The Empire's Servant - Chapter 38

Han Yeoul cried on Lee Je Guk’s shoulder for a long time until she collapsed exhausted.

She felt light enough for Je Guk to easily lift without much strength.

“Are you okay?”

Yeoul weakly nodded her head on Je Guk’s shoulder.

Je Guk held Yeoul tightly. He wanted her to lay down the burden she carried in her heart into his embrace.

Her sobs gradually subsided. Yeoul fell asleep with her head on Je Guk’s shoulder. He patted her back.

“Ha, you’re so skinny.”

Je Guk sighed in distress.

He laid Yeoul comfortably on the bed and gently brushed her hair. Her face was swollen.

He had heard that childhood wounds last a lifetime.

It was no wonder, considering the deep resentment she had lived with all her life for the sake of revenge.

Je Guk prided himself on knowing Yeoul well. It was too arrogant an assumption.

He felt a sense of responsibility to take care of Yeoul more attentively from now on.

Je Guk turned on his phone which he had turned off to focus on Yeoul.

So many calls had come, not just from the company but from outside as well.

It was probably because the news had spread that Je Guk had retained his directorship.

While Yeoul was asleep, Je Guk briefly left the hospital room. He took care of the urgent matters he had put off all day. Especially with the legal department, he needed to discuss future plans.

But for some reason, he couldn’t reach the head of legal.

Je Guk had a bad feeling.

He was worried that something might have happened to the legal head.

Je Guk checked the contact from the secretary’s office.

– Director, leaving a message in your absence. The chairman assaulted the head of legal and he’s being treated at the hospital.

It was dizzying. That terrible habit of violence seemed impossible to fix in a lifetime.

Even the legal head was hospitalized, what on earth was this situation?

Je Guk quickly called the secretary.

“Yes, I couldn’t answer because it was hectic. How badly is the head of legal injured?”

– The chairman wielded a nameplate and he bled from the head.

“Hah…”

What kind of day was it really today?

It was a big deal that people who make a living with their heads got injured on the head.

– He said he was okay, but we persuaded him and moved him to the hospital.

“You did well. Which hospital is the head of legal being treated at now?”

– We guided him to Sunhwa Medical Foundation.

Should this be considered fortunate? At least it was a location Je Guk could take care of without burden.

It was uncomfortable to leave the sick Yeoul and go somewhere far.

“Yes, I’ll go. You’ve worked hard.”

Je Guk hung up, checked Yeoul’s condition one more time, and headed to the desk.

“If the patient wakes up, please contact me right away. If she looks for me, tell her I didn’t go far and went out front.”

He left instructions in case Yeoul woke up and was startled to see no one by her side, then headed to the head of legal.

* * *

Hyun Baek Hap rushed straight up to the chairman’s office and cried to Chairman Lee.

Who knows how hard she had bribed the directors and shareholders? She couldn’t believe how this result could come out.

“Could the voting results be wrong?”

Baek Hap raised all kinds of conspiracy theories, denying the results.

“Again. Do it again. Vote again.”

Baek Hap, upset that things didn’t go her way, insisted stubbornly.

“For now, let’s wait and see.”

Chairman Lee was just as resentful. But he knew his position was precarious as Je Guk retained the CEO position.

“Will Je Guk leave me and the chairman alone? Our Je Ni will!”

That was what worried Chairman Lee too.

Since Je Guk had defended his directorship, even Chairman Lee now had to be wary of him. But his pride wouldn’t allow him to show it.

“Why should I be wary of that!”

Despite Chairman Lee’s shout, Baek Hap was inwardly anxious.

“Chairman, I don’t have to appear at the prosecution, right?”

Baek Hap was worried about not being able to push Je Guk out, but in fact, appearing at the prosecution was the biggest burning issue.

If she showed a gap, there was no telling how far they would dig in, so she wanted to cut it off completely.

Chairman Lee just frowned without saying anything.

Until now, whatever Baek Hap wanted was granted if Chairman Lee said so. Baek Hap thought it would be the same this time too.

But for Chairman Lee to agonize this much, Baek Hap pressured him with a look that wanted an answer.

“Look for a lawyer too. The biggest law firm.”

“What?”

Baek Hap asked back, not understanding what Chairman Lee was saying right now.

She didn’t understand why he was telling her to appoint a law firm when there was a legal department.

“The legal department says they’re taking their hands off your case now. So find a law firm. I’ll pay for it no matter how much it costs.”

He said he would pay for the lawyer fees because he felt sorry for Baek Hap. But Baek Hap didn’t want to accept it.

