Chapter 67: Too Close to the Truth

The identities purchased by con artists were usually crude and flimsy.

After all, they were never meant to be used for a lifetime. At most, a few years; at minimum, only a few days. Most fraudsters saw no reason to spend a fortune on a flawless identity when it would only be temporary.

Go Ha-jin was different.

He always chose identities that were as secure and airtight as possible. People were suspicious by nature, and the targets of his schemes were exactly the sort who liked to verify a person’s background.

He knew better than anyone that a poorly made fake identity would get him caught in no time.

He had been especially meticulous with the identity of “Go Ha-jin.”

Even after Teacher Lee had verified everything, he checked it himself one more time. As expected, there were no problems whatsoever.

The details were perfect: a Korean-born child whose birth had been registered before moving to the United States, and even the coincidence of sharing a surname with a Korean-American man in the real estate business whom he had discovered by chance.

The whereabouts of the real Go Ha-jin, who had emigrated to America, were unknown.

It was presumed that he had been kidnapped in a crime targeting Omegas, but his entire family had vanished without a trace, leaving behind almost no records.

It had been perfect.

That was how “Go Ha-jin, the sole heir of a real-estate tycoon,” had been born.

“You thought you were the smartest person in the world, didn’t you?”

“…”

But it seemed there was no such thing as a perfect secret.

Somehow, Chae Jae-yi had caught on to Go Ha-jin’s secret. Fortunately, she didn’t seem intent on exposing it just yet. She hadn’t revealed anything in front of Lee Ah-seong. Instead, after Lee Ah-seong left, she showed her true colors when the two of them were alone.

Leaning back arrogantly in his chair, Jae-yi spun one of the rings on her fingers and smiled.

Even though it was obvious his identity had been discovered, Go Ha-jin didn’t speak recklessly. First, he needed to determine how close Jae-yi was to the truth.

“Why so quiet? Scared? Doesn’t suit you.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. How does that picture look anything like me?”

At Ha-jin’s calm response, Jae-yi burst into laughter loud enough to shake the office.

“Seriously, you’re hilarious. Then again, you’d have to be this shameless to go around scamming people. But what can you do? I checked everything.”

Thankfully, Jae-yi seemed eager to brag about her accomplishments. The moment Ha-jin spoke, she launched into a lengthy explanation of how she’d obtained the photograph.

It had started with a small suspicion.

She wanted to dig into Go Ha-jin’s past.

Find even the tiniest flaw.

“As expected, I couldn’t find any information. I mean, what are you, the president’s kid? How can someone hide everything this completely? Seriously, doesn’t everyone beat up at least one classmate when they’re young? I was so disappointed. Thought I’d wasted my money. But then something strange happened recently.”

Like an actor performing on stage, Jae-yi clapped dramatically as she continued.

“A while ago, a bunch of Omegas who’d been kidnapped and abused got rescued. Quite a lot of them, apparently.”

Ha-jin vaguely remembered hearing about it.

An American criminal organization that had kidnapped Omegas and forced them into prostitution had been dismantled. The news had briefly made headlines before being overshadowed by the Omega serial killer case in Korea.

What that had to do with this situation, however, was anyone’s guess.

“One of the rescued victims was a Korean Omega. Want to guess his name?”

“No idea. I’m not psychic.”

“Go Ha-jin. Isn’t that an incredible coincidence? Someone might think you stole his identity.”

‘Damn.’

‘Who could have predicted that a missing person would return alive after ten years?’

“Or maybe it’s fabricated? Seriously, listen to yourself. You’re putting so much effort into such ridiculous nonsense. It’s just a name.”

At this point, there was no point backing down.

Even if he rolled over and surrendered, nothing would change.

And if this was all Jae-yi had, there was still plenty of room to recover.

Especially considering who he was dealing with.

“Anything besides the name?”

“…”

Irritation surged up from Jae-yi’s gut.

The information had seemed highly suspicious at first.

An Omega.

The same unusual name as someone who had disappeared for ten years.

Around the same age.

Everything about it had felt wrong.

That instinct was what had brought her rushing here.

“You should stop stirring up trouble. I don’t have much patience.”

Was Ha-jin confident he’d win?

Not at all.

He was desperately suppressing his anxiety.

Because if there was more than this, it really would be over.

As expected, Jae-yi calmed herself and continued.

“How many Korean Omegas do you think there are in America around your age named Go Ha-jin?”

“Hundreds? Maybe dozens? Am I supposed to conduct a census?”

“That’s what I thought too. But there weren’t any. Except for the one who disappeared and came back. Care to explain that?”

“Hah.”

A sigh of relief escaped Ha-jin’s lips.

A genuine smile returned to his face.

‘Thank goodness.’

Of all people, it was Jae-yi who had uncovered the secret.

“Want to see something? You can read English, right?”

Ha-jin rummaged through his bag and tossed a navy-blue passport onto the table.

“…Kevin Go?”

“Why would I use the name Go Ha-jin in America too?”

