Jungkook and Minji spent the next week managing the counter-attack, waiting for Seok-Kyung to pull the necessary records. The pressure was mounting, as the original timeline for Chapter 35 (Kai's final move) was rapidly approaching.
Minji also focused on subtly protecting A-Ri. She learned that Rion Kai was planning to pressure A-Ri to leave her demanding job for a "less stressful life," which was a disguised attempt to isolate her emotionally before the final public scandal.
Minji warned Jungkook: "Kai will try to isolate her professionally next week. You need to provide A-Ri with an emotional anchor in her career, proving you believe in her capability."
Based on the prompt, Jungkook needs to take a decisive action to show A-Ri he supports her career, directly countering Rion Kai's pressure.
Jungkook walked to the head of the conference room table. The meeting was ostensibly about Q3 projections, but every senior manager present—especially those aligned with or wary of Rion Kai—felt the undercurrent of tension. Minji, seated near the door, met Jungkook's eyes, a look of focused anticipation on her face.
He didn't waste time on pleasantries. "We are moving up the timeline for Project Aegis," he announced, his voice steady and low, cutting through the murmurs. Project Aegis was the codename for the high-priority, high-risk venture into the new overseas market—a project Rion Kai had been heavily scrutinizing for weeks. "We need a Project Director who not only understands the legal and financial intricacies but who possesses the absolute trust of the executive office. Someone whose focus is laser-tight, and who cannot be swayed by noise or distraction."
Jungkook paused, his gaze sweeping the room before settling deliberately on A-Ri, who sat midway down the table, professionally impassive but with a slight widening of her eyes. He felt a sharp pang of protectiveness. Kai was going to be furious, which meant A-Ri was now in his line of fire—but she was also under a spotlight where any move against her would be publicly scrutinized. This was the anchor.
"Effective immediately," he continued, the finality of his tone silencing the room, "Ms. A-Ri Ha will assume the role of Executive Director of Project Aegis. She will report directly to me and will have full authority over all financial and personnel decisions pertaining to the venture."
A wave of stiff, polite applause followed, but the looks exchanged across the table spoke volumes. Executive Director was a title usually reserved for VPs. It was an unprecedented leap.
Rion Kai's most loyal manager, Director Shin, cleared his throat, leaning forward. "Mr. Jeon, with all due respect, that is a significant elevation. Ms. Ha has only been managing the compliance portion. Is she prepared for the entirety of the financial risk assessment and cross-border negotiation?"
Jungkook didn't blink. "She is," he stated simply, his voice now edged with steel. "When A-Ri took over the Q1 legal audit, she uncovered the $4 million discrepancy that three previous teams missed. Her capability is not in question, Director Shin. My decision is final. You will provide Ms. Ha with every resource she requests, starting now."
He turned back to A-Ri. "A-Ri, I want you to present a detailed, accelerated three-month strategy to the board next Friday. The success of this company rests on this project. You have my full confidence."
A-Ri stood up, her posture perfect, the surprise replaced by a deep, unwavering resolve. She looked past Director Shin, past the watchful eyes of the other managers, and addressed Jungkook. "Thank you, sir. I understand the gravity of the task. I will have the accelerated strategy prepared, and Project Aegis will succeed."
As the meeting broke up, Minji subtly caught Jungkook's eye and gave a small, approving nod. The emotional anchor had been dropped. Now, they just had to wait for Kai to try and pull it up.While Jungkook's announcement had landed with the desired public impact, Minji knew that Rion Kai's initial move would be quick and quiet, targeting the professional flank before the personal attack.
Immediately after the meeting, while A-Ri was still fielding the manufactured congratulations of her peers, Minji slipped into the Human Resources office. Her target was Ms. Choi, the senior HR liaison known for her meticulous record-keeping and her quiet disdain for office politicking.
"Ms. Choi," Minji said, leaning across the desk with a manufactured air of executive urgency. "Now that Ms. Ha has accepted the Executive Director role for Project Aegis, we need to ensure the compensation and severance clauses are bulletproof. If, hypothetically, she were to resign, we need to ensure we have maximum professional leverage over her non-compete for this critical market."
Ms. Choi, already pulling up A-Ri's newly updated file, frowned. "That's standard for an executive role, Minji. Why the rush?"
"The acceleration of Aegis means we can't afford any legal ambiguity," Minji insisted, subtly guiding the conversation. "Draft a memo for the files stating that due to the specialized nature of Project Aegis, Ms. Ha's immediate resignation would constitute a material breach of her new executive contract, exposing her to significant financial liability for the project's delay. Have Jungkook sign it today."
The legal language was key: Kai would assume that pressuring A-Ri to leave would be a quiet, clean exit. Minji was deliberately creating a major legal headache for A-Ri—a headache that would only be triggered if she quit. It was a necessary deterrent.
Meanwhile, the true clock continued to tick. Minji found Jungkook in his office, dialing Seok-Kyung.
"The promotion is done," Jungkook reported into the phone, his voice tight. "A-Ri is the anchor. Now, what about the records? We have two weeks until Kai's Chapter 35 timeline. We need the original, untainted records of the investment ledger now."
Seok-Kyung's strained voice came through the speaker: "The data center has maximum security, Jungkook. It's not just encrypted; it's physically isolated. I can get the access credentials, but the retrieval will take a full 48-hour window, and that puts us too close to the deadline. I need you to trust my timing."
"Trust is not what I need," Jungkook snapped, running a hand through his hair. "I need proof. Get me the records in seven days, Seok-Kyung. Seven. Otherwise, A-Ri's anchor will become her target."
He hung up, the tension radiating off him. "We're running blind, Minji," he said, turning to her. "If Seok-Kyung misses that window, we lose A-Ri and the entire company. We need to be preparing our move now, even with incomplete data."
