Chapter 44
The Villain’s
Pure Devotion
Nam Sung-hun’s Woman
Yeonwoo met with Lawyer Sin, who had been waiting for her. Since stalking cases were not his primary specialty, several other officials were present to help organize her statement.
From Yeonwoo’s perspective, speaking about the details of her victimization in front of so many people was not a pleasant task. Even though there had been no physical harm, she found it sickening and difficult to vividly recount the sexual harassment and the situations that had caused her such profound sexual humiliation.
However, as the conversation progressed, Yeonwoo gradually regained her composure. Answering the questions made her realize she didn’t want to gloss over anything; she wanted to mention every single detail from start to finish.
Sitting among experts from various fields while giving her statement actually calmed her mind. For the first time, the feeling that she was finally bringing the incident to a close became tangible. The fact that she was building the case against Cha Yun-seok’s crimes with her own mouth and her own hands lightened the heart that had been heavy all this time.
She felt like this was the end. It felt like she could truly escape.
The moment she felt she had done everything she possibly could, she was finally able to feel free from the events she had endured.
Sung-hun, who had stepped out to allow Yeonwoo to testify freely, returned. In the space left by Yeonwoo and the other officials, Lawyer Sin met with Sung-hun privately.
“We have secured Ms. Ji Yeonwoo’s statement, and the evidence seems sufficient. She had a voice recorder she carried herself, and things like that should establish the credibility of her testimony. Also, the recording files submitted by Domyeongjae will serve as excellent material.”
“That’s a relief. You’ve done well.”
As Sung-hun offered a brief acknowledgment, Lawyer Sin took off his glasses.
“I’m not a doctor, so I can’t say for sure, but the victim’s psychological state didn’t seem very good. There was a suggestion from one of the officials that counseling should be pursued alongside the legal process.”
“Was there a serious problem?”
Lawyer Sin hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“As I mentioned before, while specific physical or material damage hasn’t been proven, this case was extremely malicious, as most stalking crimes are. She must have been terrified.”
“I’ll take that into consideration.”
“Yes, Vice President.”
As Lawyer Sin rubbed his tired eyelids, Sung-hun added another point.
“It seems a report has already reached the Chairwoman.”
Lawyer Sin’s hand stopped. He immediately opened his eyes and looked at Sung-hun.
“The Chairwoman sought me out first. She seemed quite interested.”
“How much did you tell her?”
“Pardon?”
Lawyer Sin asked back, finding it difficult to grasp Sung-hun’s intent immediately. Sung-hun slowly shifted his legs and elaborated.
“I mean, how far did you go?”
“Ah… exactly as things are.”
“Objectively, or subjectively?”
“I spoke objectively, of course.”
“The Chairwoman mentioned Ji Yeonwoo. How did you explain that?”
When Sung-hun brought up Yeonwoo, Lawyer Sin reflexively swallowed hard.
He recalled Chairwoman Nam Yun-young—and the atmosphere of her office that day, which felt as if a blizzard were blowing through it.
“I stated that she was a victim among the Domyeongjae staff, and reported that the matter began because of that.”
“I see.”
“If there is anything I should keep in mind, please let me know.”
When Lawyer Sin asked to be reminded of anything he should be careful about, Sung-hun remained silent for a moment. Then, uncrossing his legs, he raised a hand.
“As you know, Lawyer, I’m not exactly a meddlesome person.”
“I’m not sure how my aunt will take this situation—destroying a small business over a matter involving a Domyeongjae employee. I wonder if she’ll see her as just an employee, or as a woman.”
“My aunt still has a very keen interest in my personal affairs.”
“…Ah.”
Lawyer Sin, understanding quickly, let out a soft exclamation and adjusted his posture.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I reported that Manager Moon Ok-rye was the initial whistleblower, and that you took action after receiving her report.”
Lawyer Sin was a clever man. There was a reason he boasted such an outstanding win rate.
Sung-hun nodded as if satisfied. If that was the origin of the story, his aunt, Chairwoman Nam Yun-young, wouldn’t look at Yeonwoo too closely.
“Your reporting process was quite subjective, then.”
“It was objective. Please view it that way.”
“Thank you for being so stubborn about it.”
“Not at all. I simply don’t wish to disturb the Chairwoman’s peace of mind either.”
“From now on, please look after my peace of mind first, Lawyer.”
When Sung-hun spoke bluntly, Lawyer Sin gave a thin smile.
“That goes without saying. Do not worry. Your refusal to turn a blind eye to an employee’s suffering is serving as quite an inspiration to the staff.”
“I wonder. Did I really help Ji Yeonwoo because she’s a Domyeongjae employee?”
“……”
“I think her gender came before her affiliation. It’s because I saw Ji Yeonwoo as a woman.”
The smile vanished from Lawyer Sin’s face. It was a fleeting moment.
He had to unnaturally broaden his interpretation of Sung-hun’s position and his choice of the word ‘woman.’ It was that kind of word. Sung-hun couldn’t have been unaware of the weight and repercussions of the word he had just uttered.
“If it had stopped at being an employee’s business, I would have brought Manager Moon along, just as you said. I would have provided ample legal support, of course, but would it have been easy for me to step out in front like this? Taking on all these risks?”
“Ah. Yes. I understand perfectly.”
“But, I wonder why I’m telling you all this, Lawyer?”
