"That's right." hyunwoo levelled a resentful look at taehyung. "It was a simple joke we cracked amongst ourselves. How could you twist our words in front of CEO Jeon?"
"Hmph, a joke." taehyung smiled coldly. "In that case, why don't you talk about the way you stuck your tongues out when you complained that jungkook was stingy in front of me?"
Hyunwoo wanted to refute him . However, he noticed jungkook's thunderous expression and did not dare to speak up again.
Jennie rushed to clear her own slate. "CEO Jeon, I did not use a single cent of the money my mother took from you. Although I have my daily expenses, my mother was the one who bought those things for me. I only used the allowance she gave me."
Hyunwoo also immediately added. "CEO Jeon, those funds were given to the kim family by the JJK empire. My surname is kang. As the Kim Group's general manager, my pay is only slightly higher than everyone else's. This matter is unrelated to me. The money, they were all taken by eu... they were all taken by my sister-in-law, eunji alone."
Hyungsik acknowledged this. "Indeed, Ms. kim was the one who signed the papers each time the money was collected."
eunji watched as her daughter and hyunwoo both pushed the responsibility completely on her. She could not help but feel her heart turning cold.
Although the money had been collected by her, the two of them did not spend any less than she did.
"Mom, quickly say something!" jennie was flustered.
Eunji deliberated over it. Since things had turned out like this, there was no point in dragging jennie and hyunwoo down with her. It would be better if she took responsibility for this alone. "It's true. This matter is unrelated to hyunwoo and jennie. I'm the only person who collected the money from the JJK empire."
Jungkook did not waste time speaking nonsense. "Then, you will be responsible for paying back the debt, as well."
eunji began to lament with tears dripping down her cheeks. "It's more than a billion dollars, CEO Jeon. How could I possibly have that much money? The Kim Group's business hasn't been very good over the past few years. We haven't earned much. The financial support you gave us was used up over the years."
But the truth was that aside from jungkook's money, over the years, plenty of people gave her face for being jungkook's mother-in-law. She had successfully conducted a lot of business and actually did earn some profit.
"My father is in a vegetative state. Over the years, my mother's expenses haven't been small. She's been supporting this family all by herself. She really doesn't have any excess money left..." jennie appeared troubled as she spoke up.
"CEO Jeon, please take it as though you are doing a good deed..."
jungkook glanced at her in impatience. Hoseok understood and immediately brought out a piece of white cloth. He balled it up and shoved it into jennie's mouth.
"Uu..." jennie was stunned.
Eunji saw her daughter's mouth getting blocked. She felt aggrieved but had no way of venting it. She began crying even harder. "CEO Jeon, I really don't have any money. If I did, would I not give it?"
Asking her to toss away a billion dollars, weren't they asking for her old life?
Jungkook lit a cigarette and smoke swirled around him. "Have you checked eunji's personal accounts?"
"Yes, sir," hyungsik responded.
As the top finance group in the world, the JJK empire had more than enough accountants.
To become the head accountant, he naturally possessed some ability. How could he possibly fail to accomplish a small task like this?
"Responding to the CEO, the Kim Group currently has 4,60,000,000 dollars in it's account balance. In eunji's foreign bank accounts, there are 7,70,385,000 dollars. Over the past two years, the stocks, properties and cars that she has bought... sum up to around 1,50,000,000 dollars. After adding everything up, she still owes the JJK empire more than a hundred million dollars."
Upon hearing this, eunji's complexion turned pale.
Jungkook had actually found out about her hidden foreign bank accounts and private properties. His connections were truly frighteningly wide!
Hyunwoo was really upset as he turned to look at eunji.
She had told him that all the money was invested in the Kim Group funds. In that case, why did she have such a large sum in her foreign bank accounts?
This woman really hid it well.
Hyungsik interrogated her with an expressionless face. "Ms. kim, we've thoroughly investigated everything that you own. Do you still dare to say that you have no money?"
After being backed into a corner, eunji was no longer afraid of death. She stopped crying and shouted out. "So what if I have money? I refuse to give it to you!"
What could they possibly do to her?
"Come!" jungkook shouted, "Take eunji and..."
Before he could continue, eunji became fearful that he would punish her. "CEO Jeon, I am your future mother-in-law. No matter what, you have to take taehyung into consideration! You can't use force against me!"
Jungkook glanced at taehyung and continued in an unfazed manner. "In that case, I will give taehyung some face. hyungsik, tell her about the legal matters."
"Yes, sir."
Hyungsik said in a stern manner, "Ms. Kim , the money our CEO gave to you was not for you or the Kim family. It was meant for taehyung alone. This was properly written in the contracts. Each time you collected the money, you signed the contract with taehyung's name. However, you are not taehyung. The JJK empire can pursue this by suing you for fraud. You've scammed more than a billion dollars out of the JJK empire. This alone would be sufficient for you to be jailed for the rest of your life. Would you prefer to stay in jail forever, or would you prefer to return the money?"
Eunji's face was bloodless now. She begged jungkook in a frightened voice. "CEO Jeon, you can't actually be planning to send me to jail, right?"
Jungkook's face remained expressionless. He pinched the cigarette butt and tossed it into the ashtray. "It seems like Director K8m still does not wish to return the money. Toss her in the jail. She is to stay locked up for the rest of her life. No one is allowed to bail her out!"
