Burning The House Of Cards: taking revenge on my billionaire family
Chapter 83 - 82. Trojan Butterfly

Chapter 83: Chapter 82. Trojan Butterfly

It was rare for a company to fully operate by itself on a project. At the very least, a distribution company was needed to transport the commodity. Even big corporations that could create a whole system by building affiliated companies still needed subcontractors. Sometimes, it was cheaper to outsource than create a company from scratch or doing aqcuisition.

For this system to run smoothly, connections were needed to link company A to company B and C and so on. The company ’given’ to Sarah was the kind that made this connection.

"Kind of like a broker?" Hajin asked while they were heading to the company.

"They called it consultation," Sarah smiled. "This kind of thing is Unc...Director Seo’s job in the group, so I guess it’s not weird for him to acquire a small company specializing in this."

Hajin squinted his eyes in confusion. "Why acquire another company if the group already has a whole department doing it?"

"Because it doesn’t take care of the group’s business," Sarah flipped the document--not the one given by the parent group, but from her own investigation. "From what I see, it specializes in small to medium companies--rather lucrative, you know, since those companies rarely have good connections on their own."

Joseph probably didn’t want to waste the contact he already had while working for HS. She had no idea what he was actually planning, but she would have to go there to find out. Sarah had initially thought this company might be Joseph’s retirement plan--or a backup in case his position was threatened in the group. Looking at this place’s financial situation, however...

"Of course, that’s only if this consultation firm can connect the right companies and gain the right project to plunge themselves in," she continued. "That’s besides whether or not they can persuade the companies."

And from this place’s financial situation, Sarah didn’t think they were that good. What was the point of acquiring this company, then? How curious.

"So that was why you said it could be both good and bad," Hajin drummed on the steering wheel, nodding along the explanation.

"Uh-huh..." she flipped the document again, reading closely since the car was stopping at a red light. "Ah..."

It seemed the company was also used to experiment on cooperation that the group wasn’t really sure of. HS Group’s wares were often used in movies, music videos, or editorial shoots. Those were nice for promotion, but with the fickleness of the public and how quickly a celebrity or show got canceled after a scandal, the brands needed a scapegoat. It would also embarrassing to be known as having a direct connection with a flop project.

Using this firm, which wasn’t listed as an affiliate of the group, they could pretend as if the wares weren’t supplied directly by HS but by others, such as distributors or stylists.

An image control firm, to put it simply.

"How interesting..." Sarah tapped her lips. "But this made it easier for me to eat the company, don’t you think?"

Hajin merely smiled and nodded since he didn’t really understand.

"It’s too bad that shares were not bound by the group, but..." she turned her head to look at Hajin. "Do you think the CEO would have some?"

"If he does?" the bodyguard asked instead.

Sarah shrugged. "I’ll eat that too, of course."

"Will you build it up, then?"

"Don’t be silly, puppy."

Sarah swatted the air with her hand, chuckling before smiling deeply.

"I’m going to destroy this place."

* * *

"I’m here!" Sarah announced her presence loudly, sauntering through the door that Hajin opened for her.

It was a relatively small office occupying just one floor of a modest-sized building nestled in the capital’s periphery. There wasn’t even any security in place, so they could just stroll in. Certainly, not the kind of place a conglomerate daughter usually dwelled in--even the clearly incompetent second son got to work in a high-rise building.

Looked more and more like a place of exile, if she had to be honest.

But it was true that it also had potential. If Sarah hadn’t known about Joseph’s betrayal, she would have thought the old man was being considerate. After all, he should have known that Sarah preferred quiet and growth--at least, the old her. She might even think it was his way to protect her, away from her siblings’ tricks and envy.

But alas, the world wasn’t that kind to her.

Sarah’s enthusiastic greeting was met with silence, as the staff members turned their heads. The office itself was a simple large room with a dozen cubicles lined against the walls, plain and devoid of decoration. One could call it minimalistic, but Sarah called it being in the red. A similarly boring meeting room for clients could be seen, walled with slightly opaque glass.

Not very inspiring, to be honest. Perhaps that was why the six employees’ faces already looked exhausted even though it was only Monday.

Or perhaps because of it? Who knows.

Their gaze turned from curiosity to surprise, widening one by one as who she might be started to form in their head. The hunch was proven when the stout, short CEO came running from the corridor leading to somewhere--his office, most likely.

