“Miss Choi Min-seo, our agreed-upon meeting date was three days from now. Was it necessary for you to stalk me and advance the meeting?”
The unexpected arrival of an unwelcome guest was far from desired. He had hoped for a quiet evening alone, at least for tonight. The engagement itself was something he had never wanted in the first place.
Even though it was an unwritten rule in this world to make compromises between families for mutual benefits, he had never yearned for such a life.
However, at the same time, Hyun-seong was a pragmatic man. With his father, CEO Yoon, in critical condition, Vice President Kang Chul-min and his son were openly revealing their ambitions.
Unlike regular law firms where partners held joint ownership, Yoon & Kang had a clear power structure, with two forces intertwined.
The shares and support from partner lawyers currently leaned slightly towards CEO Yoon, but the margin wasn’t significant. For Hyun-seong to solidify his rights of succession, he needed a substantial move.
That’s why he reluctantly chose Choi Min-seo. To him, family was what mattered, and he didn’t bother confirming her appearance. There was no excitement in envisioning a future fiancée.
Just then, the woman before him, Choi Min-seo, spoke. No, it was actually Yi-soo who had come in Choi Min-seo’s name.
“You won’t get a chance to meet Choi Min-seo,” she said.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, perplexed.
“Prosecutor Choi is already in a relationship and has no intention of getting engaged.”
“Then who are you?”
Hyun-seong refilled his glass with whiskey, showing no signs of surprise. Regardless of her identity, it didn’t matter. The fact that her intrusion disrupted his moment of solitude remained unchanged.
Pretending to be as composed as possible, Yi-soo retrieved an envelope from her bag. She couldn’t believe she was doing something so audacious. Her heart raced, but naturally, Hyun-seong’s gaze shifted towards the envelope.
“It’s Seo Yi-soo. From the Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, Criminal Division 3,” she introduced herself.
“Alright, Prosecutor Seo Yi-soo. Why have you come here pretending to be someone else’s fiancée?” Hyun-seong inquired.
“I want to propose a deal. A deal that benefits both Attorney Yoon and me.”
Yi-soo retrieved her own business card from her wallet and placed it on the table. Then, she gently pushed the envelope towards him, silently urging him to read its contents.
“A sudden demand for a deal. Are all prosecutors like this?”
Initially disinterested, the mention of a deal sparked a sharpness in Hyun-seong’s expression. For a brief moment, he felt a curiosity to hear the proposal of this audacious woman.
He opened the envelope, revealing about three pages of documents. As Yi-soo observed his reaction from the corner of her eye, her mouth went dry. What kind of response would he display? Would he dismiss her, deeming her actions nonsensical?
“A contract?” Hyun-seong murmured, reading the words at the top of the first page. It appeared to be a standard contract format, but the contents were anything but ordinary. With confidence, Yi-soo replied.
“Yes. It’s not your typical deal. Are you willing to take a look?”
It was an all-or-nothing situation. Instead of hesitating, it was better to press forward with assurance. Even if this plan failed, she would find another way to infiltrate Yoon & Kang from within.
“It’s an engagement contract. The duration is one year. As an attorney, you should know how to review a contract, right?”
With one arm resting on his chin, Hyun-seong stared at Yi-soo intently. Feeling his blind gaze, she let out a light cough. Just by resting his chin, he exuded a languid sexiness that she could sense.
“…You’ll understand the details once you read it, but it’s about working together until we achieve our respective goals. I want a firm grip on Yoon & Kang, you see?” Yi-soo explained.
“Why do I have to be engaged to someone who’s not another woman, but Seo Yi-soo?” Hyun-seong questioned.
“I am confident that few can truly understand Attorney Yoon’s needs. And I can definitely satisfy Attorney Yoon,” she assured him.
Satisfaction. Hyun-seong took a sip of his drink and leisurely swept his bangs back. It reminded him of a woman who had been persistently following him, almost annoyingly, to catch his attention. That woman had also mentioned the word “satisfaction.”
As Yi-soo contemplated the possibility of being placed in a similar category, her initial interest waned slightly.
“Intriguing. Are you proposing that we date?” he asked.
“No. We don’t need to date, just be engaged,” Yi-soo replied firmly.
Her response caught his attention, and Hyun-seong lightly stroked his chin, showing genuine interest. If it was merely a short-term relationship like an engagement without emotional involvement, there seemed to be no reason to refuse the proposal. The real concern lay in the outcome rather than the process.
“Tell me precisely how you plan to satisfy me,” he requested.
“I heard a rumor that Yoon & Kang desires a close relationship with the prosecution. That’s why they pushed for an engagement with Choi Min-seo, whose father is the Chief Prosecutor.”
“And?”
“I want to take that position in her place. If I can’t do it in her place, then I’ll make a choice that brings even greater benefits. Park In-seong, Seoul Chief Prosecutor.”
Yi-soo reluctantly handed over the crucial key she held. Hyun-seong turned his head towards her, silently urging her to continue. His piercing and unrelenting gaze resembled that of a predator fixated on its prey.
“Park In-seong is my father and the Seoul Chief Prosecutor. It would be a better deal than Chief Prosecutor Choi. He holds the advantage in terms of the prosecution hierarchy and actual power,” Yi-soo explained.
“Park In-seong is your father?” Hyun-seong questioned.
“…Yes. Isn’t it a deal worth considering?” Yi-soo replied, her voice trembling slightly at the end. She attempted to conceal her nervousness, but it seeped through. Hyun-seong stared at her intently, then narrowed his eyes and let out a soft chuckle.
For a few seconds, an ambiguous laughter lingered in the air. Eventually, Hyun-seong examined Yi-soo’s business card and spoke in a hushed tone.
“Article 347, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.”
“What?” Yi-soo responded, taken aback.
“A person who deceives others and receives property or gains benefits in property shall be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to 20 million won.”
In an instant, Hyun-seong’s demeanor turned cold. He dropped the small business card onto the table, locking eyes with Yi-soo with an indifferent expression.
“To commit fraud, one must be prepared to some extent. Park In-seong, the Chief Prosecutor, wasn’t even married in the first place. I had no idea he had another daughter with a different surname.”