Lawyer Sin looked tense for a moment. As Sung-hun’s gaze lingered on the handwritten statement Yeonwoo had left behind, Lawyer Sin watched him silently before bowing his head.
“Thank you for trusting me. I will bring you the results you want.”
“Thank you. You’re the only person in this company I feel comfortable giving my heart to and leaning on.”
The clever Lawyer Sin understood Sung-hun’s words instantly.
Watch your tongue in front of Chairwoman Nam Yun-young.
“I’ll leave it in your hands, then.”
“Yes. Please trust me until the end, Vice President.”
It meant that a dangerous tightrope walk within Seolyang Group had begun.
Sung-hun, visiting the main office for the first time in a while, spent a busy day. No matter how efficiently he handled tasks, there were many issues that required face-to-face resolution.
Matters that had been waiting solely for Sung-hun’s judgment were resolved one by one, and problems for which no answer could be found finally saw a glimmer of hope. The employees, who had been piling up question marks during Sung-hun’s absence, relaxed as if they could finally breathe again.
They were simply amazed by his ability to resolve so many issues so smoothly.
Yeonwoo left the building and found a nearby cafe. It was hard to tell if she should wait for Sung-hun or just head back.
She ordered a cup of coffee and just toyed with her phone. She should have told him sooner that she had gotten a phone, but for some reason, those words were so difficult to say.
It felt as if she had gotten it just to give him her number. Since that was somewhat true, she felt utterly embarrassed. It hadn’t been that long since she had fled to Domyeongjae like an island castaway, and she felt a bit foolish for acting so eager to return to daily life.
“Ah, how do I let him know I’m here?”
Then, she reached a very stupid realization. Yeonwoo snapped her head up and looked out the window.
She had left the company without a second thought because she had nowhere else to be, but it was hard to find a way to let him know. She couldn’t exactly go back inside.
Even if she asked to see the Vice President, would the security guards even listen? She’d be lucky not to be treated like a peddler.
Oh, what do I do?
Yeonwoo stared intensely at her phone and bit her lip. She wondered if it was okay to wait on her own. If she was waiting for nothing. If he would find it absurd if he knew she was waiting.
Conflict stirred in her timid heart. But in the end, Yeonwoo turned on her phone screen. Only after reaching the conclusion that disappearing without a word would be rude regardless of the situation did she carefully press in his number.
It was so hard just to hit the call button. She hesitated, reached for it, hesitated again, and reached for it once more.
“Ugh, I don’t know. I pressed it. I pressed it!”
She made a fuss after hitting the call button. Her feet stomped reflexively, and with a face turned bright red, she held the phone up.
Perhaps because it was an unknown number, he didn’t pick up.
There was no way she remembered the number wrong. She had looked at his business card so many times every night that the number felt engraved on her heart.
Just as she was wondering if she should try again or leave a message, a call came back.
Startled, Yeonwoo cleared her throat after letting it ring a couple of times. She wanted to take a sip of coffee, but she was anxious the call might end in the meantime.
“Yes, Vice President.”
Since she addressed him as Vice President as soon as she picked up, there was a momentary silence from the other end, as if he were lost for words.
“It’s Yeonwoo.”
When she quickly identified herself, she heard a soft exclamation.
— Whose phone is this?
“Ah, well, it’s mine.”
Was he surprised? There was a brief pause in the conversation.
— You bought a phone? Where?
“I didn’t just buy it now. I got it while I was at Domyeongjae.”
Silence again. He seemed taken aback by every word.
— You had a phone?
“I got it yesterday. It hasn’t been long—I got it yesterday, but I didn’t have the chance to tell you…”
— Where are you now?
Sung-hun’s voice over the phone was quite blunt. The voice was so different from the warmth of his hand when he had held hers in the car that Yeonwoo pressed her lips together.
— I asked where you are.
“I’m at a cafe in the building next to the company. I didn’t really have anywhere else to go, so I came here…”
Ah, why can I only speak like this?
Yeonwoo was frustrated with her own voice. She couldn’t speak clearly and confidently; whenever she talked to Sung-hun, her voice always trailed off as if she were intimidated.
I’m at a cafe. I came out a little while ago. What should I do now? Should I go ahead first?
That was what she had wanted to ask.
When Sung-hun didn’t respond immediately after that, she felt a wave of regret for calling him.
As expected, the Vice President must be bewildered. What if he asked why she called, wondering what he was supposed to do about it?
Only negative thoughts clung to her. His silence, which made his thoughts unreadable, was dangerous and fatal to anyone.
— I think it’ll take about thirty minutes.
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Thirty minutes.”
— Will you be okay alone? Or you can come up to my office.
A surge of emotions raced from her toes to the top of her head. Yeonwoo began to shake her leg, something she rarely did.
“I can stay by myself. I just ordered coffee.”
— You’re all grown up. Going to a cafe alone.
A sudden laugh escaped her at his meaningful remark.
— All right. I’ll see you in thirty minutes then.
“Yes. I understand, Vice President.”
Her throat was bone dry, but her nervous Adam’s apple moved incessantly.
— Ah, and.
She thought the call was ending since the business was over, but his voice rang out again.
She grew tense again, wondering what he was going to say. He had a knack for making people nervous, and an ability to make her break into a cold sweat with every following word.
— Think about what you want to eat.
“Ah…!”
A fairly large gasp escaped her. As if finding that sound cute, his businesslike voice finally softened.
— Let’s go on a date.
Click. The call was cut off.
