With a sly smile, Jin-won smoothly extracted a tablet PC from his bag and tapped the screen effortlessly with his index finger. Yi-soo’s palm betrayed her nervousness, damp with sweat. Her heartbeat echoed uncontrollably, as if a glitch had disrupted its usual rhythm.
Jin-won, his gaze fixated on the screen, sported an affectionate smile that seemed to hold a hidden layer of meaning. With deliberate poise, he broke the silence. “Our honest and incorruptible Prosecutor… Will you maintain the pristine white lily title until the curtain falls on your career?”
A surge of indignation swelled within Yi-soo, her response caught in the grip of a momentary paralysis. “You…!”
“Consider it a choice,” Jin-won interjected, his tone light yet laden with implication. “A matter so simple it requires little contemplation. Isn’t Hyun-seong merely a contracted fiancé, or perhaps something even less significant? Surely, he can’t surpass the significance of the father who once rescued you from the abyss.”
Turning the tablet towards Yi-soo, Jin-won orchestrated a reveal that would shake the foundations of her composure. Shock contorted Yi-soo’s features as her eyes scanned the screen’s contents. “What is this…?”
“You ought to recognize the face,” Jin-won remarked, his voice teasing. “Mr. Park Hae-jung. Perhaps you’ve crossed paths with him before?”
“What kind of stunt is this…!” Yi-soo’s teeth ground together, the suppressed tension in her voice finally erupting into audible force. Her golden-brown eyes flared with a mixture of anger and realization. The person in the photograph was none other than Park Hae-jung, the nephew of her adoptive father, Park In-seong. Though their encounters had been infrequent, the memories of family gatherings from just a year ago flashed vividly before her eyes.
The details captured in the photograph eluded Yi-soo, leaving her grappling with a sense of uncertainty. However, the mere inclusion of Hae-jung’s image held an undeniable weight, and its significance was not lost on her.
Hae-jung, a cousin despite the absence of blood ties, led a parasitic existence, feeding off his parents’ resources. It seemed implausible that Jin-won’s focus would be on Hae-jung. The question loomed large: who was his real target?
“Renowned for their integrity, and yet succumbing to a bribe through their nephew? Quite the unexpected twist, wouldn’t you say?” Jin-won’s voice dripped with a subtle disdain. “And this painting here, valued at a staggering 32 billion won. Enough to ignite a societal uproar, don’t you think?”
Yi-soo’s rebuttal came swift and stern. “Don’t talk nonsense, Attorney Kang Jin-won. Our father has never laid eyes on, let alone received, such a painting!”
“No rational person would entrust such a priceless gift to Mr. Park Hae-jung. He merely enlisted his nephew, someone conveniently overlooked by the public, to be the recipient on his behalf. A few years from retirement, why tarnish his legacy? As an adopted daughter, it seems only fair for you to repay the favor.”
Yi-soo stood firm in her conviction. In-seong wouldn’t be swayed by bribery; this she could stake everything on. However, the deal Jin-won presented, irrespective of its veracity, promised a severe blow to the Seoul Chief Prosecutor. The tendrils of scandal, once unleashed, would snake through conversations, seep into media narratives, and incite accusatory fingers to point in his direction.
The prospect of such a future turned her stomach. How could she allow such a damaging accusation to besmirch the reputation of a man who had led a life devoid of dishonor? The ethical dilemma weighed heavily on her, threading through the fibers of her loyalty and her sense of justice.
Yi-soo’s gaze bore into Jin-won, a look so sharp it seemed capable of cutting through steel. More than personal offense or slight, her anger surged at the audacity that dared to threaten those she held dear.
“You crazy bastard… Do you think I’ll do what you want?” Her voice, laced with a potent blend of defiance and fury, echoed in the tense air.
Jin-won, seemingly unperturbed by her wrath, reveled in the effect he had elicited. His eyes narrowed with satisfaction, a sly smile playing on his lips. Rising from his seat, he approached her and, to her chagrin, gently stroked her hair. The touch, intended to be soothing, sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
His calm demeanor persisted as he spoke, his words carrying an eerie sense of control. “More important than the one who rescued you from the abyss, it appears the significance lies in the sham fiancé. Trust yourself to make a wise judgment. There’s ample time until the weekend’s end… Take the time to think alone.”
“Huh…”
“See you at work on Monday, Prosecutor Seo Yi-soo.” With a seemingly joyous smile, Jin-won turned and made his way to the door. Left to her own devices, Yi-soo shivered, her hands fumbling with the wristwatch on her trembling wrist.
Despite the mounting anger, her commitment to capturing his confession remained steadfast. She twisted her restrained wrist, deftly manipulating the wristwatch. With her thumb, she pressed and held the record button for three seconds, her head bowing in determination. How had it come to this?
In her mind, Hyun-seong’s face flashed, an image she yearned for in this moment of turmoil. She craved the reassurance of his voice, the warmth of his comforting presence. Alone in the suffocating darkness that offered no glimpse of light, an oppressive sorrow and an instinctive fear took root, enveloping Seo Yi-soo’s entire being.