I am the legal successor of entire Starx Legacy...
Minjae jumped up, chips flying everywhere.
"Mom! He's the legal successor of the entire Starx empire!"
Mom looked at the mess, shook her head, and said,
"Hmmm, cool. Look at him doing so much at such a young age. And look at you just sitting there watching. You also do something like that, will you?"
Minjae frowned and shot back,
"Mom, that's harsh!"
His mom just smirked and muttered under her breath, "Not as harsh as reality, dear."
Hye-jin stared at the news playing on the computer screen, mouth half-open.
"Whoa… I knew he was rich back in university, but I didn't know he was the heir of the Starx Empire. That's insane!"
Sooyaa didn't respond.
Hye-jin turned sharply, narrowing her eyes.
"Wait… why aren't you shocked?" she said, her voice rising with suspicion. "Don't tell me... you already knew that?"
Sooyaa looked down at her cup of coffee, silent for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Yes," she said softly, "he once told me."
(Flashback university days )
The rain poured down relentlessly, soaking the roads and leaving the sky a dull gray.
Sooyaa stepped off the halted bus, clutching her bag close as she looked around for shelter.
"The metro station should be nearby," she murmured, glancing at her phone but the map blurred from raindrops.
As she hurried along the narrow lane, she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened at the sight before her a massive mansion behind high iron gates. A wide garden stretched around it, dotted with trimmed hedges and glowing garden lamps.
"Whoa…" she whispered. "This house is insane."
She tiptoed closer, standing on her toes to peek through the gate.
Just then, her foot slipped slightly on the wet pavement.
"Ah—!"
Before she could fall, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back firmly.
Sooyaa gasped and looked over her shoulder. "Tae-hyung?!"
He stood behind her, calm and cool under a sleek black umbrella, a faint smirk on his face.
"I told you spying on strangers is dangerous," he said teasingly.
"I wasn't spying!" she huffed, brushing her hair out of her face. "I was just looking at the mansion not spying."
Tae-hyung chuckled. "Then let's look at it together."
He stepped beside her, still holding the umbrella over them both. Rain softly tapped on its surface as they stared at the mansion.
Sooyaa squinted. "But seriously… who even owns this? It looks like a palace."
"Why see it from outside," Tae-hyung said suddenly, "when we can go in?"
Wait, what?!" Sooyaa's eyes widened. "You're seriously going in?! Wait for me my umbrella flew away!"
She ran after him, heart racing. "Are you crazy? If someone sees us trespassing, we'll get kicked out or worse, arrested!"
Tae-hyung walking confidently.
"Well, I won't get in trouble."
But when they reached the main gates, the gatekeeper bowed deeply and said,
"Welcome home, Master Tae-hyung."
Sooyaa froze. "Welcome… home master?" she repeated, blinking at Tae-hyung.
Tae-hyung casually walked in, turning his head slightly with a grin.
"This is my mansion."
Sooyaa stood there stunned for a second… then burst into laughter and followed him inside.
"Yah! Tae-hyung! You're rich?! Whoa!" she said as they entered the lavish interior. "This place is even bigger inside! Look at this carpet!"
She crouched slightly and ran her fingers along it. "I swear I've seen a similar one in the local market."
Tae-hyung raised an eyebrow, trying not to laugh.
"Ma'am, that's a limited edition Persian carpet worth thirty million won."
Sooyaa froze. "What?!" she squeaked, then playfully shoved him off the carpet. "Move! Don't touch it! I'll clean it, I'll clean it my hands are cleaner than your shoes!"
Sooyaa gently dusted the carpet with her hands, crouched on her knees.
Tae-hyung stood watching her, the corners of his lips curving into a soft smile.
"Beautiful," he said under his breath.
Sooyaa glanced up, blinking. "What?"
Tae-hyung's gaze flickered, and then he smirked. "Ah...uhm, the carpet. The carpet is beautiful."
She narrowed her eyes. "Hmmm… right."
Still smiling, she looked up. "Tae-hyung… how are you this rich?!"
He finally replied with a hint of sincerity in his voice, "My family owns a company. Starx. Ever heard of it?"
Sooyaa blinked. "Starx? The multinational Starx company?! That's your family's company?! No wonder you can afford all of this…"
She looked around the enormous hallway once more, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Wait… how many people live here?"
Tae-hyung paused, then answered quietly,
"Just two. Me… and Yeonjun."
END OF CHAPTER
Author (Skk)
Ooooh, that waist grab? In the rain? Under one umbrella? Someone hold me! I swear my legs were going up and down while writing this scene. Tae-hyung just casually flexing his richness energy. And that "Welcome home, master"? I'm squealing. Get ready guys cuz, this is goona be insane.