“If this is how it’s going to be.”

Ha In swallowed the welling emotions, feeling like tears would fall at any moment.

“Why did you let them in?”

It wasn’t a reproach. She was truly curious as to why Je Guk allowed her entry.

From Cheonha Group’s perspective, this seizure and search must be a humiliating situation.

And it would be more than enough for Je Guk to face a barrage of criticism for opening the doors to the prosecutors.

“We can just say that a prestigious family cooperated with the prosecutors’ seizure and search.”

Je Guk looked at Ha In with a pitiful expression.

“But I absolutely cannot allow the pride of the person I love to be hurt.”

Ha In looked at him with eyes that seemed like they would burst into tears at any moment.

“I can’t comfort you if you cry here. I mean it.”

Je Guk told her not to cry because he couldn’t hug or hold her inside the Cheonha Group building’s elevator.

Worried that Ha In might burst into tears if he delayed any longer, he pressed the elevator operation button again.

The elevator stopped at the floor with the chairman’s office. And the doors opened.

Je Guk exited the elevator first. Ha In hesitated for a moment before following him.

It was obvious she wouldn’t even be able to enter the chairman’s office. The area in front of the chairman’s office would be tougher than entering this building.

“The chairman’s office is just around the corner of this hallway. From here on, I think I’ll want to stop you rather than the security team.”

Je Guk hoped Ha In would quickly say what she needed.

Although he brought her this far as she wished, it was clear that even if she entered, she wouldn’t be able to take anything out due to the security team’s obstruction.

“Hurry up and tell me.”

“I need Chairman Lee’s official seal and handwritten signature.”

At those words, Je Guk stopped walking. Ha In also faltered to a stop.

Is it because it’s a difficult item to provide?

Ha In was inwardly anxious. She felt so sorry to Je Guk, but she had to bring it back as the chief prosecutor ordered.

“See, I told you to say it quickly.”

Je Guk turned in a different direction and headed elsewhere. Ha In followed the path he took, wondering where Je Guk was going.

Je Guk stopped in the middle of the long hallway and faced the wall. Ha In’s gaze also extended to where he was looking.

On the wall hung photos of Cheonha Group’s successive chairmen, their handwritten names, signatures, and seals stamped on commemorative items.

“Will this do?”

Ha In stared at the commemorative items, holding her breath.

The evidence she needed to bring was hanging right there. Evidence that Chairman Lee could not deny as his own.

Ha In raised her heels and reached out towards the evidence. Her hand fell short by about a span. Je Guk reached out his long arm and took down the hanging commemorative item.

Ha In, who had become solemn, looked at what he handed over and became dazed.

“Hurry and take it. Since the job is done, let’s call it an early day today.”

Ha In took the evidence, feeling so grateful that she didn’t know what to do with herself.

“It’s cold.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Je Guk took out a handkerchief and wiped the rainwater flowing down Ha In’s forehead.

“Don’t you dare catch a cold, okay?”

Ha In felt like she wouldn’t be able to endure these surging emotions if she stayed here any longer.

“I’ll get going now. It would look strange to see off the prosecutor who came for a summons investigation, wouldn’t it? I’ll go alone. Really.”

Je Guk’s heart also felt uneasy seeing Ha In turn around and leave like that. He let out a deep sigh, his heart aching.

* * *

Gang Jun, who was preparing for Lee Je Ni’s summons investigation in the office, jumped up from his seat when he saw Ha In return.

“Sunbae, what is this?”

The look of surprise was evident on Gang Jun’s face.

Ha In weakly held out the evidence to Gang Jun.

“It’s Chairman Lee’s handwriting. Have it examined by a handwriting expert.”

Ha In spoke lifelessly, all energy drained from her.

Gang Jun took the evidence from Ha In and looked out the window. It was weather where it wouldn’t be strange for the rain to turn into snow at any moment.

Even without Ha In explaining the situation in detail, he could guess what kind of situation it had been.

“Did you really bring this back?”

Before Ha In set out for the seizure and search, Gang Jun had said that the chief prosecutor’s instructions were excessive.

But contrary to such worries, Ha In brought back the evidence. Gang Jun couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Sunbae, you must have had a really hard time. I should have gone out instead. But then again, if I had gone, I probably wouldn’t have been able to bring back the necessary evidence.”

That was something Ha In didn’t want. Pushing a junior to handle a task that came with risks and responsibilities was too cowardly.

“No, I’m the one who received the orders from the chief prosecutor.”

Gang Jun looked at Ha In, who was completely soaked, with a troubled expression.

“What should we do about this?”

Ha In also had no solution. She considered stopping by home but the timing was awkward.

Just then, a prosecution office employee knocked and entered.

“Prosecutor, a delivery has arrived.”