"Y-young Miss?!" the man’s eyes were the widest of them all.

Sarah clapped her hands. "Oh, I thought I’d started to become invisible."

"O-of course, not! We’re just surprised because you didn’t say you were coming," the CEO hurriedly came to her, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants.

"Huh? Why would I say I’m coming?" Sarah tilted her head, gaze sweeping around the room. "Do you tell each other you’re coming to work every day?"

The CEO let out a nervous laugh. "No, no--we just didn’t think you’d be coming this fast."

"Uncle told me to come this week, though?"

"Is...is that so?" he laughed again, his voice sounding like a squeak Sarah almost felt sorry for him. Remembering the ridiculous performance and the suspicious financial situation, however, erasing such thoughts from her head. The man immediately looked around and glared at the still-stunned employees. "What are you guys doing? Quick--greet the Young Miss!"

The six employees and one secretary had just come out of the hallway--maybe returning from the bathroom or something--scrambled to their feet and bent their waist low. "W-welcome, Young Miss!"

"Yes, yes--please go back to...whatever you’re doing," Sarah waved her hand dismissively, focusing on the CEO instead. "Where’s my office, by the way?"

"It’s here, Young Miss--let me guide you!" the old man immediately gestured toward the hallway he came out of earlier.

Sarah let out a fake gasp. "Oh, you don’t have to, CEO. Aren’t you supposed to be my boss?"

The CEO shook his head quickly. "No, no--please don’t be bothered by such formalities, Young Miss."

"Oh, is that so? Well, then..." she shrugged and walked to the hallway, prompting the CEO to step quickly to guide her. Sarah glanced at the secretary, who was still bowing deeply with a pale face near the hallway’s entrance, before shifting her gaze to the same uninspiring corridor. "Anyway, what are you doing in this place? Uncle Park only told me to come work and said nothing about it."

"Oh, there’s not much, Young Miss. The other staff will bring proposals and we just need to decide whether we’ll give it a pass or not," the CEO explained vaguely.

Sarah wanted to arch her brow because--what? He didn’t even look for any project himself? Guess that was why the place had an awful record. The displeasure showed in her face, but what came out of her mouth was something different. "Ugh--so I have to read proposals?"

"No, no--you don’t have to if it’s a bother. I can do that for you," the CEO shook his hand while smiling widely as if he was doing her a favor.

Sarah widened her eyes, looking all bright. "Really? So all I need is to come and loiter around in my office?"

"What do you mean loiter around? We’ll still need your signature, Young Miss. But it’s okay, I’ll only send one that is already vetted," the CEO raised his thumb before opening the door to a room with a COO plaque on the door.

"How dependable!" Sarah exclaimed while strutting inside her office.

"Hahaha!"

"Oh, but please still send the proposals to my office--I’m afraid the uncles would question me about it," Sarah turned around and puffed her cheek, crossing her arms with annoyance written all over her face. "My puppy needs to read them so he can tell me what are they about when the uncles are calling."

The CEO glanced at the handsome man who had been quietly following them. His eyes fell to the leather choker around the man’s neck and thought it was hard to make money in this world.

But he had to reply to the abandoned princess first. "Yes, yes--that’s not a problem at all, Young Miss."

Sarah clasped her hands. "You’re such a nice guy, CEO! I have to tell the uncles how good you are to me!"

Instantly, the CEO beamed and laughed heartily. "Ahahaha! You don’t need to do that, Young Miss."

"Of course, I should!" Sarah giggled before lowering her voice and curling her eyes. "You’ll help me ’working hard’ here after all--right?"

The CEO raised his brows before replying with great energy two seconds later. "Yes! Yes--of course!"

They laughed together like two conspirators with no burden in this world. His nervousness had disappeared by then, and his smile looked less corporate.

"Well, then--I’ll let you get used to your office, Young Miss."

"Thank you! Oh, can I call you Uncle Oh, instead?" Sarah smiled sweetly, looking all innocent despite her bold makeup and office-siren look.

The CEO’s smile grew wider. "Of course, Young Miss!"

Sarah waved as the CEO exited the room and closed the door, humming to herself. She glanced at Hajin, whose dry expression had shifted into an amused one.

Sarah smirked. "Doesn’t seem too hard to crack, don’t you think?"

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