Chapter 9: Not for Sale

“Oh my goodness, fancy seeing you here.”

A middle-aged woman in a beige two-piece suit greeted him in an overly pleasant voice.
The people following behind her recognized Woo Seon-kyung as well and stopped in unison, offering polite bows.

The group of visitors turned out to be CEO Song and her staff—the ones currently managing Grandfather’s gallery on his behalf.

CEO Song stepped forward at once, unable to hide her delight.

She was dressed neatly and modestly, yet her characteristically sharp impression was impossible to fully conceal.
Softening her piercing eyes as much as she could, she put on a practiced smile.

“I heard the news.

The Chairman has been terribly worried… but you look better than I expected?”

Despite the sympathetic tone of her voice, her single-lidded eyes—thickly lined with eyeliner—were brimming with curiosity.

So you became an omega?
How unfortunate.
So what are you going to do now?
Do you even have a plan?

Her unfiltered thoughts were written plainly across her face.

“…..”

No response came to her words of concern.
There wasn’t even a courtesy greeting, but CEO Song didn’t seem particularly offended.

Everyone knew she wasn’t the warm, friendly type to begin with.
Rather than feeling awkward, she merely shrugged her shoulders once.

Her gaze discreetly swept over the prickly young master standing before her.
The way she meticulously scanned Seon-kyung’s face and body was no different from an appraiser assessing the value of a work of art.

She had heard he’d nearly died, but aside from having lost a little weight, he didn’t look much different from before his omega manifestation.
If anything, the slight pallor in his complexion only added to his appeal.

His straight posture exuded dignity.
His skin was pale and flawless, as though it had never known a single scratch.

At barely twenty years old, looking down on others seemed utterly natural to him.
The air of refinement radiating from his entire being made his background obvious without the need for explanation.

You don’t come across conditions like this just anywhere.

CEO Song barely managed to suppress the grin threatening to curl up at the corners of her lips.

The youngest young master of the Seohwa Group.
A precious, dominant omega.
Woo Seon-kyung.

Just how should I sell you to fetch the highest price?

Already, his existence had become a major topic in high-society marriage markets.
The Chairman of Seohwa Group’s most cherished grandchild turning out to be an omega meant that whoever married him would stand to gain enormously.

And hadn’t Woo Seon-kyung’s looks always been famous?
Alphas who had once lamented that he was “only” a beta were now feverish with excitement upon hearing of his late manifestation.
Requests poured in from all sides, begging for introductions—anything to secure an opportunity.

First things first, I need to win him over.

CEO Song cautiously placed a hand on Seon-kyung’s shoulder.
She brushed at his spotless clothes for no real reason and offered him what she framed as warm advice.

“You must have suffered terribly.

They say the later the manifestation, the harder it is…

Still, what’s done is done.

Since things turned out this way, I’ll introduce you to a good alpha.

Well, male omegas… aren’t exactly what alphas prefer, but someone like you should be fine.”

“CEO Song.”

He cut her off without hesitation.
He brushed away the impudent hand that had touched him without permission.
Seon-kyung didn’t bother hiding his displeasure as he looked her straight in the eye and called out her lapse in propriety.

“Please keep your boundaries. We’re not that close.”

“Oh my, why are you talking like that?

What did I even do?”

“Instead of worrying about me, you should focus on running your gallery.

Isn’t this the busy season for planning exhibitions?

Ah—but I suppose you leave everything to your subordinates, so you have plenty of free time.

I’ve heard your eye for art dulled a long time ago.”

“What did you say?”

“You came to show my grandfather some pieces today, didn’t you?

Those weren’t even selected by you—weren’t they picked by Kim, the curator over there?”

When Seon-kyung jerked his chin toward the woman standing off to the side, the curator—who had been waiting with her hands politely clasped—startled and looked up.

As CEO Song glared at her, the curator hurriedly protested that she hadn’t told anyone, but her flustered reaction only served to confirm it.

Seon-kyung had long since seen through CEO Song’s methods.
She used the gallery as a means to mingle with high society, acting as a connector—introducing people to one another whenever it suited her.

The person who should have been busy planning and overseeing exhibitions had little real interest in gallery operations.
Instead, she devoted herself to laundering money through artwork, hosting lavish entertainment, and arranging marriages between powerful families.

Raum Gallery’s continued position at the top of the industry wasn’t thanks to CEO Song’s abilities—it was solely due to the capable staff working beneath her.

Seon-kyung took one step closer.
The distance between them shrank until their bodies nearly touched.

Just as she had done to him, Seon-kyung grasped her shoulder.
Lowering his head slightly, he pressed his lips close to her ear and whispered so quietly no one else could hear.

