In front of the building entrance, the prosecution and Cheon Ha Group’s security team were in a confrontation.

Ha In stood firmly with clenched fists, trying to enter the Cheon Ha Group building.

Heavy raindrops fell with a ‘plop plop’ sound.

The prosecution staff each held a blue box in their hands, unable to use umbrellas in the situation.

After such a long confrontation, Ha In was already soaked to the bone by the rain.

In front, the Cheon Ha Group security team was blocking the way, and behind, the prosecution staff stood.

Those standing behind were clearly on the same side, but they all felt like a burden to Ha In.

Making the prosecution staff, who were shivering in the rain, wait any longer was regrettable, but if she backed down now, it was clear what kind of action the chief prosecutor would take.

Ha In clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, then opened them again, focusing on the situation.

“I can’t wait any longer. Step aside.”

Ha In spoke.

However, the Cheon Ha Group security team didn’t budge an inch.

As Ha In took a step forward, they blocked her with their bodies.

Their movements were like soldiers. Pushing through with force wasn’t going to resolve the situation.

At that moment, a gap opened and Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary showed himself. He bowed very politely to Ha In.

“Prosecutor Cheon Ha In, please stop this rude behavior and leave now.”

“Leave now.”

Ha In said calmly.

“Our legal department is reviewing the warrant.”

Ha In was so dumbfounded by the chief secretary’s nonsensical words that she couldn’t speak.

“Why is the Cheon Ha Group legal department reviewing a warrant that has already been issued? Leave now.”

“We are moving according to our own routine. Please leave.”

He spoke as if they had their own world.

“Step aside. If you continue to obstruct the prosecution’s entry, it will be considered obstruction of official duties.”

As Ha In took another step forward, the chief secretary placed his hand on her shoulder. Feeling displeased, Ha In turned her head to look at that hand.

When Ha In tried to remove the chief secretary’s hand, the security team approached in a threatening manner.

“Don’t touch her.”

Someone else said the words Ha In wanted to say. At that voice, the security team also stopped their actions and the hand resting on Ha In’s shoulder was withdrawn.

It was Je Guk.

Je Guk walked towards Ha In with big strides, and a secretary holding an umbrella followed him.

Seeing Je Guk, Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary hid the hand that had been on Ha In’s shoulder. However, he didn’t back down.

“Director…”

Je Guk stood in front of Ha In, completely ignoring Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary.

“There were instructions from the chairman to never back down.”

Je Guk completely ignored the chief secretary’s voice and took the umbrella from the attending secretary who had been holding it over him.

Then he approached Ha In, who was being rained on.

A large umbrella was placed over Ha In’s head, and the rain no longer poured down, but instead, Je Guk’s sharp gaze poured down.

Ha In couldn’t bring herself to lift her head and look at him. But she couldn’t lower her head either.

She had come this far as a prosecutor with a warrant, so she couldn’t show an attitude that wasn’t dignified.

“Director, the chairman has instructed that not a single person from the prosecution can set foot on Cheon Ha Group’s land.”

Je Guk didn’t listen to Lee Hoe Jang’s attending secretary’s words at all. He only focused on Ha In.

“What are you doing here?”

Je Guk asked Ha In.

He was really curious about what kind of great evidence she had come to get that she was standing here completely soaked in the rain.

Ha In couldn’t even make proper eye contact with Je Guk and only stared straight ahead. Even so, it was somewhere on his chest.

“I asked what you’re doing here.”

Those words rang clear in Ha In’s ears too. Even without looking, it was clear how angry he was.

Ha In lifted her head and looked at Je Guk. He looked angry but also had pitiful eyes.

“I came to search and seize the chairman’s office.”

Ha In’s voice trembled. Her body was also shaking slightly. She tried to console herself that it was because she was cold, not because Je Guk was scary.

“The reason, tell me the reason. Don’t tremble and speak properly.”

Only then could he let Ha In inside.

Je Guk wanted to quickly choose one of two options – make Ha In give up or let her in.

If they stayed like this, he was worried that Ha In’s body might get sick.

“I also need justification to open this door. For me, and for the prosecution.”

Ha In wanted to honestly tell Je Guk that she had been pushed by the chief prosecutor to come this far.

Thinking about how great his sense of betrayal must be, her solar plexus ached.

Nevertheless, she had to find the best attitude she could take here. She couldn’t be pushed back.