"We move with what we have," Minji affirmed, holding up the HR memo. "But first, we make sure A-Ri knows exactly how important she is. Give her the key. Tell her everything. Make the anchor feel like a shield, not a contract."
The pressure is mounting both professionally (Minji's legal maneuver) and operationally (the looming Chapter 35 deadline).The moment the door to the conference room closed, A-Ri felt the weight of the new title settle on her shoulders—not as a burden, but as a challenge. It was an adrenaline spike paired with a deep sense of commitment. She knew the move was meant to protect her, but more importantly, it felt like Jungkook was finally seeing her not just as an asset, but as an equal in competence.
As she gathered her files, a message flashed on her private terminal: Jungkook: My office, 10 minutes. Use the service elevator.
She followed the instruction, finding Jungkook waiting for her alone in his expansive, minimalist office. He was leaning against his desk, the city lights reflecting in the glass behind him.
"You handled that flawlessly," he said, pushing off the desk and walking toward her. "Shin was testing you, hoping you'd hesitate."
A-Ri set her briefcase down. "I understand the risks, Mr. Jeon. Project Aegis is a target because Kai's faction doesn't want the market expansion. I'll make sure it's legally sound and impenetrable."
Jungkook stopped a few feet away, his expression serious. "A-Ri, I wasn't just talking about Project Aegis." He lowered his voice. "This new role is an emotional anchor. Rion Kai is planning to escalate pressure on you next week. He wants you isolated and stressed, thinking that quitting your career for a 'less stressful life' is your only option before he publicizes a manufactured scandal."
A-Ri's composure wavered for the first time. The quiet, insidious threat hit harder than any public fight. "He… he talked to my mother again, didn't he?"
"We believe so," Jungkook confirmed. "He's pulling strings you can't see. But now, you are the Executive Director of our most important venture. You are indispensable. If you leave, Project Aegis collapses, and Kai takes the blame for the failure. You leaving now isn't just a personal choice; it's a massive professional disaster for him. He can't touch you while you hold that position."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a key card on a plain lanyard. "This is for the secure annex on the 50th floor. Only Minji, Seok-Kyung, and now you have access. You will manage all sensitive documents related to Aegis from there. And," he added, his eyes holding hers, "you will also manage the records Seok-Kyung is gathering for our counter-attack. You need to be aware of what's coming."
He placed the lanyard in her hand. The cold metal grounded her. It wasn't just a key; it was the ultimate sign of trust.
"You're making me a core part of the defense," she murmured, understanding the weight of the responsibility.
"I'm proving I believe in your capability more than I believe in any threat," Jungkook replied firmly. "Kai will try to break you next week. Don't let him. I need you here."
A-Ri closed her hand tightly around the key card. The anxiety was replaced by fierce loyalty and a battle-ready focus. "Understood, Mr. Jeon. Tell Minji and Seok-Kyung I'll be ready for their briefing."
The emotional anchor is firmly set, and A-Ri is now formally introduced to the counter-attack team and evidence.A-Ri arrived at Jungkook's office ten minutes later, having taken the service elevator as instructed. He was alone, leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, the panoramic view of the city lights reflecting the gravity of the situation. The atmosphere was a stark contrast to the performative energy of the conference room.
"You handled that flawlessly," he said, walking toward her. "Shin was testing you, hoping you'd hesitate."
A-Ri set her briefcase down, her professional shield still firmly in place. "I understand the risks, Mr. Jeon. Project Aegis is a target because Kai's faction doesn't want the market expansion. I'll make sure it's legally sound and impenetrable."
Jungkook stopped a few feet away, his expression serious, the steel in his eyes reserved solely for her now. "A-Ri, I wasn't just talking about Project Aegis." He lowered his voice. "This new role is an emotional anchor. Rion Kai is planning to escalate pressure on you next week. He wants you isolated and stressed, thinking that quitting your career for a 'less stressful life' is your only option before he publicizes a manufactured scandal."
A-Ri's composure wavered for the first time. The quiet, insidious threat hit harder than any public fight. Her hands clenched slightly. "He… he talked to my mother again, didn't he? Suggesting I'm 'too stressed' for this job?"
"We believe so," Jungkook confirmed. "He's pulling strings you can't see. But now, you are the Executive Director of our most important venture. You are indispensable. If you leave, Project Aegis collapses, and Kai takes the blame for the failure. You leaving now isn't just a personal choice; it's a massive professional disaster for him. He can't touch you while you hold that position."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a key card on a plain, unmarked lanyard. "This is for the secure annex on the 50th floor. Only Minji, Seok-Kyung, and now you have access. You will manage all sensitive documents related to Aegis from there. And," he added, his eyes holding hers with absolute intensity, "you will also manage the records Seok-Kyung is gathering for our counter-attack. You need to be aware of what's coming."
He placed the lanyard in her hand. The cold metal grounded her, a tangible representation of the burden and the trust he was giving her.
"You're making me a core part of the defense," she murmured, understanding the immense weight of the responsibility—and the danger.
"I'm proving I believe in your capability more than I believe in any threat," Jungkook replied firmly. "Kai will try to break you next week. Don't let him. I need you here. I need Executive Director Ha."
A-Ri closed her hand tightly around the key card. The initial shock of Rion Kai's personal machinations was quickly eclipsed by a fierce loyalty to Jungkook and a battle-ready focus for the task ahead. "Understood, Mr. Jeon. Tell Minji and Seok-Kyung I'll be ready for their briefing. And tell them I want to see Kai's files myself."
The transfer of trust is complete. The next logical scene is the immediate fallout—specifically, Rion Kai's reaction to Jungkook's public move, which directly thwarted his isolation plan.