A Forest flowing with Milk and Honey - Chapter 8.6

So August began.

Tao and Woorim’s mobile phones rang almost simultaneously at dawn that day.

Chairman Paik’s condition was deteriorating rapidly. His improvement was slow and his deterioration was rapid. The years were taking their toll.

After about a week, Chairman Paik found it difficult to speak and the hospital told him to prepare.

Chairman Paik had his affairs in order. If there was one thing that was left for him, it was the forest. He felt bad that his sinful blood had caused him to see so many bad things.

But now he felt: I can leave without regrets. Chairman Baek smiled pleasantly as he looked at the glittering rings on Wulin’s and Tao’s hands.
“Don’t be sad. The passage of time is only natural…”

For Chairman Baek, who had seen all his children pass away, Urim was like the last ray of sunshine. Since her birth, he had made a conscious effort to change his ways and focus on doing more good. Whether it was karma or fate, at least he had his granddaughter to see him off in his final moments.

“Grandfather…”

Urim came to the hospital with swollen eyes but forced a smile, not wanting to add to Baek’s burden.

Even as he endured unbearable pain, Chairman Baek’s final words were spoken with clear, focused eyes.

“Urim, live happily. Do what you want, enjoy your life, and stay healthy… This is my last request.”

His cracked lips curved into a smile as he carefully articulated each word.

‘Even after I’m gone… no, even when I’m gone… take good care of our Urim… that’s my final wish.’

Taeo recalled the words Baek had left him, framed as a dying request. Baek had always been a selfish man, but surprisingly, Taeo didn’t resent him for it.

Baek’s gaze shifted to Taeo, as if he understood Taeo’s thoughts. They locked eyes in silence. In the quiet hospital room, only the sound of Urim suppressing her tears could be heard.
Three days after leaving his final words to Urim, Chairman Baek passed away peacefully, with a calm expression on his face.

Chairman Baek’s will was soon revealed.

With Urim being his only remaining blood relative, the will of the powerful chairman was surprisingly straightforward.

Despite being his direct heir, Urim was left with only half of what she was legally entitled to. Even that sum amounted to over a trillion won, consisting mostly of high-value art and real estate, along with some shares in Baek Construction.

However, the majority of Baek’s fortune went to someone else.

It was Taeo, the executive director and acting chairman of Baek Construction.

“That crazy old man…”

Taeo had inherited the bulk of Baek’s shares in the company. Compared to the art and real estate Urim could easily sell if needed, Taeo’s inheritance was far more complex. With the responsibility to defend the company’s stock value, selling the shares wasn’t a simple option.

Taeo sorted out Urim’s inherited assets and beautifully donated her portion of the inheritance tax to society, solving the issue immediately. However, he couldn’t handle his own inheritance tax so easily.

Taeo had no choice but to use the installment payment system, meaning he had five more payments to go, which would drain him over time.
In order to pay the first year’s inheritance tax, Taeo had to rack his brain to the point where it felt like it would split open. He sold off all the liquid assets and real estate he had accumulated through investments. With the exception of the stocks, he was practically broke.

Chairman Baek had foreseen all of this, leaving Urim only the bare minimum inheritance while shifting all the troublesome matters onto Taeo.
Despite the swelling of his wealth, Taeo felt like he had become a debtor, and the irony of it was bitter.

Beyond these financial challenges, Taeo had to run around frantically to secure the support of the company executives who had been close to Chairman Baek. While they had followed Baek’s orders without question, many were dissatisfied with Taeo, given his young age and weak bloodline connection. Taeo was extremely busy, with countless tasks to handle and endless things that grated on his nerves. Still, he made an effort to look after Urim, worried she might fall into a deep depression after losing her grandfather.
To his surprise, Urim handled her grandfather’s passing well. She had had ample time to prepare herself emotionally, and she took to heart her grandfather’s final wish for her to live happily. Most importantly, knowing that Taeo would always be by her side gave her the peace of mind she needed.

Urim didn’t pressure Taeo, despite his busy schedule. She stayed calm, preparing to return to school the following semester and working on her graduation project, keeping herself occupied. The intense summer heat had subsided, and autumn had arrived.

That day, Taeo managed to leave work early for a change. He hurriedly checked his watch repeatedly, quickening his pace. He could barely hold back his frustration with an executive who tried to hold him up with urgent matters. Loosening his tie, he started the car and headed off.