“What exactly is it that you do, CEO Song—aside from introducing omegas to alphas?”

She flinched and tried to step back, but Seon-kyung tightened his grip and didn’t let go.
Lowering his voice even further, he issued a final warning.

“Please focus on your actual job.

Do you really think the position you’re in will last forever?

Raum Gallery doesn’t belong to you.”

“Hey, watch your mouth!

How dare you—!”

“You’re the one who needs to know when to stop.

Do you really think I’d play along with that vulgar pimping game of yours?”

“…..”

“Choose your targets more carefully.

If you ever look at me again while scheming something that low, you’ll truly regret it.”

CEO Song trembled from head to toe, barely containing her humiliation.
She glared at Seon-kyung, about to retort—

—but at that moment, the sliding paper door behind them opened softly.

Chief Butler Bae appeared with impeccable timing.
With the Chairman close enough to hear, neither of them could raise their voices any further.

“You’ve been waiting.

Everything is ready now.

Please come in, both of you.”

Having said all he needed to say, Seon-kyung stepped back.
Even the way he brushed his hands clean looked unhurried.

With a calm expression, as if nothing had happened, he left first.
CEO Song, her face flushed as she swallowed her anger, had no choice but to follow.

“Oh, Seon-kyung, you’re here. Come over and sit.”

Chairman Woo’s hair was still black, his posture straight.
His gaze and voice were sharp and unwavering.
With his large build and youthful fashion sense, he hardly looked like a man over eighty.

Wearing a light sky-blue pique shirt, he didn’t resemble an elderly retiree at all.
Since declaring his retirement and stepping away from the front lines, he’d been enjoying a carefree life without stress.

Perhaps that was why—today, in particular, Chairman Woo seemed to be in an especially good mood.

The moment he saw Seon-kyung, he smiled warmly.
He deliberately pulled one of the neatly arranged guest cushions closer to his side and patted the silk-covered floor.

“Come sit here.”

Following his request, Seon-kyung approached and knelt down on the cushion.

CEO Song, who entered behind him, had already switched to a gentle smile.
After gauging the Chairman’s mood, she seated herself where his gaze would naturally fall.

Once both were seated, Chairman Woo pointed toward the paintings beside him as if he’d been waiting.

“CEO Song brought something nice for once.

I’m thinking of buying one—why don’t you choose, Seon-kyung?”

“Seon-kyung has an excellent eye.”

“Of course he does. He’s uncanny at spotting these things.

The last piece he picked skyrocketed in value.

Maybe I should only buy what my Seon-kyung chooses from now on.”

This wasn’t an uncommon request.

The Chairman often called Seon-kyung to look at artworks together, sometimes asking his opinion like this and making impulsive purchases.

It was a kind of test.
Chairman Woo enjoyed gauging just how sharp his grandson’s “eye” truly was.

Even without deep academic knowledge of art, Woo Seon-kyung possessed an exceptional aesthetic sense.
Whenever he chose something he found beautiful, it inevitably received glowing evaluations and multiplied in value.

“…..”

Resting his hands on his knees, Seon-kyung examined the two paintings in turn.

One was an unpublished piece by a famous foreign artist who had been receiving acclaim lately.
The other appeared to be the work of an emerging artist.

His gaze kept returning to the vertically stretched linen canvas.
There was no grand message—just a couple in a small boat on a lakeside.
Yet the delicate brushwork and dense coloring held his attention.

On the market, the famous artist’s work would undoubtedly fetch a much higher price.
Demand would be fierce, competition intense.

Still, in the end, Seon-kyung chose the unknown newcomer’s piece.

“I like this one.”

“You heard him, CEO Song?”

“Yes, Chairman.

I’ll make the arrangements.”

“Good work.

You may go now.

I’ll send for you separately sometime soon.”

“Understood, Chairman.”

The gallery staff waiting outside entered and carefully removed the paintings.
With the purpose of her visit fulfilled, CEO Song stood, offered a formal bow, and withdrew.

Once the guests filed out, Chief Butler Bae opened the door again, letting servants in.
They busily tidied the room and brought in tea and refreshments.

When the last of them left and even Butler Bae quietly closed the door behind him, the room fell into a near-oppressive silence.

Only then, with the two of them alone, did Chairman Woo finally bring up something personal.

“Seon-kyung.”

“Yes.”

“Are you upset that I stopped you from going abroad?”

“…..”

He couldn’t bring himself to say no.

Instead, Woo Seon-kyung took a sip of the warm tea.
The teacup in his hand conveniently hid the bitter smile forming at the corner of his lips.