The defense team held their breath and carefully observed Ha In’s reaction.

Je Ni tapped the desk with her finger joints and called out to Ha In.

“Hey, can you lift that travel ban or whatever it is? You said you’re a prosecutor, so give it a try.”

Je Ni asked innocently. There was only one reason her rude attitude wasn’t unpleasant.

“It seems there is a flight risk,” Ha In said, not answering Je Ni’s question but instead giving a warning.

“No, that’s not the case. Our client needs to receive further treatment at the hospital,” the defense lawyer strongly denied Je Ni’s words and showed a humble attitude.

The defense team was flustered by Je Ni’s thoughtless behavior.

If they apologized again, Je Ni would flip out, so the defense team fidgeted like people sitting on a bed of nails.

“What are you talking about? I can’t stand the smell of hospitals anymore.”

Ha In let Je Ni keep rambling on.

“When I get out of here, I’m going back to where I used to live. I came here because they said they were kicking out my elder brother, but what is this?”

Ha In frowned unknowingly at the words that brushed past her ears.

She disliked people who did their best to take advantage of others’ misfortunes, but it was unforgivable that the target was Je Guk.

“We’ll end the investigation here for today.”

Je Ni acted like a child on a picnic. Having confirmed her condition, Ha In stopped wasting energy there.

At those words, Je Ni’s face flushed with excitement.

“There seems to be a flight risk. And due to mental weakness, there is a risk of recidivism. We will request an arrest warrant and conduct further investigation.”

Not understanding what that meant, Je Ni was happy thinking it was over. The defense team turned pale.

The defense team knew very well what kind of prosecutor Ha In was. When she requested an arrest warrant, there was little chance Je Ni wouldn’t be detained.

“Ah, Prosecutor.”

The defense lawyer tried to say something to Ha In, but she didn’t listen and stood up from her seat.

“Young lady, show some sign of remorse quickly. If you undergo a custodial investigation, you won’t be able to stay in the hospital. You’ll have to stay in a detention center.”

“What? Remorse? What remorse do I have? After putting me through this ordeal, now what?”

Je Ni was the type of person who prioritized her own feelings in any situation.

“The prosecutor just told you a moment ago.”

The defense team didn’t know where to begin explaining and just fidgeted their feet.

“Hey, you have to at least explain what you’re going to do to me before leaving!”

Je Ni said to Ha In. Ha In, who was about to walk away, looked at Je Ni with a cold, disgusted expression.

Je Ni, meeting Ha In’s eyes, flinched and looked at her. Scrutinizing Ha In, Je Ni narrowed her eyes and tried to recall her memory.

“I’ve seen those unpleasant eyes somewhere before,” Je Ni muttered in a small voice, tilting her head. Then she looked at the prosecutor’s badge hanging from Ha In’s neck.

“Cheon Ha In.”

Saying that, Je Ni raised her eyes toward Ha In.

Ha In stared straight at Je Ni’s eyes without avoiding them. She was disappointed that Je Ni only recognized her now.

“Why are you here… Mother would never…”

Je Ni covered her mouth with both hands.

Mental weakness? She recognizes people well. But Je Ni had to appear mentally weak.

“Since you’re mentally weak to the point of not recognizing people, please leave now and I’ll see you soon in court.”

Je Ni’s eyes, which had been fixed on Ha In, became blank.

“Lawyer, who is she?”

“Young lady…”

The lawyer seemed to have given up on Je Ni.

Ha In gave Je Ni a brief once-over and left the place.

Within 48 hours, as Ha In had said, Je Ni was arrested.

* * *

The fact that Je Ni, who wasn’t even a close aide to Baek Hap Hyun, was arrested was a huge issue for Cheonha Group. It was also a big burden for Chairman Lee.

The company was abuzz with talk of legal risks.

There were gloomy speculations that not only Baek Hap Hyun but also Chairman Lee would eventually be arrested if they continued to resist.

Unable to watch any longer, Je Guk went to visit Chairman Lee, who had been hospitalized to use his illness as an excuse.

Since he was said to be in the hospital room only when needed, it was unclear if he would be able to meet him even if he went.

Given the timing, Chairman Lee was stuck in the hospital room.

Seeing Je Guk, Chairman Lee showed a indifferent mood.

“Why, did you come to see how pathetic I look? Go back immediately.”

Je Guk sighed inwardly, wondering if he really came for that.

“Please attend the prosecution and cooperate with the investigation.”

That’s what he came to say.

“What? What?! You came to see your sick father and that’s all you have to say?!”

Chairman Lee, who had been fine until then, grabbed the back of his neck and was on the verge of collapsing.

Je Guk kept his eyes open, putting strength on his forehead so as not to lose his composure.

“The company is being shaken by legal risks right now. Is it that hard for you, as the chairman, to step up and resolve the issue?”