If she went in like this and brought back only the evidence the chief prosecutor had told her to bring, she could take responsibility for what came next within her own means.

Even if it was a realm Je Guk couldn’t understand, Ha In had no choice right now.

“Chairman Lee has expressed his intention to refuse to attend the investigation. He is not responding to requests to submit related documents. So I came directly to find evidence. The evidence is necessary for the investigation, so a search and seizure is inevitable.”

Je Guk listened to Ha In’s words without much rebuttal.

“I can no longer carelessly disclose any more information related to the case. Right now, this attitude of the Cheon Ha Group raises reasonable suspicion that there is something being hidden. Can I reflect this in the investigation?”

Ha In’s head was facing Je Guk, but she couldn’t look directly at him while saying harsh words, so she turned her gaze elsewhere.

And she held up the completely soaked warrant. Ha In’s breathing and hands were trembling as she tried to speak firmly.

In her mind, Ha In could differentiate between public and private matters, but in her heart, the line wasn’t drawn.

A brief silence passed.

Both the prosecution side and the Cheon Ha Group side were tense.

Could they get Ha In safely inside the building?

Seeing that Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary had personally come down, the chairman’s office wasn’t just throwing its weight around ordinarily.

Je Guk had a strong desire to take off his outer coat and drape it over Ha In’s shoulders right away, but there were many watching eyes.

There was no time to delay. Seeing her lips that had turned blue, he felt he had to do something quickly.

Ha In, who had been holding the warrant, remained frozen and shaking slightly.

“Open it.”

At Je Guk’s words, Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary strongly protested.

“Director, the chairman…!”

Je Guk gave a cold look towards Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary.

“I will take responsibility for any problems afterwards. Open it.”

Je Guk, who had been holding the umbrella, went and stood behind Ha In. Then the security personnel opened the way.

Lee Hoe Jang’s chief secretary stood there, pale-faced, unable to do anything.

“Go in.”

Je Guk said to Ha In in a low voice.

Only then did Ha In lower the hand holding the warrant and take a step.

With Je Guk guarding her back, no one dared to harm her.

Following Ha In and Je Guk, the prosecution staff rushed into the building. The prosecution staff scattered and began their search.

“I will guide you to the chairman’s office.”

Je Guk said to Ha In.

“No, alone…”

Je Guk closed his eyes tightly, holding back the many words that threatened to come out of his mouth. After taking a deep breath, he looked at Ha In.

“Follow me.”

Je Guk took the lead and Ha In quietly followed.

Silence flowed between the two people who got on the elevator.

Ha In stared straight ahead with a stiff expression.

Je Guk pressed the elevator stop button.

Time seemed to have stopped in the halted elevator as well.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t say anything to you right now.”

Ha In reproached herself for being so hateful and painful that she had no choice but to do this. Rather than making excuses to him, she didn’t want to say anything.

“Are you feeling refreshed facing me in this state like a wet mouse?”

Je Guk asked calmly, and Ha In stood there without a word. Again, the habit of pressing her lips tightly emerged.

“Ha, what did you come to get? I’ll bring it to you.”

Je Guk wanted to prevent the confrontation between Ha In and Chairman Lee. Ha In looked at Je Guk with a startled expression.

In a situation where she could barely contain her resentment at his sense of betrayal, she wondered what he was saying.

“Why are you helping me?”

“I said I would help you.”

At those words, Ha In choked up.

“Even in the midst of this?”

“What kind of midst is this, are you talking about the midst where you’re standing in the rain on this cold day?”

“I couldn’t keep my promise to you.”

“In the end, you will keep it. It’s just the process.”

Ha In almost collapsed at the endless trust he was sending her.

Right now, she hated herself so much that she was holding onto her sanity with the words that she had to separate public and private matters.

“Father will be furious. He will do terrible things to you. It’s as clear as day.”

Je Guk didn’t even want to imagine that situation. He wouldn’t leave Ha In alone after she barged into the chairman’s office.

“I came prepared for that much.”

Ha In knew very well that Chairman Lee would do that. If she was afraid of that, she wouldn’t have started in the first place.

The only thing Ha In was afraid of was Je Guk.

Until she had this conversation with him, she was so afraid that his heart would turn away.

“I was wrong. That resolution. So can’t you protect my last bit of pride? Ha In.”

It seemed like this was when the phrase ‘my heart feels heavy’ was used.

At his words, Ha In felt like she would burst into tears at any moment, so she bit her lip lightly and looked up at him.