The boardroom was filled with murmurs and tense whispers as Kang Joon-ho took his seat at the long mahogany table. His uncle, Kang Sung-ho, sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. The other board members, a mix of seasoned veterans and ambitious younger executives, exged gnces of uainty and disapproval.

  "Ladies alemen," Kang Sung-ho began, clearing his throat, "it's time for new blood to take over. As of today, I am stepping down as FG, and my nephew, Kang Joon-ho, will assume the position."

  Silence followed. Then, all at ohe boardroom erupted.

  "Chairman Kang, with all due respect, Joon-ho has no experience running a pany of this magnitude!" one board member protested.

  "This is reckless. IMFG is already struggling to maintain its position in the industry. We ability, not an experiment," another added, shaking his head.

  "He’s barely done anything in the pany! If anything, his track record suggests he’s more ied in partying than running a corporation."

  Joon-ho listened in silence, his fingers lightly tapping against the armrest of his chair. He expected resistaer all, from their perspective, he was just a rich chaebol heir who had been thrust into power with no prior experience. What they didn’t know was that he wasn’t the same Kang Joon-ho they had always known. His soul, his sciousness, beloo a man from twenty years iure.

  He had lived as a regur worker—mover, KTV waiter, office droruggling through life paycheck to paycheck. And now, in this new life, he had knowledge of what was to e. The trends, the colpses, the rise and fall of brands. If pyed right, he could turn this struggling pany into a dominant force.

  He took a deep breath and finally spoke. "I uand your s, gentlemen. IMFG is not in an ideal situatiht now. But my uncle’s decision stands, and I io prove that I am more than capable of leading this pany to success. If anyone here doubts my ability, the’s revene in three months. If I fail, I will step down myself."

  His words made some of the board members pause. He could see the wheels turning in their minds. Three months. That was all they o gauge whether he would sink or swim.

  "Enough!" Kang Sung-ho's voice cut through the he decision has been made. This meeting is over."

  The board members left, some shaking their heads, others casting Joon-ho skeptical gnces. Kang Sung-ho walked past him without another word, leaving Joon-ho aloo process the moment.

  With a sigh, he stood up and made his way to the CEO's office—the office that was now his.

  ---

  The rge, luxurious space was overwhelming. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the heart of Seoul, the skyline a mixture of steel and gss that shimmered uhe midday sun. A massive desk sat at the ter, stacked with folders as.

  Joon-ho sat down and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright," he muttered to himself, "let’s see what kind of mess I’ve ied."

  He opehe topmost folder and skimmed through it. Financial reports, project deys, talent acquisition issues—the pany was bleeding money. Worse, none of the models under tract were anywhere near A-list status. If they wao survive, they needed a major deal with a luxury brand.

  A kno the door interrupted his thoughts.

  "e in."

  Park Yeon-jin, the Director of Marketing, stepped in. She was stunning, even in her mid-thirties—elegant, poised, a former A-list celebrity who had transitioned into the business side of the industry.

  "CEO Kang," she addressed him formally, "I wao inform you that we have an urgeing with a major luxury brand in two days. They want to discuss a partnership. If we secure this, it could be a turning point for IMFG."

  Joon-ho nodded, straightening in his chair. "Which brand?"

  "Saint Regis. Their regional director will be visiting Seoul, and they’ve agreed to meet with us. However, they have high expectations. They want to work with top-tier talent, and right now, we don’t have that."

  Joon-ho exhaled slowly. "Then we o vihem that we do. What exactly are they looking for?"

  Yeon-jin crossed her arms, her expression serious. "They’re expanding their presen Asia and need a parthat provide a seamless blend of high fashion and celebrity influeheir main focus is on their uping jewelry and haute couture campaign. They want models who embody both elegand exclusivity. Their usual roster includes global A-listers—thie Laurent, Min So-hee, and Lian Ruiwen. The problem is, we don’t have anyone even close to their level."

  "What about local talent?" Joon-ho asked. "There are rising stars in Korea that could be a good fit."

  "I’ve already piled a shortlist," she said, pulling out her tablet and swiping through images. "Most of them are promising, but none have the star power Saint Regis expects. Their standards are incredibly high. They want a hat bring iional attention."

  Joon-ho drummed his fingers on the desk. "Is there any way we leverage aiionship with a top model? Someone willing to do a oime campaign to boost our brand’s credibility?"

