Chairman Lee said he would attend the investigation summons, but then got angry and fell ill.

It was something he had never thought about in his life.

Before Chairman Lee’s attendance, a route was prepared to minimize media exposure. The prosecutors also took the position that they would make such considerations.

It was customary for the chief of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office to come out and have tea time when a chairman-level figure from the Cheonha Group attended.

However, this time, the chief prosecutor even omitted such customs and finished welcoming Chairman Lee with a polite greeting.

“You must have had a hard time coming all this way. The prosecutors in charge of this case are professionals. They will take care of you without any discomfort, so don’t worry too much and calmly undergo the investigation.”

Chairman Lee was gripped by an unpleasant feeling from the start.

“If you go this far and fail to prove the crime, you will have to take great responsibility. It won’t end with just apologizing to me and my wife. The prosecution catching innocent people like this. Hmph!”

At Chairman Lee’s words, the chief prosecutor’s face hardened. Nevertheless, he maintained his composure until the end.

He wanted to avoid unnecessarily provoking each other’s emotions when he could just formally greet him and leave.

“If such a thing happens, I will mobilize all my investigative power to identify and punish the prosecutors who have done shameful things.”

The chief prosecutor treated Chairman Lee with a polite yet restrained attitude.

“Please guide him.”

The chief prosecutor said to the chief prosecutor.

The chief prosecutor personally escorted Chairman Lee to the statement recording room.

* * *

Ha In and Gang Jun arrived at the statement recording room first.

Since the head of the Cheonha Group had responded to the investigation summons, there were instructions not to be conscious of him, but to be polite.

The lawyers from the Cheonha Group’s legal department had arrived much earlier than Ha In and Gang Jun and were waiting.

From the beginning, there was a tense atmosphere amidst a fierce battle of wits.

“Choi Detective.”

Ha In called out to Gang Jun in a small, low voice.

“I will open that card in today’s investigation of Chairman Lee.”

It meant that the chief prosecutor would mention the death case of Lady Yoon Joo Hwa, which he had handed over.

“Deploy investigative personnel to the Cheonha Medical Foundation. There is a high possibility of evidence tampering.”

“Yes.”

Gang Jun answered gravely.

“The chairman is coming.”

The lawyers from the legal department all lined up in a row to greet Chairman Lee. They bowed respectfully to Chairman Lee and escorted him inside.

Ha In and Gang Jun gave a light bow to Chairman Lee.

Upon seeing Ha In, Chairman Lee’s expression instantly hardened.

“I am Prosecutor Cheon Ha In, who is in charge of today’s investigation.”

Ha In gave a brief self-introduction.

Chairman Lee’s emotions surged up and his shoulders shook. In the imminent situation, the legal department head stepped up.

Defending was a given, and there was a strong plea from Je Guk to cover Chairman Lee’s personality well.

“Chairman, would you like to sit down?”

The legal department head quickly had Chairman Lee take a seat.

Ha In also sat down and prepared for the investigation as usual, while Gang Jun headed to the monitor room.

“Ha, why is it so hot here.”

When Chairman Lee wanted to take off his outer clothing, the legal department head held it so that Chairman Lee could take it off.

Ha In looked at Chairman Lee, whose inside was a manure pit, with cold eyes.

She hoped he was uncomfortable. She hoped the seat he was sitting on was a bed of thorns. Chairman Lee was the one who had raised Hyun Baek Hap into an even more gigantic monster.

Above all, there was another matter that pained Ha In’s heart.

On the day Ha In’s mother passed away, he had cursed, saying she had the misfortune of dying in his house.

The sound of him shouting, “Eek! How unfortunate. Where did this lowly thing die in my house! Quickly remove it!” was clearly etched in Ha In’s memory.

She had never forgotten Chairman Lee, who had treated her mother like an object.

“Prosecutor, Chairman’s identity has already been guaranteed, but if you insist on going through the procedure, may I answer on his behalf?”

The legal department head, who knew Ha In’s style, prevented factors that could trigger Chairman Lee in advance.

“Let’s do that.”

Ha In also did not want to lose the hard-earned opportunity through unnecessary emotional fights.

The investigation began in earnest. The legal department head did his best to defend Chairman Lee in order to protect him.

As Ha In quietly listened to the legal department head’s defense as the investigation began in earnest, it seemed like he was trying to draw a line between Hyun Baek Hap and Chairman Lee’s case.

Ha In only presented the very core contents of the data she had received from Je Guk.

Of course, she said it was well packaged as if the prosecution had investigated and found it.

“You directly approved this budget, Chairman.”

Chairman Lee maintained a poker face.

“Ah, our chairman approves numerous cases…”

The legal department head spoke again, implying that Chairman Lee was unaware.

Judging from the legal department head’s stance, if done well, it seemed possible to sufficiently leak the information held by the prosecution and drive a wedge between Chairman Lee and Hyun Baek Hap.

“These subcontractors are being operated by Mr. Hyun Baek Hap, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“As a result of our prosecution’s confirmation, less than 20% of the listed employees actually work.”

