Chaebol Topaz: Bastard Son (Book 2)

7장 (AMBW)

NOW

"I know you have no interest in listening to what I have to say, but you can no longer live without security guards. You must understand how important it is that I know you are safe when I'm not here," Jae-hyun tried to reason with his stubborn wife.

How could she possibly relate to what he asked of her? Topaz worked closely with wealthy people before she met her husband, but she never once lived in their world. She, therefore, had no comprehension of the dangers associated with being rich enough to influence other people's lives.

A person who stood to inherit as much money and power as Jae-hyun Choi was attracted to some of the worst people. Those who sought to change their fortunes might stoop to the lowest levels committing unspeakable crimes to gain just a minuscule financial crumb from the Choi Family. Because there was always an inherent danger associated with money, Jae-hyun refused to leave his family exposed. It was his duty to wife from those who might try to strike at him regardless of whether she agreed or not.

He refrained from informing his family of his marriage, but he was aware of his father's practice to surveil his sons at all times. The men his father employed most likely reported back to the old man as soon as they recognized his multiple trips to the states. Jae-hyun knew his father best. The man was a genius after all from whom he had learned everything he knew. Every aspect of the business, the people who were to be trusted with sensitive clean-up work, and the best practices for interacting with the public were skills he'd closely copied from his father.

Much like the same way he learned about Jin-jae and Topaz, Jae-hyun was confident Mr. Choi would learn about his eldest son's marriage.

Jae-hyun pushed away the ideas that plagued him. He couldn't bring himself to have the one conversation with her that worried him most. How would he ever venture to explain to her that his family might attempt to come after her and the baby? In order to ease his mind, Jae-hyun arranged for the best security team available in the US and advised them to stay close enough to his wife to keep her out of harm's way.

To think he was scheduled to be away from her one maybe two weeks sent his heart racing. The thought was killing him.

He flew back and forward between Seoul and Dallas every other week. For the moment, it was the best he could do because of his business responsibilities back home. Each trip to her was for one reason and one reason only. He had to know that she and his unborn child were okay. Since he was only required to be in the Seoul office periodically for meetings and major decisions regarding his family's company, Jae-hyun established branches in the US to cover up his long  absences.

By using his personal assets to acquire the US branches, he worked diligently to create a safety net for himself and his family. Should his marriage become a larger issue with his extended family, Jae-hyun planned to be ready for any problems because he was slowly laying down a financial foundation to maintain his wife, child, and himself in a safe and secure environment. He knew better than to use the family's money for his own personal gain. That would cause him unnecessary problems, so he decided to grow his own independent business ventures. He allowed the work with several new companies he acquired in the US to remain his excuse for the constant commutes back and forward between his two hub cities.

When Jae-hyun left for his latest trip to Seoul, his wife was headed into her third trimester at the end of her sixth month. They decided to visit her parents as soon as he returned. He knew it was way past time to tell them that he and Topaz were married and that a baby was on the way. She tried to explain to him that her family may not be receptive to the situation. Even though he hated the fact that their families would not approve of their relationship, he was happy that they would be drawn together for such a joyous occasion. This was the main thought on his mind as he approached his father's home after work.