Jae-yi snatched up the passport.

The photo looked younger and brighter, but it was undeniably Ha-jin. The passport also showed signs of regular use, filled with entry and exit stamps from numerous countries.

It didn’t look fake.

“I thought this was going to be something major. Then again, no wonder every company you touch goes under. Do you realize how little sense your theory makes? My father and Chairman Chae personally met before the wedding. How do you explain that?”

“…”

“And if I really were that missing Go Ha-jin, where exactly would I have gotten twenty billion won in cash for a wedding gift?”

Jae-yi hadn’t thought that far ahead.

She’d focused only on the suspicious details in front of her.

If Ha-jin had discovered a secret like this, he never would have charged in driven by emotion. He would have gone to America himself or hired people to investigate until he had evidence that couldn’t be denied.

“W-Well, that’s…”

“Seriously, noona, you’re hopeless. I tried to be patient, but this time you’ve crossed the line.”

Ha-jin rose abruptly.

He packed away his phone and passport, then checked his watch.

“I wonder if the Chairman has finished lunch.”

Chae Il-joo.

The name Jae-yi feared most.

Though she was the eldest child of the family, she’d never truly received her father’s affection. Chae Woo-seok had been given endless opportunities, while Jae-yi had not.

At best, if he managed to bring home an exceptional Alpha spouse, her father might reluctantly hand her a minor subsidiary to manage.

But if it came out that she had tried to frame a family member for theft…

And if it was discovered that she’d attempted to falsely accuse Go Ha-jin of being a fraud…

She would undoubtedly be cast out.

That couldn’t happen.

“I-I’m sorry! I must have lost my mind for a moment! I’ll kneel, I’ll beg- just please…!”

Jae-yi dropped to her knees so hard they slammed against the floor.

With both hands clasped together, she pleaded desperately.

“Please don’t tell Father! I’ll keep my mouth shut, I won’t even think about it anymore! Just this once…!”

Ha-jin looked down at her with icy eyes.

If Jae-yi had never come close to uncovering that secret, Ha-jin wouldn’t have gone this far.

Jae-yi was nothing more than a disposable villain.

But leaving a risk unattended wasn’t Ha-jin’s style.

He had no idea how long this marriage would need to continue.

He couldn’t afford to have his cover threatened already.

“Too late. People should know how to behave when they’re given a chance. I don’t associate with people who never learn.”

This seemed like the perfect time to get rid of Chae Jae-yi.

****

“What brings my dear son-in-law all the way to the company?”

“Chairman… have you had lunch? I stopped by the art center today and thought of you, so I brought some cookies.”

“You didn’t have to bring anything. Come, let’s eat together. Sit.”

Chae Il-joo picked up a cookie and thought to himself.

‘Sharp.’

The cookies matched his tastes perfectly. He disliked nuts and overly sweet foods. There was no way Ha-jin had chosen them by coincidence.

He must have researched his preferences beforehand.

Still, Il-joo didn’t dislike that sort of thing.

He hated dull, slow-witted people. Those clever enough to notice what he wanted and provide it without being asked were far more appealing.

It was like knowingly allowing yourself to be deceived.

Go Ha-jin was exactly that type.

Which was why, despite knowing Ha-jin had come for another reason, he welcomed him warmly.

“How’s the work at the art center?”

“It’s been great. Thank you for trusting me with it, Chairman.”

“What did I do? The foundation chairman handled everything.”

“Even so, if you hadn’t approved it, I never would have dared accept the position.”

Lee Ah-seong, chairman of the cultural foundation?

A title with no real substance.

If Chae Il-joo cut off funding, the SHS Cultural Foundation would collapse within a month.

“If you take after your father, perhaps you’ll make a fortune in the arts business too.”

Ha-jin understood.

This was a test.

An evaluation of whether he was useful.

Whether he deserved to be treated as an equal.

“Oh, come on. Art is just art to me, Chairman. How much money could it really make? But… your reputation? I’ll elevate it as high as it can possibly go.”

If he’d stopped after the first sentence, Il-joo might have been disappointed.

If he’d promised enormous profits, the result would’ve been the same.

But the second half intrigued him.

After all, how much money could art really generate?

Prestige, however…

That wasn’t bad.

“Good. Now tell me why you’ve really come.”

The corners of Il-joo’s eyes curved upward.

The smile suited him.

Looking at him, Ha-jin couldn’t help thinking that this was exactly how Woo-seok would look when he grew older.

Refined.

Distinguished.

Possessing a quiet elegance that made him appear younger than his years.

Yet Ha-jin found the depths hidden behind those eyes unsettling.

Whenever Il-joo looked at someone, it felt as though he were dissecting them.

“Chairman, you already know the truth behind the bracelet incident, don’t you?”

‘Oh?’

Now that was direct.

“Go on.”

“I’d like to make a deal with you, Chairman.”

For a moment, Chae Il-joo wondered if he’d misheard.

“A deal?”

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