Two bodyguards immediately held eunji's arms and started to drag her out.
Eunji was genuinely flustered now. She began shouting at taehyung. "taehyung, you have to beg CEO Jeon for me. He will definitely listen to you. He will definitely give you face!"
"Mom, CEO Jeon has already given me face by not using force against you." taehyung shrugged carelessly. "Although I would love to help, there's nothing more that I can do."
He wanted the Kim family to spit out all the money they had taken from the Jeon family. How could he possibly speak up for her?
Jennie watched in agitation as her mother was dragged further and further away. She was helpless. "Uu... uu..."
Hyunwoo wanted to help eunji but his own life was at stake. He was completely flustered. "eunji, you have to return the money! CEO Jeon never goes back on his word. Once you go inside the jail, you really won't be able to escape from there for the rest of your life. Money can still be earned back!"
eunji seemed to become enlightened by his words.
In the past, the Jeon family only used to give expensive gifts to the Kim family during special festivities. They did not give them any financial support.
The current sum owed had been accumulated over the past seven years. But there were still a lot of seven years ahead of them. As long as they managed to please jungkook again, the money could be earned again!
She screamed haplessly. "CEO Jeon, I don't want to be jailed! I'll pay! I'll pay every single cent!"
Jungkook gave the bodyguards a look and they finally let go of eunji's elbows.
hyungsik glanced at her coldly. "Ms. Eunji, if you had decided to return the money earlier, would there have been this much drama?"
Eunji smiled stiffly. She did not have the strength to speak up.
It was more than a billion dollars. After placing it into her pocket, she was forced to spit it back out. This was akin to asking for half of her life. Was she supposed to give it up so easily?
"However, even after adding up all of your properties and savings, you are still around a hundred million dollars short." hyungsik remained focused on the task at hand. "How do you plan on paying back this sum?"
Eunji's complexion was pale and gloomy. "You've discovered all my savings and properties. I really don't have anything left. Do you want me to go borrow from someone?"
She paused for a moment before sneaking a look at jungkook. "It's really hard to borrow money at this time of the year. My future son-in-law, I can only borrow the money from you. If I ask other people, they will definitely give you face and agree. Wouldn't that be your accomplishment?"
"Do you think that I won't keep my word?" jungkook sneered mockingly. "I already told you that from today onwards, the Jeon family will not give the Kim family anymore support. This means that no one will take my face into account and offer any benefits to the Kim family. That includes money."
Eunji's face was becoming more and more gloomy. "CEO Jeon, I really don't have anyone to borrow from..."
She scanned the villa. "How about, I give this house to you? This villa is worth some money. After subtracting the hundred million dollars, you can return the extra to me."
Eighteen years ago, hyuntae had gifted this villa to taehyung on his first birthday.
She had wanted to sell this villa since a long time. Unfortunately, the ownership belonged to taehyung. She had attempted to persuade him repeatedly but the fat wench was insistent about not selling it.
This was a good opportunity to get rid of it.
"Although the Kim family's villa was built eighteen years ago, thankfully the location is good. At the current market price, it's worth a few hundred million dollars." hyungsik reported seriously. "I've checked the ownership deed. The villa belongs to Mr. Kim taehyung."
"taehyung's money and properties cannot be touched." jungkook's cold gaze was unmoved. All of the money he gave them had been meant for taehyung. How could he possibly touch his house?
His sharp gaze swept past eunji, jennie and hyunwoo. "The hundred million dollars eunji still owes can be easily resolved. For your future meals, the three of you will only be able to have fried chicken, deep fried rice and instant noodles... you're only allowed to have whatever you made taehyung eat in the Kim home for the past few years. After three months of doing so, the debt will be cleared. If you fail to do so, you will spend the rest of your time in jail."
Taehyung was deeply moved. He was standing up for him because his heart ached for the suffering he had endured.
Indeed, the Kim family ought to experience what they had put him through.
"Ah..." eunji covered her lips.
Her idea to sell the villa had failed, and now they wanted her to eat junk food everyday? She was already used to having luxurious, expensive food for every meal. The thought of it caused her heart to hurt.
"If you don't agree, you are welcome to walk into the jail immediately." jungkook's tone was non-negotiable.
"I agree, I agree!" eunji had no choice but to nod stiffly.
Hyunwoo gritted his teeth. "I agree to comply as well." After so many years, it was only right to repay eunji a little.
Jennie shook her head unwillingly. "Uu..."
Her mouth was stuffed and she could not speak.
Eunji pressed her head down for her to nod. "jennie is also willing."
"Very well. The three of you, please follow me to sign a contract. The contract will clearly state the food that the three of you are allowed to eat for the next three months. Ms. Kim, you will also have to sign a contract agreeing to repay your debt, and to return the money owed to the JJK empire for its project funds..." hyungsik was extremely detailed when it came to work.
hyunwoo grumbled. "Why do we have to sign a contract for food..."
"Work has to be handled appropriately." If he did not do so, would he still be the head accountant?
Eunji, jennie and hyunwoo were brought away to sign the contract.
The living room immediately became much quieter.
Jungkook sat on the chair with six bodyguards standing behind him.
Bye bye!