates."

He said after a pause , while drinking his coffee "Because if we dedicate a full team for this , the words will probably get out of the office, which is gonna be a lot of trouble."

Jino nodded slowly, understanding what Taehyung was implying to

"OK Mr.Kim .

I'll inform Mr.Dyun about the audition.

We will have the audition tommorow and My mission is clear: to plaster the poster everywhere around Seoul that says "Kim Corporation is hiring a long-term personal assistant" with all the necessary details. Right Mr.Kim?"

Taehyung nodded while he still flips through pages "Thats right. But no need to tell Mr.Dyun he already knows about it. And tommorow's the best day to have an audition since its saturday and employees will not be present, which might help limit the dissemination of information outside of the office."

Jino stood up and said in an enthusiastic tone "Ok Mr.Kim! I'll go work on the posters."

Taehyung smiled while still working "I know Mr.Jino you have been in this company for years , the most trusted employee and asssistant. Nobody else can carry this responsibility."

Jino smiled and said "It is encouraging! Mr.Kim I should go to work on my mission now."

Taehyung smiled a little, he advised Jino to expedite his efforts, stating, "Mr.Jino, we are operating under a limited timeframe. So you should hurry up!"

Jino immediately walked out and got to work.

He ran out and started working on the mission. He got all the posters printed and pasted all over Seoul and on all the necessary locations.

He strategically placed the posters in crowded areas and low-income districts to maximize their impact.

He told Taehyung that the posters were now present throughout Seoul.

To express gratitude for his efforts, Taehyung granted a him salary bonus as a token of his appreciation.

Thanks for reading🫡