CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 216. BUYING FOR TIME

Sarah raised her brows and frowned a second later. She had expected a lot of reasons for this convoluted meeting, but...

She had hoped it wouldn’t be the most annoying one.

"Are you willing to give it away?" the chairman asked when Sarah did not reply.

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Why would I?"

"Because it’s never a good thing when someone who doesn’t have a position inside the Group holds a significant amount of shares."

"What if I don’t want to let it go?" Sarah asked in a defiant tone.

The chairman smiled. "I’d rather you don’t."

The corner of Sarah’s eyes twitched. She tried her best not to give any reaction, but it was hard when all she wanted was to end the conversation and get out of that place. The chairman probably saw it, but that didn’t stop him.

"The only choice you have if you want to hold onto those shares, is to become my heiress."

Sarah stiffened, not exactly out of surprise. If anything, she had a hunch ever since entering the patient room. She was just in awe that her prediction came true. That Sol’s prediction came true.

She blinked slowly, as if digesting the offer, and took a deep breath. Looking at the chairman in the eyes, Sarah replied dryly. "No."

The chairman closed his eyes for a moment as the sound of rejection swirled in the air. He didn’t look angry, however, surprisingly enough. Perhaps he had already expected it and tried to change tactics.

"Then who should I appoint?" the chairman asked, clearly not fishing for an answer. "Amber?"

The bait was quite obvious, and Sarah could just tell the chairman to pick anyone but her. But she took another deep breath and flatly repeated her answer. "No."

"You have no choice, then. I’m sure you don’t want Mina’s children to be the future chairman either," the chairman shrugged, before glancing at Hajin who was sipping his own drink by the door. "Or is it because of him?"

"No need to drag him into this," Sarah said. "Even if he’s not Chairman Yoo’s son--hell, even if he did not exist--the answer would still be a no."

This time, the chairman frowned. "That doesn’t make sense, Sarah."

Shrugging, Sarah stood up. "If that’s all you wanted to say, I’m leaving."

"Sarah!"

It seemed like the old man had finally lost his patience. Who would have rejected the chance of gaining power and wealth? Even his brother tried to kill him because of it. His other children would probably kill for this offer.

But Sarah just walked away, grabbing her boyfriend’s arm by the door. "Just take care of yourself and your future child."

"Sarah--I’m not done talking yet!" the chairman called out futilely, as Sarah continued to walk away from the bedroom. "This girl--cough!"

"Hyuk-ssi!" Vivian gasped and rushed to the bed, holding the chairman who seemed like he wanted to get out of the bed. "Hyuk-ssi, calm down. The doctor said you can’t get agitated."

"How could I not?!"

Vivian smiled helplessly, stroking her lover’s back patiently. "Now, now...I don’t think Sarah meant anything bad."

The chairman frowned. "What are you even saying?"

"You heard her earlier--she told you to take care of yourself and this child," Vivian said, caressing her stomach with a peaceful smile on her face. "The future," she whispered. "Doesn’t it mean she wants you to stay healthy for a long time? Maybe it’s her way of saying it’s not the time for you to choose a successor yet."

"...You think?"

"I’m sure! She’s a good girl, isn’t she?" Vivian giggled, glancing at the shadow of Sarah and Hajin in front of the coat rack. "She said rude things, but she ran here immediately without me even saying what exactly happened."

Was it because of her soft voice and pretty face? She did sound logical. "You’re right," the chairman chuckled and stroked his giggling lover--who would become his wife soon after the divorce was finalized. "Perhaps I should just wait."

Hajin arched his brow when his sharp hearing caught the sound of soft laughter from the closed bedroom. How intriguing, seeing the chairman looked angry and flabbergasted just a minute ago.

Perhaps Vivian was actually a witch.

"Princess, wouldn’t it be better for you to accept it?" Hajin whispered while taking Sarah’s coat from the rack. "Even if it’s only for pretense."

"Then he’ll announce it," Sarah clicked her tongue. "If he does, Amber might wreak havoc."

"Ah..." Hajin nodded. Essentially, Sarah was just biding for time until everything was ready for her to attack the current management in the board meeting.

"Hmm?" Sarah tilted her head as Hajin opened the suite door. Before walking out, her eyes caught a parcel of expensive fruit and a ginseng package on the table by the foyer. "Is this here earlier?"

The chief security replied from the door. "Oh, Miss Amber brought it just now."

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "When?"

"When you’re inside, Miss."

"Did she leave already?"

"Yes, Miss."