That meant the company was not properly operated and the money that should have gone to payroll was leaking somewhere.

“It was a place where even factory permission would not be granted. There were traces of Mr. Hyun Baek Hap contacting high-ranking officials.”

Ha In leaked detailed information that the Cheonha Group side did not have. Only then did Chairman Lee’s complexion darken.

“Legal department head, what the hell is this prosecutor talking about. Spitting out whatever words?”

Chairman Lee openly showed his discomfort.

“Looking at these contents alone, it appears that Chairman Lee has provided full assistance to what Mr. Hyun Baek Hap is doing. Chairman, why don’t you answer directly?”

“Who are you talking to so insolently!”

Chairman Lee spoke as if he was about to explode with anger, and the legal department head tried to stop him with a tense expression.

“Prosecutor, as the defense counsel, I will do my best within the scope that I can answer.”

Ha In no longer had any reason to be mindful of Chairman Lee. The higher-ups had also told her to be polite, but never to be conscious of him.

“Then I will ask what the defense counsel cannot answer.”

There was something Ha In had to say today. It was a story she was afraid to bring up. But the opportunity to summon Chairman Lee was not available every day.

“When did you first meet Mr. Hyun Baek Hap?”

At that question, Chairman Lee frowned deeply.

“Why is that important now!”

Then he yelled.

“I’m trying to confirm whether Mr. Hyun Baek Hap approached Chairman with a purpose.”

Ha In bluntly threw out the reason for calling him today.

“Do you remember the cause of Lady Yoon Joo Hwa’s death?”

At those words, Chairman Lee flinched and glared at Ha In.

“What are you saying now! Why is that person being mentioned here now!”

“There are suspicious aspects in Lady Yoon Joo Hwa’s death, so why did you hold the funeral without trying to clarify them?”

“Suspicious aspects? What are you talking about now!”

Ha In couldn’t quite grasp what Chairman Lee was thinking to raise his voice like this just by his reaction.

“Why did you move the hospital from Sunhwa Medical Foundation to Cheonha Medical Foundation?”

At those words, Chairman Lee’s eyes wavered.

“Well, that’s because our Cheonha Medical Foundation has recruited many more outstanding doctors.”

“Both then and now, the Sunhwa Medical Foundation has been ahead of the medical foundation in all aspects. It’s because the Sunhwa Foundation had a lot of affection for the medical field.”

That was a well-known fact to those who knew.

In particular, the Sunhwa Foundation had made a lot of investments to help patients suffering from intractable diseases.

“After Lady Yoon Joo Hwa moved to the Cheonha Medical Foundation, her health rapidly deteriorated and she eventually died. Even the basic measures that could have been taken were not sufficiently carried out.”

“I don’t know about that.”

Chairman Lee cut her off.

“Did you cooperate in causing Lady Yoon Joo Hwa’s death at the instigation of Hyun Baek Hap? Or did you just let Lady Yoon Joo Hwa die or live?”

At that question, the atmosphere of the defense team changed.

It was an unexpected question and an issue that would cause incomparable repercussions compared to the current stock price manipulation case.

Before they could even assess the situation, Chairman Lee exploded.

“You b*tch! You think I’ll let this slide!”

Chairman Lee grabbed Ha In by the collar and lifted her up from her seat. It happened in the blink of an eye.

Gang Jun was startled and ran into the statement recording room.

The legal department head knew that this situation was being recorded as it was, so he was devastated.

With a glance, he signaled one of the lawyers to go to the monitor room.

Several lawyers headed to the monitor room, and the investigators who came to stop the situation collided with the defense lawyers.

“Oh! You can’t do this! Why are you doing this!”

Gang Jun tried to separate Chairman Lee from Ha In.

The remaining lawyers also tried to stop Chairman Lee, but Chairman Lee’s strength was so great that even three or four grown men couldn’t stop him.

“Ugh…!”

Ha In’s breath was gradually being blocked. It wasn’t just because of the force of his twisted hand.

The old trauma choked Ha In’s breath. All of Ha In’s nerve cells were instantly engulfed in hellish agony.

“Ah! Let go and talk!”

Gang Jun shouted. Even that sound was heard faintly in Ha In’s ears.

“You b*tch! Do you think you’ll live to see the day after doing this to me?!”

Chairman Lee’s verbal abuse and Gang Jun’s anger also sounded like distant echoes to Ha In’s ears, and she couldn’t see well in front of her.

“Ugh…!”

Ha In struggled in great agony, trying to shake off his evil grip with all her might. But Chairman Lee’s hand, which was filled with evil, was oozing with murderous intent.

Soon, the strength drained from Ha In’s body.

“Senior!”

The interrogation room turned into chaos.

“You b*tch! Stop pretending! Aren’t you going to get up quickly?!”

Chairman Lee tried to swing his hand at Ha In’s cheek. It was exactly what he had done to Ha In in the past.

Even in her fading consciousness, Ha In felt like all her shame had been exposed, and the pit of her stomach ached. She wished she could sleep like this and never wake up again.