"And so? Inmos gave a verbal promise that they'd support the memory we produce?"

"Yes."

"A verbal one is no use at all."

Sang-jong Lee came at him with fire in his eyes, out to run down the result achieved in Morocco.

"Father. You know that when businessmen say they'll think about something positively, it usually means they won't do it."

"Well, that's true enough."

Mun-jong Lee lent his weight to Sang-jong Lee's words.

At the sight of her brothers taking turns trying to run Seong-ho Kim's achievement down, Gyeong-eun Lee could bear it no longer and stepped in.

"Really. Why are you two so desperate to belittle what my husband has done? He said they promised. And the CEO of Inmos promised it himself — so why can't you believe it?"

"Little sister."

This time it was Min-yeong Oh who stepped in on behalf of her husband, Sang-jong Lee.

"Your brothers aren't trying to belittle it — they're saying it in the spirit of tapping the stone bridge before you cross. Isn't it you who's taking it too much to heart?"

"How is this taking it to heart? It's my brothers who are being emotional."

Gyeong-eun Lee's voice grew steadily louder.

"He went all the way to Morocco, he met the Inmos CEO in the end, he came away with a promise — and not one word of well done, only running it down as nothing much. Isn't that being emotional? And I'm the one reacting emotionally?"

At the sight of Gyeong-eun Lee, as indignant and aggrieved as if it had been done to her, those present could say nothing for a moment.

"Do you think your brother does this for want of anything better to do?"

When everyone had gone quiet, Suk-ja Chu opened her mouth.

"I don't work outside the house so I don't know it exactly, but I do know the saying that a businessman's promise mustn't be trusted."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're in business yourself, so you'd know it well, wouldn't you? Who ever lives keeping every promise they make?"

"Mom!"

With…