The veil of retribution

Chapter 10: A New Plan

The murmur of the canteen buzzed around Jihoon as he served food to the endless line of employees passing through. Despite the mindless rhythm of his daily work, Jihoon’s mind was elsewhere. He couldn’t shake the weight of the recent threats from the unknown messenger. His friends were in danger, and now the pressure to uncover the truth behind the Namwon project was becoming more urgent.

Jihoon had overheard whispers of an important meeting coming up about the Namwon project. Word was, the CEO would be hosting high-level visitors at his home, and extra staff were needed to serve food during the gathering. This was Jihoon’s chance. If he could get assigned to work at the CEO’s home, he could learn more about the project and maybe find the evidence he needed. The thought of sneaking around the CEO’s home made his stomach churn with both excitement and fear.

As the lunch rush died down, Jihoon leaned against the counter, wiping his brow and keeping an eye on the kitchen supervisor. He knew she handled all the staff assignments, and he had to find a way to get himself on the list for the CEO’s event.

The opportunity presented itself when Jihoon overheard a conversation between the supervisor and one of the chefs.

“We still need two more staff for the CEO’s house tomorrow night,” the chef said. “Big meeting about that Namwon project. Apparently, it’s going to be huge.”

The supervisor sighed. “I’ll have to find a couple of volunteers. Not many people want to go work extra hours.”

“I’ll do it,” Jihoon said quickly, stepping forward. The supervisor looked at him, surprised by his eagerness.

“You want to work at the CEO’s house?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Yeah, I could use the extra pay,” Jihoon said, forcing a casual tone. “Plus, it sounds like an interesting opportunity.”

The supervisor raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Alright, Jihoon. If you’re up for it, you’re on the list. Be at the CEO’s house by six tomorrow evening.”

As Jihoon walked back to his station, a wave of relief washed over him. Step one of his plan was in place. Now, he just had to figure out how to get the information he needed without drawing too much attention.

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Later that afternoon, Jihoon was making his way down the hallway, lost in thought, when he noticed a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. Seungmin. He was standing near the entrance, speaking with someone from the administrative staff. Jihoon’s chest tightened. Seungmin had been keeping a low profile for a while, but now he was back.

Seungmin’s eyes flicked toward Jihoon, and a small smirk played on his lips. Jihoon knew that look. Seungmin was about to approach him, and Jihoon didn’t want to deal with whatever Seungmin had planned.

“Jihoon! Wait up!” Seungmin called out, stepping forward.

Without thinking, Jihoon turned on his heel and began walking quickly down the corridor, hoping to avoid a confrontation. His mind raced. Seungmin had always been friendly—too friendly. Ever since he had offered Jihoon a place to stay after leaving the orphanage, there had been an uncomfortable tension between them. Jihoon couldn’t afford any distractions now, especially not from someone like Seungmin.

As Jihoon hurried away, he glanced over his shoulder to see if Seungmin was still following him. His heart sank when he saw Seungmin closing the distance. In his distraction, Jihoon didn’t notice the figure coming around the corner.

He collided hard with someone, sending them both stumbling. Papers scattered across the floor as a sharp, angry voice rang out.

“Watch where you’re going!”

Jihoon looked up, heart pounding, to find himself staring at a young woman with an air of authority. Her eyes flashed with irritation, and Jihoon quickly realized who she was. The CEO’s daughter. He had only seen her from a distance before, but now, face to face, he could sense the intensity in her presence.

“I-I’m sorry,” Jihoon stammered, bending down to pick up the scattered papers. “I didn’t see you.”

The CEO’s daughter scowled, crossing her arms as she watched him collect the mess. “Clearly.”

Jihoon handed the papers back to her, hoping the situation would end there, but her anger didn’t seem to be fading. “What are you doing running through the halls like a maniac?”

Jihoon straightened up, trying to find the right words. “I wasn’t—well, I mean—I was just trying to get away from—”

“Save it,” she snapped, cutting him off. “You’re coming with me to my office. I don’t have time for idiots running into me.”

Jihoon’s heart sank. This wasn’t part of the plan. He glanced behind him, but Seungmin had disappeared from sight. It looked like he wouldn’t be getting out of this easily.

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A few minutes later, Jihoon found himself standing in the CEO’s daughter’s office. She sat behind her desk, flipping through the papers he had knocked from her hands, clearly still irritated. Jihoon stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do or say. His mind raced, trying to figure out a way to salvage the situation.

Before either of them could speak, the CEO’s daughter’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and rolled her eyes before answering.

“What is it, Dad?” she said, her tone cold and detached. Jihoon noticed the way her posture changed—tense and defensive, like she was preparing for a fight.

Whatever her father said on the other end of the line clearly didn’t sit well with her. “I told you, I’m handling it. Stop hovering over me. I don’t need you micromanaging every detail of my life.”

She hung up the phone abruptly, muttering something under her breath. Jihoon raised an eyebrow, surprised by the hostility in her voice. It seemed like her relationship with her father, the CEO, wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy.

An idea began to form in Jihoon’s mind. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. If the CEO’s daughter had issues with her father, perhaps he could find a way to get close to her. He needed someone to pose as his girlfriend, and she could be the perfect candidate. Not only would it solve the problem with his friends, but it could also give him an inside connection to the CEO’s family. He could use her to learn more about the Namwon project without raising suspicion.

Jihoon cleared his throat, deciding to take a gamble. “Look, I really didn’t mean to bump into you back there. I was just in a hurry. But maybe… maybe we can start over?”

The CEO’s daughter looked at him with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. “Why would I want to start over with someone like you?”

Jihoon gave her a small smile, trying to sound confident. “Because I think we could help each other. I have a feeling you don’t exactly love working under your dad’s shadow, and I’ve got my own reasons for wanting to stay under the radar. Maybe we could be useful to each other.”

She narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious of his intentions. “Useful how?”

Jihoon hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “Let’s just say I could use a favor… and in return, I can make sure you get a little more freedom from your father. I’m good at keeping secrets.”

The CEO’s daughter studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she leaned back in her chair, a small smirk forming on her lips.

“You’re an interesting one, Jihoon. I’ll think about it.”

Jihoon nodded, relieved that she hadn’t outright rejected him. He had planted the seed, and now he just needed to wait for the right moment to put his plan into action.

As he left her office, his mind was already racing with possibilities. Getting close to the CEO’s daughter could be the key to everything—both for his investigation and for keeping his friends from asking too many questions. But there was no doubt in his mind that playing this game was dangerous. One wrong move, and he could lose everything.

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