Chapter 89
Jeong Youngjun took the paper I held out and stared at it intently. The fact that he didn't immediately say he recognized it suggested the ring's owner wasn't someone close by.
After examining the ring for a long while, he set the paper down with a sigh.
"I don't know. It's my first time seeing this ring. I'm sorry. Really sorry... for not being able to help..."
Jeong Youngjun's eyes welled up again. Kang Minjae patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Crying and apologizing right now won't help at all, Mr. Jeong."
"...Yes, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
"Enough with the apologies already. We're fine."
It might sound cold, but in this case, we didn't need a crybaby. For the first time while investigating the Jeong Youngjun video, a meaningful clue had emerged. We were inching closer to the truth. That's exactly when we needed to stay calm.
"Then, is there anyone around you who's tall—over 190 cm—with a sturdy build? Maybe from the Yangjin Group's security team or secretary's office. Anything."
"...190 cm?"
Jeong Youngjun fell into thought again. Then he turned to me.
"Lawyer, could you stand up for a second? You look tall; I want to compare."
I stood as he asked, and Jeong Youngjun rose too, stepping up to me to gauge the height difference.
"Excuse me, but how tall are you, Lawyer?"
"187 cm."
"Almost 190. So the guy has to be taller than you... I don't think so, no matter how I rack my brain."
No one around Jeong Youngjun was 190 cm tall. I'd assumed that if it was the father-in-law or mother-in-law, they'd use internal Yangjin Group personnel. It was a crime they absolutely couldn't be linked to, so hiring outsiders or thugs would make silencing them that much harder.
But if even Jeong Youngjun hadn't seen him—and he'd lived in Chairman Go Sanggyeong's house for seven years—that meant either it wasn't an internal person, or someone Go Sanggyeong kept in utmost secrecy.
Two of our three clues—the ring and the build—had turned up empty. That left the third.
"What about someone with a long name?"
"A long name?"
"As I mentioned, we suspect this ring is a custom couple's ring, and that smudgy pattern might be lettering. Couples' rings often have love quotes or the partner's name engraved. Assuming it's a name, it's a bit lengthy. So maybe someone with a long name, or a phrase."
"Ah, I see. A long name..."
Jeong Youngjun stroked his chin, deep in thought. Then his eyes widened as something clicked.
"Yes! There is one!"
"Who?"
"Kim Eunhasoo. She's the secretary who attends to my mother-in-law."
Kang Minjae perked up at that, snatching the ring photo.
"Kim Eunhasoo—that'd be written as KimEunhasoo. The length seems to match, roughly?"
Kang Minjae sketched lines over the photo, estimating the alphabet size. The image quality wasn't great for certainty, but it was the most plausible guess right now.
"Putting it together, then... The chairman's wife ordered Secretary Kim Eunhasoo to make that video of you, and she roped in her boyfriend to do it... But that boyfriend might actually be a Yangjin Group employee in an office romance. Is that it?"
"Kim Eunhasoo is married. It's probably her husband..."
Jeong Youngjun said with a troubled expression.
"Then she might've trusted him with it since there's no risk of leaks to outsiders."
"My mother-in-law trusts Secretary Kim immensely. She handles everything for her, and whenever they go shopping, she says her work is so cute and buys her matching items."
Now it all made sense; Jeong Youngjun's voice rose with conviction.
"Have you ever seen Secretary Kim Eunhasoo's husband?"
"No, not once... But he's definitely with Yangjin Group. He works under my father-in-law, so... Strategy Office, and I heard he's like a limb to him."
"Strategy Office."
"The place that handles all the dirty tricks for chaebol families."
Jeong Youngjun frowned, rubbing his forehead. He gripped the printed ring photo tightly.
"It has to be my father-in-law and mother-in-law. I need to tell Jinah about this. Tell Jinah, and—"
"Not yet."
His excitement deflated at my words, shoulders slumping.
"We need to confirm if Kim Eunhasoo wears that ring, and if her husband matches the videoman's build."
And even if it all lined up, if Chairman Go Sanggyeong and his wife denied any knowledge, we had no proof. What if the Kim couple claimed they'd long enjoyed illicit fun with Jeong Youngjun and the camera just captured it? If I were them, I'd never admit it. Promise them rewards later, tell them to stonewall for now, and pay up generously. With how much the mother-in-law favored Secretary Kim, their loyalty wouldn't be ordinary. It was entirely plausible.
Could we sway public opinion?
If we revealed the cameraman was from Yangjin Group's Strategy Office, the public would instantly see Jeong Youngjun as the victim. Even if the Kims later pulled a "drowned rat tactic," claiming they'd partied with him all along, no one would buy it.
But legally, it would hold. Exposing the cameraman wasn't enough. And Go Jinah would believe her parents over Jeong Youngjun anyway. We might win the public, but not her.
Jeong Youngjun wanted her approval more than the public's.
"Mr. Jeong, can you look into Secretary Kim Eunhasoo's husband?"
"...I'll do it."
He nodded firmly.
"We can't tip them off that we're suspicious. Do you have a way?"
"I'm still an executive managing director at Yangjin F&B. They said they'd fire me next week, so I still have access."
"Isn't the Strategy Office under a different affiliate?"
"Yes, but I hold multiple titles—I'm also a Yangjin Group advisor. I can check personnel records."
"Can you do it from outside the company?"
"...I'd have to go in."
Jeong Youngjun's gaze was resolute.
"It's still early evening. The dismissal's set, so I'll go in saying I'm packing up and check then."
"You sure?"
He'd attempted suicide just an hour ago. If he ran into Go Jinah there, I didn't even want to imagine it.
"Mr. Jeong."
"Then I'll go with him."
Before I could stop him, Kang Minjae stepped up. I turned to him, and he met my eyes with determination.
"I'll personally accompany Mr. Jeong to Yangjin F&B to make sure nothing happens. I'm pretty quick on my feet, you know. I get what you're worried about, Lawyer."
Seeing my reluctant expression, Jeong Youngjun added,
"Jinah hasn't come to work since the divorce issue blew up. We won't run into her."
"What about reporters?"
Jeong Youngjun sighed at my question. He hadn't considered that.
Since the video leak, reporters had camped out at Yangjin F&B and Chairman Go Sanggyeong's residence, desperate for interviews with the family or Jeong Youngjun. He'd faced their relentless pursuit even when moving to this officetel after separating. Luckily, Go Jinah had ordered security to shake off the tails on his car, keeping this place hidden.
But if he showed up at headquarters today, they might spot and chase him again.
"No underground parking or something? Contact security to help with your stuff without exposing you to reporters. They helped when you moved here."
Kang Minjae voiced the same idea.
"You've resisted divorce till now, but accepting firing and packing up might make them think you'll agree to it too. No need to call Go Jinah directly—tell security, and it'll get reported up the chain."
There really was no other way. Even if Jang Taesik dug into Secretary Kim's husband, it'd take time and might fail. The guy was so shadowy that even Jeong Youngjun, who'd lived with Chairman Go Sanggyeong, had never seen him. Too tough for Taesik right now.
"Attorney Kang's right. Around 6:30 should work. Overtimers head out for dinner by then. Underground parking to executive elevator—we can slip in and out quietly."
With both so confident, I couldn't object.