  Yeon-jin thought for a moment before nodding. "There is oion—Ji-an."

  His brow furrowed. "Ji-an?"

  "Seo Ji-an. She used to be one of the biggest models in Korea before she went on an indefinite hiatus. If we vince her to make a ebader our bel, Saint Regis might take us seriously."

  "What’s her situation now?"

  "Low profile. She hasn’t done any campaigns in nearly two years. But if anyone bring her bato the spotlight, it’s us."

  Joon-ho leaned back, sidering it. "Set up a meeting with her."

  "Uood. I’ll reach out through her manager."

  "Good." He g the piles of dots on his desk. "What else?"

  Yeon-jin smiled. "You need a secretary. And not just anyone. Your predecessor’s assistants barely sted a month each. You need someone petent who handle pressure."

  She handed him a file. "I shortlisted a few didates. You’ll want to look through them before deg."

  Joon-ho flipped through the pages.

  1. Lee Hana: Former executive assistant at a major finance firm. Highly effit, but strid by-the-book. Could be difficult to work with.

  2. in-seo: Worked in PR for a top fashion house. Excellent es and social skills but has a history of switg jobs frequently.

  3. Yoo Seul-bi: Young but cked high level experience. Former personal assistant to failed upstart CEO. Experien crisis ma and handling people.

  4. Kang Ji-won: Military background. Disciplined, no-nonseitude. Could be an asset in managing chaotic situations.

  Many more.....

  Yeon-jin watched as he skimmed through the names. "I arraerviews tomorroreferences?"

  Joon-ho set the folder down. "Let’s see them all first. But I have a feeling I already know who I’m looking for."

  Yeon-jin raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. "I’ll schedule them. In the meantime, focus on Saint Regis. We o make a strong impression."

  "We will," Joon-ho said fidently. "This deal is just the beginning."

  ---

  As Yeon-ji, Joon-ho leaned ba his chair, staring at the ceiling. His mind drifted, searg through the fragments of memories that felt both distant and familiar. Among them, a name surfaced—Seo Ji-an.

  She had once been everywhere. The lead singer of a top idol group, a face that adorned luxury brand campaigns, a star on the rise. Everyone had believed she was destined for eveer heights. And then, as quickly as she had soared, she disappeared.

  Joon-ho closed his eyes, letting the details e ba. Seo Ji-an had lost her voi injury, an illness, he couldn’t quite recall the specifics, but it had shattered her career. Uo sing, she became a liability tency. Instead of standing by her, they had cut her loose. Her so-called best friend, another member of her group, had turned on her, feeding the media a narrative that painted Ji-an as difficult, unreliable, and ungrateful. The other members followed suit, distang themselves until she was left with nothing. The industry moved on without her, and Ji-an vanished from the public eye.

  But that wasn’t the end of her story.

  Joon-ho khat in five years, Seo Ji-an would return. She would step into the film industry, proving herself not just as an actress but as a phenomenon. Her beauty, her elegance, her sheer presence would make her one of the most sought-after stars of her geion. She would domih the silver s and the fashion world, seg tracts with the biggest luxury brands. Designers would pete to dress her, magazines would feature her on their covers, and the very same industry that abandoned her would crawl back, desperate to cim they had always believed in her.

  Yet, in those future whispers of success, there had been one ret—if only she had e back sooner.

  Joon-ho exhaled slowly, tapping his fingers against the desk. His pany was bleeding, in desperate need of a star. The kind of star Seo Ji-an was meant to be. If he could bring her back early—if he could give her the right stage to recim everything she had lost—IMFG could rise with her.

  The idea was tempting, but the obstacles were obvious. She had been humiliated, cast aside, and fotten. If she had any sense, she would be wary of trusting anyone from this industry again. Ahere was ohing Joon-ho remembered clearly.

  Her manager had stayed loyal.

  While the world turs ba Ji-an, one person had remained by her side. That was the key. If Joon-ho wao reach her, that was where he had to start.

  A slow smirk curved his lips.

  "Iing," he murmured.

  This was a gamble. A risky one. But if it paid off, IMFG wouldn’t just survive—it would dominate. And Seo Ji-an would take her rightful pce at the top, not five years from now, but today.

  Now, all he had to do was find her.

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