Sarah looked even more confused. "Why didn’t she just come in?"

"That’s..." Chief Kim looked hesitant all of a sudden and only replied after lowering his voice. "The chairman told us not to let anyone but you come inside."

Sarah felt her eye twitch, although she hid it well right after. She just nodded and walked away nonchalantly. The back, however, had been tingling with a bad vibe.

She glanced at Hajin and muttered with pursed lips. "I hope this doesn’t make things go bad."

* * *

Right around the time Sarah was making snide remarks toward the chairman, Amber was frowning at the chief security.

"What do you mean I can’t come in?"

She had heard from the house manager that the chairman had secretly gone to the hospital with only his mistress and a few guards. With no one else knowing, she felt like it was a good time to stack up some points. Amber was not stupid, nor was she deaf to the whispers of people questioning who would be appointed as successor. It had been irritating her that people didn’t immediately name her, even though she was the only one working. But it wouldn’t matter if the chairman leaned toward her...

...right?

"Mr. Chairman doesn’t want to see anyone at the moment, Miss."

Amber narrowed her eyes. It was one thing preventing people who didn’t know the situation from seeing him when he was sick, but she was literally there when they found out about the poisoning. Was there really a need to prevent her--the eldest daughter--from seeing him? Not to mention...

When she entered the ward earlier, the stationed nurse gave an impression that she wasn’t the first one to come, so...

What is this?

Amber suppressed her curiosity and just handed the stuff she brought to the guards. "You can at least pass this to my father, right?" she smiled. "Feel free to taste test them--I didn’t put any poison."

The chief secretary nodded politely and Amber turned away with her attendants. "Find out who my father is talking to," she told them in an annoyed hiss, making sure the guards didn’t hear her.

Surprisingly, her bodyguard had already found a clue. "Miss, I think I saw a car that looked like the second miss’s car in the parking lot," the bodyguard said. "I wasn’t sure earlier because it’s not exactly a rare unit, but..."

"Did you check the license number?"

"Not yet, Miss. I shall check it now."

Amber clicked her tongue. "No need," she said as they stopped to wait for the elevator. "We’ll check it together."

And that was how, around fifteen minutes later, Amber was sitting in her car, watching Sarah and Hajin enter their car. What a timing; if she had come half an hour later than she planned, she wouldn’t have seen them.

"So it is her!" Amber slammed her fist against her purse. "This bitch!"

One of her attendants, the younger and newer one, asked carefully. "Why did the chairman hide it?"

"Why do you think?" the older attendant, the one who had been with Amber since the start, replied. "The chairman probably wanted to talk about something secretive; something he doesn’t want anyone else to know...yet."

"Like the successorship," Amber gritted her teeth.

The younger attendant flinched and spoke carefully, trying not to worsen the young miss’s mood. "Maybe...maybe the chairman told Miss Sarah to support you...Miss?"

"Then why does he do it secretly, huh?!" Amber snapped. "If that’s the case, there’s no need to prevent me from entering, don’t you think?!"

"I--I’m sorry, Miss..." the young attendant sank to her seat, hiding behind it before Amber could send her a killing gaze.

"And shouldn’t he have told me to be an heiress first before talking to Sarah? Fuck!"

Amber cursed under her breath, feeling her suspicion and doubt, which had been simmering deep in her heart, slowly resurfacing. She had been telling herself that Sarah had no interest in the company, that she never talked to the executives, but...

What would it matter if the chairman decided to appoint Sarah anyway?

"What if...the chairman called you after this, Miss?" the bodyguard asked. "Maybe he’s calling all of his children one by one?"

"Isn’t it still insulting that the chairman called the second daughter first?" the older attendant said sharply.

"Oh..."

Yeah, that was exactly what Amber felt. It was annoying how, after all this time, Sarah was still the one who received their father’s attention. It didn’t matter what Sarah’s answer was--even if she refused to become the heiress, she was still the one who got offered first.

Even if the chairman asked Amber later, it would mean she was a second choice. Just like always.

"Perhaps you should ask Miss Sarah about it, Miss..." the bodyguard said again.

"Are you crazy?!" Amber glared at her. "That’ll just tell her that we spied on her!"

"Then...what about asking Miss Ruby?" the older attendant suggested. "If the chairman also sees her, then it probably means he was asking them to give you some support--because I don’t think the chairman would ever appoint that woman’s bloodline to take over the company."

"And if he doesn’t?"

The attendant replied solemnly. "Then it’s probably the time for you to break the fake alliance."