He had asked his journalist friend, Kim, whom he was close to, to write a scandal article about Yeoreum, and it seemed to be completed now. Clicking on the article title that he hesitated to open suddenly squeezed his heart.

… How nice it would be if this were true.

Whether this feeling surging up somewhere deep inside was jealousy or lingering feelings, he didn’t know. Anyway, it felt awkwardly exciting.

Although it was an article written to stop Taeseok’s pursuit, he wasn’t sure if he should really release it. He could vividly see Yeoreum getting angry.

He didn’t want to be hated more here.

Still, he hoped she wouldn’t be hurt.
If there were a scandal involving himself and Yeoreum, he had thought he would protect her with everything he had. But would she willingly accept that kindness?

Looking at Jihyeok’s serious expression, Shin Mincheol tapped his face with a beer can.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, nothing. What were we talking about?”

“…Jihyeonjeong.”

“Right, that sister. Why did she go to such lengths? Even if she was a bit autocratic, she’s not someone who would commit embezzlement.”

It was Shin Mincheol’s house. They were drinking beer, waiting for the drama to air. Occasionally, they naturally hung out like this.

For a moment, Shin Mincheol’s expression darkened.

“Yeah, she’s not that type.”

Jihyeok opened a beer can and spoke.

“But why did she do that? That sister.”

Even to Jihyeok, who didn’t know much about business, it seemed like a reckless act. Withdrawing money from the corporate account to pay the remaining balance for the building purchase. Moreover, the building was purchased for personal use, unrelated to the company.

“No. But HJ Planning’s loss was frightening. They said the CEO was already removed through a motion of dismissal, right? The world is cruel.”

And then, when Seo Taeseok was mentioned as the interim CEO, Jihyeok cursed him quietly. At that time, Shin Mincheol also spoke, but their audios overlapped, and Jihyeok couldn’t understand it right away.

“Taeseok’s work. He must have prepared for a long time.”

Perhaps it was a whisper that might have been a monologue.

With his eyes fluttering, Jihyeok fully understood the meaning of those words and turned his head abruptly three seconds later.

“What are you talking about?”

Lawyer Choi looked exhausted today as well. It was a difficult fight, even though he took it lightly by looking at the legal fees. To make matters worse, the client wasn’t cooperative.

Jihyeonjeong, the representative whom he had only seen in pictures so far, was a sophisticated career woman. At one point, Lawyer Choi also admired her.

“Hello.”

But now, Jihyeonjeong was just a cause of his headache.

Even when advised to stay quiet, she continued to talk a lot, spouting nonsense again.

“As I mentioned yesterday, exercising the right to remain silent would be…”

“Because of the lack of skill from the lawyer.”

Jihyeonjeong interrupted him and looked at him.

Her slightly disheveled hair seemed to obscure her brightness. Jihyeonjeong had half-opened eyes.

Her unmanaged skin lost its luster and looked rough due to the roughly folded prisoner’s uniform. She seemed to age more than ten years because of the poorly ironed clothes. Overall, she looked like a hysterical woman.

“If you keep making baseless claims, it will be disadvantageous in court.”

“It’s not a baseless claim! Why don’t you believe me, even though I’m your lawyer?”

Jihyeonjeong shot back.

“You have to leave here first. Everything is Taeseok’s plan. He harbors a small grudge against me. He does.”

Lawyer Choi was speechless.

“All the evidence is clear, and there’s a fact that directly seals the building purchase.”

“It’s manipulation!”
No matter how much he was told that stubbornness would only make things worse, he didn’t yield. For days, he repeated like a parrot that everything was Seo Taeseok’s fault.

“There’s no evidence, right? If you have any, please show it to the representative. If there’s any clue, such as text messages or emails, we’ll review it.”

There was no such thing.

Taeseok left no suspicions behind.

Jihyeonjeong bit her lip.

Before realizing what was what, she had come here in a hurry. Arrested even before securing a law firm. The lawyer Choi, hastily hired, wasn’t to Jihyeok’s liking.

“5 billion… Try tracing the account where the 5 billion was transferred! It was deposited into the account Taeseok provided, so there must be evidence.”

“There’s nothing like that.”

He checked several times. That account belonged to a licensed real estate agent who mediated the building purchase, and the money was safely delivered to the building owner. Jihyeonjeong simply bought her building with that money.

There was no trace of Seo Taeseok’s involvement in any aspect, not just the account.

“Check the board of directors! Taeseok must have led the motion for the CEO’s dismissal!”

“No, he didn’t.”

Taeseok was one of the directors who opposed it until the end. He calmly conveyed that fact.

“That can’t be true! Taeseok must have orchestrated all of this to get rid of me…”

“Representative. It’s better to judge rationally. It’s a fight about the penalty anyway. It might be better to admit it and seek leniency.”

Leniency?

It was a funny statement.

“L… Leniency? I’m innocent!”

“I’ll come back in a few days. It’s better to make a rational judgment. I hope for clemency.”

Jihyeonjeong gritted her teeth and said.

“Wait! Then call Secretary Kim for me. I have something to say.”

If nothing else worked, Jihyeonjeong was ready to try everything. After all, she had lost everything.

Taeseok. I can do it too. Revenge.

Revenge for what you did to me.

You might think Yeoreum is safe here because I’m here, right? What a pity. That poor girl. Even if I can’t harm you, she won’t escape it.

Jihyeonjeong had nothing left but venom.

“Ms. Kim Goeun is also under investigation as an accomplice.”

Lawyer Choi firmly declined.

“Then just tell her this. After our last visit to Sungmun Hotel’s restaurant, reorder the item I canceled.”

Secretary Kim would understand. Jihyeonjeong was convinced.

It took me 10 years to climb up here so tenaciously. It only took three days to fall. I won’t die alone. Just wait and see.