She wanted to deny all reality and do as she pleased.

“This is wrong, terribly wrong. This vote, someone must have played a prank. If we do it again, Je Guk will be dismissed.”

Baek Hap threw a tantrum, but that was something even Chairman Lee, no matter how much a chairman, couldn’t do anything about. Chairman Lee closed his eyes tight, his head throbbing.

“Honey!”

Baek Hap clung to Chairman Lee’s arm and spoke.

“Tsk! Talk sense!”

Chairman Lee yelled at Baek Hap. He was just as perplexed by the voting results, but with Baek Hap acting like this too, it gave him a headache.

Baek Hap was greatly startled by the sound of Chairman Lee’s yelling.

He was someone who said he would pluck a star from the sky if Baek Hap said so. But to yell over this little thing, Baek Hap felt so hurt.

“Chairman…”

Baek Hap shed chicken poop-like tears. Then she turned around and left the chairman’s office.

* * *

Je Guk headed to the emergency room of Sunhwa Medical Foundation where the head of legal was being treated.

When the head of legal saw Je Guk and tried to get up from his seat, Je Guk gestured for him to just sit.

“Director, you must be so busy, but you came all the way here.”

The head of legal had a large band-aid on his forehead.

Je Guk was at a loss for words, feeling wretched. He felt so sorry that innocent people were suffering because of him.

“Are you alright?”

Je Guk asked about the head of legal’s well-being. He didn’t look okay even just by looking.

“Ah, I’m fine. I got a little hurt.”

He had only followed Je Guk’s orders. Je Guk was so sorry to the head of legal that he didn’t know what to do.

“Press charges. For assault.”

Je Guk wasn’t joking, but the head of legal just showed a generous smile. Je Guk sighed involuntarily.

For the time being, Chairman Lee’s wrath would continue. He couldn’t keep guarding the head of legal’s side all the time, and he couldn’t think of a good solution.

“I’m sorry. I should have finished it up there before I left.”

“It’s really okay.”

The head of legal showed an unconcerned attitude, saying it was fine. Je Guk felt sorry and grateful to him.

The fact that the head of legal’s head was cracked also meant that he had stood firm against Chairman Lee’s pressure.

“If your treatment is all done, move to a single room. Rest for a while. It’s the CEO’s discretion.”

Je Guk wanted to protect the head of legal even if it was like that. But the head of legal also knew the situation was unfavorable.

“No, Director. I really appreciate your words, but I can’t afford to rest now. And I’m really okay.”

As expected, the head of legal declined Je Guk’s proposal.

Even if the Baek Hap case was lessened, there were piles of work for the head of legal to do to defend Cheonha Group’s legal risks.

Moreover, the prosecution could demand Chairman Lee’s appearance in the future, so he couldn’t rest.

“Then, work from the hospital room for a while. If you go to the company now, you’ll only be nagged by the chairman’s office.”

It was clear that Chairman Lee and Baek Hap would try their best not to give up the legal department’s legal assistance.

They also knew that no law firm had lawyers as capable as Cheonha Group’s legal department defense team.

Je Guk judged that it would be better for the head of legal to avoid Chairman Lee’s eyes, even if only for a while.

“I’m sorry, but please hold on.”

Once Chairman Lee knew that the head of legal was on the same side as Je Guk, his hardship was inevitable.

“Do that. I’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with your work.”

At Je Guk’s earnest request, the head of legal agreed.

Just then, the head of legal’s cell phone vibrated.

“Hurry and get it.”

The head of legal answered the phone. As the situation was urgent, it was an urgent call as expected.

Thanks to Je Guk being right next to him, he could receive real-time reports.

“It’s a request to transfer the Baek Hap case to an outside law firm.”

Je Guk nodded.

“Cooperate. But slowly. I’d like you to deliver it after about a week.”

He threw a distance for Baek Hap’s defense team to buy time because he wanted to give Yeoul some time to rest.

“Yes, I understand.”

“I don’t know how far Baek Hap will go.”

Je Guk spoke with a face full of worry.

Baek Hap was the kind of person who could readily tell stories that harm Cheonha Group in order to save herself.

The head of legal was also worried about that.

Still, if the case only progressed when Baek Hap appeared, it was best to thoroughly deploy a defensive line while proceeding with the work.

And if that was feared, they shouldn’t have done anything in the first place.

It was the same as hoping not a single drop of blood would spill while removing a cancerous lump.

It wasn’t the time to fear bleeding, but to consider how to minimize it.

“Distinguish it accurately. Any data coming out of Cheonha Group, all responsibility should point to Baek Hap.”