Chapter 103
"They'll probably apply for a search and seizure warrant on Go Jin-a at the prosecution office around 5 p.m. today. By tomorrow, it'll be all over the news. And if the charges for special rape by a teacher and related offenses come to light, there'll be additional indictments."
"......"
"Once that happens, Go Jin-a won't be in any position to demand a divorce. Logically speaking, it should be you, Jeong Yeongjun, making that demand."
A heavy silence blanketed the office.
Jeong Yeongjun now knew everything, yet he wasn't as agitated as one might expect. Or perhaps he didn't even have the leeway to get worked up. From earlier, his face had shown no expression, no twitch.
After listening quietly for a long stretch, Jeong Yeongjun finally nodded slowly.
"......I see."
I'd half-expected tears, but instead, he was biting his lips until they turned white. His hands trembled, but he gripped the sofa armrest to steady himself.
"You don't know why Jin-a did it... or what her goal was?"
"The prosecution will uncover that through their investigation."
"......I see."
"Given how serious this is, I think you should hold a press conference right after the prosecution briefing. But if that's too much for you, a press release should suffice."
It was entirely predictable that Jeong Yeongjun wouldn't want a press conference.
"......A press release, you say?"
"Yes. The briefing will clear your name, but reporters will want your side of the story. If you stay silent, it could hurt your family. A brief explanation of the case's progress, your stance, and that's it."
Jeong Yeongjun hung his head low. He needed time to think, so I stood up.
Being under my gaze would only burden him more. I told Kang Minjae to keep an eye on him in case of any rash moves, then stepped out onto the balcony.
I lit a cigarette and gazed down at the street below. Even without him thrashing and sobbing, I could feel his profound sorrow. That's what betrayal by someone you cherished felt like.
After chain-smoking about three cigarettes, I heard Jeong Yeongjun's voice from inside.
"Do as you say, Lawyer. And could you draft the press release for me? I'm... a bit out of sorts right now......"
He gave a feeble smile.
"Understood. We'll prepare a draft and show it to you. Once you approve, we can send it to the media tomorrow morning. But first, we still haven't heard your stance."
He looked at me puzzled for a moment, then caught on. Staring with trembling eyes, he soon averted his gaze.
"We have to. Divorce. If Jin-a wants it that badly, we have to......"
It was as if he'd agree in a heartbeat if she clung to his leg, begging him not to.
Whether to divorce or not—that was for the parties involved to decide. A lawyer's job was to get results as close as possible to what the client wanted. Of course, only if it didn't clash with justice.
The law's post-incident remedy was to separate victim from perpetrator. But if the victim knew the facts and still wanted to stay? I had no idea what to do then.
It felt like those cases of "battered wives" who wept that they'd die without their husbands, even after endless beatings left their bodies black and blue.
Those cases often stemmed not just from love, but from inertia. Jeong Yeongjun's seemed like pure, 100% love.
Still, I hoped he'd divorce for his family's sake, just as he'd resolved to clear his name for them. There was no law saying Go Jin-a wouldn't orchestrate something like this twice. Given the chance, she'd ditch him again—two, three times over. Their relationship had been propped up by his love alone.
Refusing divorce now was like standing beside her as stones pelted her, taking the hits too. Even as a clear victim, he'd end up accused of clinging to the marriage for the money.
"......Even if Jin-a doesn't want it, we have to."
He added after a long pause.
"I don't want to see my family suffer more."
"Just my two cents, but a firm stance would be best. To minimize damage to your family, as you said. We'll keep it proper, of course. A mild tone might breed rumors that you're hiding something. It could happen naturally—or someone might stir it up."
At the word "someone," his shoulders flinched. But he answered cleanly.
"Please handle it with as little harm as possible to my mother, father, and brother. Firm or mild, divorce is... inevitable anyway."
With that, Jeong Yeongjun rose from the sofa. He swayed briefly, and Kang Minjae jumped up to steady him. Jeong brushed him off with an awkward smile.
"I'm beat. Haven't been up that long, but weird, huh? Haha...... Can I head home? We can talk more once the divorce proceedings really kick off."
"Of course. Expect a flood of calls from Go Jin-a's side after tomorrow's news. Please route everything through us."
"I'll just turn my phone off. Cut the home line too. If you need me, call through my sister."