“You think I’m doing this just to save myself? You think a corporate head can solve everything by bowing his head to the prosecutors without any pride?!”

Chairman Lee cared about his pride.

“The executives and major shareholders think it’s necessary for you to attend and make essential statements to put out the urgent fire.”

The executives and major shareholders had been saying day after day that Chairman Lee should step down, but Je Guk wanted to give him a chance to resign in a chairman-like manner.

“You seem to have seriously misunderstood something from the last vote. Cheonha has been with me longer than with you. From my grandfather’s time until now, the things I’ve done to protect this company…”

What Chairman Lee said wasn’t wrong.

Je Guk also knew how much Chairman Lee had worked to the bone to take over Cheonha Group and to make it to the top of the world.

That’s why he didn’t push him out right away and gave him several chances.

“If you love Cheonha Group that much, do what you can to prevent it from being ruined further. This is probably Cheonha Group’s last chance for you, Chairman.”

“Last… last chance?”

Chairman Lee spoke as if in disbelief.

“If you don’t attend, I will attend instead. And I will directly hand over the audit data I showed you before to the prosecution.”

That data was already in Ha In’s hands, but Je Guk lied to make Chairman Lee respond to the summons investigation.

“What?”

“I care more about our Cheonha Group than my pride. I hope you will make a prudent decision as well, Chairman.”

Having said what he wanted to say, Je Guk turned around coldly.

It wasn’t a threat, but a genuine last chance for Chairman Lee.

* * *

“Senior, aren’t you going to have dinner?”

At Gang Jun’s voice, Ha In raised her head. Come to think of it, it was already this late.

She was about to say it was time for dinner, but hesitated. It seemed only right to treat Gang Jun, who had worked hard, to a meal.

“Shall we have dinner? What would you like to eat?”

At Ha In’s words, a look of surprise appeared on Gang Jun’s face. It would be as strange as the sun rising from the west.

“There’s a gomtang (beef bone soup) place in front. My dream in my prosecution life was to go there with you, Senior.”

Everything was a dream for him. Ha In keenly felt how harshly she had treated Gang Jun without giving him any attention.

“Let’s go.”

Sitting in the gomtang restaurant in front of the prosecutors’ office as Gang Jun had dreamed, Ha In felt very awkward having a meal with him.

“Order more if you want.”

“No, just one bowl of gomtang and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). Like when you eat with other seniors.”

She felt even more sorry for never having had a proper warm meal with a junior from the same office.

“Why, aren’t you eating?”

Gang Jun asked Ha In.

“Oh, I should eat.”

Ha In picked up her spoon.

Gang Jun watched Ha In’s reaction and forced himself to eat so that she wouldn’t be unable to eat properly.

“Senior, you were like this even as a law student. Why do you work so hard? Don’t you get tired?”

Gang Jun seemed to remember Ha In’s days as a law student, which even Ha In couldn’t recall.

“Well, this is a job that can turn someone’s fate around. I can’t do it half-heartedly, can I?”

That’s how she answered, but inside, Ha In had a different answer.

She thought of every trial as her own.

She recalled the injustice of losing her mother. Thinking that way, there was no victim she could overlook.

“So that’s why you always win.”

“No, that’s not it. If you only indict the real perpetrators, you have no choice but to win. That’s not skill, it’s principle.”

“Oh…”

It wasn’t a big deal, but Gang Jun looked at Ha In with admiration. Ha In turned her head, feeling embarrassed by such attention, and drank water.

Just then, Ha In’s cell phone vibrated.

“Seems like you have a call.”

Ha In checked her phone. It was a call from Je Guk.

“I don’t mind, so please answer it.”

Even if he told her to answer, she couldn’t. The idea of talking to Je Guk in front of Gang Jun was something she had never even imagined.

“No, it’s not an urgent call.”

Saying that, she couldn’t let go of her phone. Every time the vibration rang with a “zing,” Ha In felt like her heart was sinking.

Soon, the vibration subsided.

Ha In was eager to reply to Je Guk right away, her heart pounding.

− The economic world is greatly interested in how far the repercussions of Cheonha Group’s legal risks will extend.

At the anchor’s comment flowing from the TV, Gang Jun’s gaze turned to where the sound was coming from.

“By the way, Senior, do you think Chairman Lee will attend? Chairman Lee’s position must be greatly shaken now as well.”

“We’re wrestling with Je Ni to make him attend.”

Gang Jun nodded. Then he shook his head vigorously.

“I understand why you said Je Ni is Hyun Baek Hap’s Achilles’ heel.”

Utterly fed up with Je Ni, Gang Jun shuddered and shrugged his shoulders. Then he looked at Ha In.

“But Senior, how did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That Je Ni was that kind of person. You’re not someone who acts based solely on stock market rumors.”

At Gang Jun’s question, Ha In flinched.