Ha In opened the shopping bag the employee had left. Inside the shopping bag were new clothes. It seemed Je Guk had sent them.

“As expected, you’re thorough, Sunbae. That’s a relief.”

Thorough? No, Ha In was someone who couldn’t even take care of herself apart from work. The thorough and perfect one was Je Guk.

Thanks to Je Guk, Ha In changed into fresh clothes. As 6 o’clock approached, she was conflicted.

Should she go early and wait for Je Guk, or go very late to avoid him?

But no matter how late she went, Je Guk would wait for Ha In without falling asleep, so it seemed right to go early and wait.

Although she chose the wise method with her head, she couldn’t muster up the courage.

She had no face to show Je Guk.

“Achoo!”

At the sound of the sneeze, Gang Jun glanced at Ha In.

“Sunbae, I noticed earlier that the team that went out for the seizure all left work. You should hurry and go too. Your cheeks are flushed red, I think you have a fever.”

Ha In left work without adding any objections to Gang Jun’s words.

The rain was truly tiresome.

Even in the gaps between the frantically rotating wipers, the worry about Je Guk remained.

The closer she got to the village, the more her vision darkened about how to face him.

It was a day she really hated herself for not being able to gloss over or fawn when she did something wrong.

When Ha In arrived home, the lights were on in the penthouse.

He’s already here?

Her steps slowed down involuntarily. Before she knew it, she was watching his mood. Ha In walked in the drizzling rain.

“Achoo!”

She caught the cold she was told not to catch.

Today, the chief prosecutor exclaimed with delight that the seizure and search was successful, but for Ha In, it was an unprecedentedly painful day in her life as a prosecutor.

When she entered the house, the fragrant scent of wine was vibrating.

Even if he had just opened the wine a little while ago, the aroma couldn’t be this strong.

“You’re here?”

Je Guk was holding two glasses in his hands. They were wine glasses.

“I wanted to drink wine and have something warm too.”

Ha In faltered and looked at him. He seemed to have no intention of mentioning the seizure and search.

“Achoo!”

Ha In turned her head to sneeze and looked at him again. He showed a upset expression, biting his lower lip and glaring at Ha In with scary eyes.

Je Guk placed the glasses he was holding on a shelf and placed his hand on Ha In’s forehead.

“You have a fever. Let’s go to the hospital.”

“It’s not that serious. I can just take cold medicine and sleep.”

Ha In shook her head, saying she was fine.

Je Guk had an expression that showed he had a lot to say but wouldn’t.

“Sigh…”

Je Guk let out a deep sigh and picked up the wine glass. He didn’t want to nitpick about Ha In conducting a seizure and search against Cheonha Group.

His judgment remained the same – the prosecution should do what the prosecution needs to do, and he should do what he needs to do.

He just wished Ha In wouldn’t get sick, but she caught a cold.

“It’s upsetting.”

Ha In bowed her head deeply, feeling sorry towards him.

If she had a conscience, she should have accepted whatever he said today.

“Why are you doing that?”

“I feel so apologetic to you, Director.”

“It was an official duty. You must have had a reason to do so.”

At those words, Ha In felt sorry once again. She regretted treating Je Guk so cruelly.

Ha In became serious in an instant. The self-reproach didn’t end easily.

“Just say it. Ask me if I had to conduct a seizure and search without prior agreement. Express your resentment, asking how I could do this. If you feel betrayed, say you feel betrayed. Get angry like that.”

Only then did Ha In think she could lessen her guilt a little.

“Cheon Ha In, let’s separate public and private matters.”

Je Guk, who was really angry at Ha In’s words, took a step closer to Ha In. And he looked at her with a stiff face.

He almost wore his signature cold expression.

Je Guk’s hand rose and Ha In shrank back without realizing it.

It was because of a very old trauma. Memories of being abused at the Cheonha Group mansion in childhood remained in a corner of her heart.

Even though she knew Je Guk would never do that to her, her pupils trembled unconsciously at the sight of that hand.

Absurd and terrible imaginations stirred Ha In’s mind.

His hand moved towards Ha In’s head. Ha In wanted to close her eyes out of fear.

Even though she knew he wasn’t that kind of person, Ha In was captivated by past memories and struggled.

But she tried her best not to reveal her rock-bottom self-esteem.

“Ha In-ah.”

With that hand, he didn’t slap Ha In’s cheek or push her body, but brushed her hair back.

“Right now, I want to love you, not talk about work.”

At those words, Ha In crumbled.

Ha In plopped down on the floor, feeling like tears would pour out.

But perhaps because she was too tense, tears didn’t come and only choking emotions struck her chest.

“Ha…”

Ha In let out a sorrowful breath. Again, no tears came.

The deep wound in her heart, which she thought had healed a lot after meeting Je Guk, still remained.