He waved his cellphone.
"I'll drive you."
"You're wrapping up the case—don't want to keep bothering you...... I can take a taxi."
"Nah, it'll ease my mind."
Kang Minjae flashed a grin as he opened the office door.
"Let's go! Lawyer, I'll drop Jeong off and be back!"
I watched them leave, then sat at my desk. I opened the document program to draft the statement, but something nagged at me, so I picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Jeong In-a. Cha Juhan speaking."
"Yes, Lawyer. My brother headed out to see you earlier—what's going on?"
Having weathered countless crises, Jeong In-a sounded deeply uneasy.
"Nothing to worry about."
"Phew, good. So, what is it?"
I explained Go Jin-a being the real culprit and relayed everything I'd told Jeong Yeongjun. Unlike her calm brother, Jeong In-a was furious. She double-checked if she'd heard right and didn't hold back curses at Go Jin-a. A perfectly normal reaction.
"Kang's driving Jeong Yeongjun home now."
"He's coming now? Oh, I stepped out to meet a friend—gotta head back."
"How long to your place?"
"Not long. Five minutes. Just left."
"Jeong Yeongjun's going to be hurting bad."
"Yeah...... Even I'm at a loss, and I'm not the one it happened to. I'll comfort him best I can. Not sure it'll help, but he listens to Mom and Dad."
"He'll lean on you a lot too."
"You think? Haha......"
A brief silence fell. As I geared up to say goodbye, Jeong In-a spoke up.
"Lawyer."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. Really. Honestly, even I doubted at times if my brother was truly innocent...... You stuck by him unwaveringly, and he was so grateful."
If I lacked this ability, I wouldn't have believed Jeong Yeongjun either. There was no evidence of his innocence, no leads to find any. In my past life, it never came to light. Come to think of it, my first client Kim Yeonjun and now Jeong Yeongjun—both were wrongly condemned and ruined in that previous life.
A sudden curiosity struck. Who granted me this power, and why?
"Recommending you was the best call. From the first articles last year about you solving the Kim Cheol-hwan and Yeo Hee-sook case, I knew you were trustworthy. So I told my brother to try you—hoping you'd help. And it was the right choice. The outcome... well, bittersweet for him, maybe."
Last year? Puzzled, I asked.
"Did I meet you last year?"
"Ahaha, don't remember, huh? Even when you met me for this case, you didn't recognize me."
Was my memory that bad? Depending on when last year, it could reveal if my recall was faulty. Memories before restarting this life in March last year felt a decade old.
"Can't pinpoint the date, but I got groped on the subway. You helped me out."
"......"
"Saw your name in articles after, kept seeing it, so I remembered. That's why I pushed him to come to you."
Damn, after my new start. It clicked—my first day at this office.
"I see."
"He's miserable now, but I think it's for the best. Living on clueless would've led to worse."
Not wrong, but the kind of mantra people chant to endure the immediate pain. Saying it meant utter misery right now.
"Almost home. Brother's not here yet. Gotta wipe off my makeup before he sees I was out—he'd tell me to scram quick. Thanks again, Lawyer."
"No trouble."
The call ended. I returned to the desk. With Jeong Yeongjun informed, time to tell Lee Ye-jin to apply for the warrant ASAP. She'd wait till 5, but sooner was better.
That's when it rang again—the phone I'd just set down. Not Jeong In-a with unfinished business. Different caller.
"Cha Juhan Law Office."
"Hello. Lee Young-jae of Taegwang Law Firm. Lead counsel for Go Jin-a."
"Yes, Cha Juhan speaking. What is it?"
"Filed the divorce petition yesterday. It'll reach Jeong Yeongjun by registered mail, but thought you should know first."
Well, damn. Divorce petition filed. I'd figured her side had prosecution connections to sniff the mood, but Lee Ye-jin's office security was tighter than expected.
"Is that so?"
"......Yes. But......"
Lee Young-jae sounded uneasy at my flat response, answering awkwardly. Filed yesterday, it'd arrive in a week.
"Got it. Thanks."
"......Alright then."
After tomorrow's briefing and Jeong's statement, how would Go Jin-a respond? She'd waited for mutual divorce—might as well have held out a bit longer. Digging your own grave was a skill, in its way.