20XX Korea University Dance Major Graduation Performance
Date: November 21, 20XX (Friday), 6:00 PM
Venue: Grand Art Hall, Building 307, Korea University

Luckily, he wasn’t late. Although he didn’t get the chance to encourage Urim before the performance, he was relieved to be there to see her dance in person. After the 16th performance, Urim’s name appeared in large letters on the screen.

17. White Rainforest (Contemporary Dance)
Title: Volente deo!

A stage in darkness. Woo-rim appeared with a single pin light, wearing a sleeveless top and sheer tulle skirt. The jewels in the top sparkled with her energetic choreography. The transparent tulle clung to her as if soaked with water as she danced.

Mum, she looks like an angel!

‘Yerin, shhh!

The ignorant child compared Wulin to an angel. Tao disagreed, not in that noble way, but in a more…. Tao gritted his teeth. He wondered who had dressed her in such pure white.

Ah, ah, ah, ah……!

Several needle lights descended with a breathless soprano finesse. Like sunlight on the leaves of a dense forest, the rainforest rose like a blossoming tree under the softly scattered lights. Like a forest nymph, she bounced across the stage with plump steps.

As time passed, the brightly lit stage darkened and the movements became lyrical. Tao bit his lip as he watched his son-in-law, his body trembling like a wounded bird. He crossed his legs and drummed his fingers on the armrests. His burning eyes were fierce, as if he could drag Wulin off the stage at any moment.

He had to be a very tough son of a bitch. Otherwise, there was no way he could have imagined such a beautiful figure and thought of such lowly trash.

In his mind, Tao had already torn the hem of that heavenly robe. In desperation, he bound her trembling hands. He buried his face deep between her legs, which he had spread wide. I pressed my nose to the hole, which was thick with a light sweaty scent, and inhaled deeply.

I’ll fuck her in front of all those fucking bastards watching in admiration, and I’ll fuck her hard as I crush her in shame, and I’ll come so hard that her clear skin is soaked with my cum, and then I’ll drag her off the stage, covered in my scent.

“Thank you.”

As Woo-rim walked off the stage, she spotted Tae-oh with a big smile on her face.
Tae-oh grabbed the large bouquet of flowers he’d set aside and chased Woo-rim off the stage.
Tae-oh!

Woo-rim called Tae-oh at will. Tao scoffed at the guilt-inducing title.

“How was it?”

Woorim smiled innocently, her skirt fluttering. Tae-oh bought a moment by offering her a bunch of flowers. He couldn’t say what he had imagined earlier.

“……Good work, I could only see you. I forgot about the stage earlier.”

I wasn’t interested, so I didn’t really look.
Woorim laughed shyly as she wrapped the large bouquet around her. Her petite frame was buried in the bouquet. Woorim realized how hard Tao was trying to say something sweet, even though he wasn’t much of a wordsmith. Woorim took Tao’s hand and said.

When I saw you sitting in the audience, I was so nervous. I think I was better in rehearsal. I was so eager to have a good look.

This doesn’t mean that Woorim didn’t make mistakes. He may have been a little nervous, but he was really enjoying himself.

She and Tae-oh entered the dressing room. Woo-rim whirled around and approached Tae-oh. Tae-oh stared at the silhouette of her long legs and the swish of her skirt. A ring he’d never seen before glittered on her finger.

‘Will you marry me?’

Urim said as he opened a small red box. It was a unique pair. It matched his own.

“Yes.”

The answer came easily. Tao said again. He took out the ring.

“Let’s get married, Urim.”

Woorim’s eyes widened at the cool answer, and he smiled from the corner of his eye. She took the ring from Tao’s hand and slipped it on his finger.

“This is an engagement ring. I’m still thinking about the wedding ring.”

Three rings. Tao smirked, finding Woorim’s silliness funny and cute.

Tao took over Woorim’s luggage. Woo-rim, bundled up in a thick robe and clutching a bouquet of lovely colors, crossed the hall, arm in arm with him.

“Heh! hello!”

“Woorim, is that your boyfriend?”

People from her class in the corridor expressed interest. It wasn’t something she would normally do, but she smiled and bragged.

“Ex-boyfriend, current fiancé? I just proposed to him.”

Tao played the gentle lover until they walked out of the school to Woorim’s tune.

It wasn’t until they arrived at their penthouse under the cover of night that he showed his true colors, stripping her down to her underwear, leaving her beautifully dressed.

“I was going to nail you right there on stage, but you held it together. Who told you to pick this shit to wear?”

“Ha ha, okay…… ha ha, ha ha!”

‘Now I’m going to wrap you up so you can walk down the aisle with a full belly.’

After pouring his desire into Woorim’s throbbing womb several times, he hugged her tightly and fell asleep.