Chapter 71

Everyone turned toward the door, their expressions mixed with confusion and caution.

Mr. Song looked at Yuna. “Chairwoman, are you expecting someone?”

Yuna didn’t answer immediately. Her cold eyes shifted toward the door. Even she seemed puzzled because this meeting was supposed to be private. No one else should’ve known about it.

[Knock, knock.]

The knock came again, soft but steady.

Yuna gave Harin a small signal to open the door, and Harin quickly moved to do so.

Standing outside was a man in his mid-forties, dressed in a sharp black suit and glasses. His expression was calm and professional, much like Mr. Song’s. Harin exchanged a few quiet words with him, her expression turning from polite confusion to mild surprise. Then, she stepped aside to let him in.

The man walked forward and stopped a few steps away from the table before giving a small bow.

“Good afternoon,” he said in a polite tone. “I’m Attorney Park Jun-ho from XXX Law Office. I apologize for the interruption, but I’ll need to pause this discussion briefly. I’m here on behalf of my client.”

He turned his head slightly,

toward me?

For a moment, I froze.

He gave me a faint, reassuring smile, as if silently telling me not to worry.

Across from me, Yuna’s gaze sharpened. “Who gave you permission to be here? This is a private meeting. You have no authority to interfere.”

Attorney Park met Yuna’s glare calmly, completely unfazed. “I understand, Ms. Seo. But as of this moment, Mr. Kim has appointed me as his legal representative for this meeting. The written confirmation will be submitted afterward. For now, I’m here to ensure his rights are properly protected.”

The room went silent for a few seconds.

Appointed?

When did I ever do that?

Mr. Song frowned, his voice tightening slightly. “With respect, Attorney Park, that’s quite unusual. Mr. Kim clearly stated earlier that he didn’t bring any representative and was proceeding on his own. You can’t just appear midway and claim representation without prior notice.”

Attorney Park looked at him, his expression calm but firm. “Unusual, yes. But not against the rules. A client can appoint legal counsel at any point before or during a meeting. Especially if the discussion involves potential legal implications. I’m sure you understand that, Attorney Song.”

The tone in his voice made it clear he wasn’t someone easily pushed around.

Then he turned to me, his gaze gentler. “Mr. Kim, would you please confirm? Do you wish for me to act as your representative from this point onward?”

Everyone in the room turned their eyes toward me. Even Harin was subtly signaling for me to nod, to just agree.

My heart started pounding. I still didn’t understand what was happening or who this man really was. But the way he carried himself, calm and confident, made me want to trust him.

“…Yes,” I said slowly, forcing myself to sound certain. “He’s my lawyer.”

Yuna’s expression didn’t change much, but the slight twitch of her brow told me she wasn’t pleased.

Attorney Park gave a faint smile. “Then, with your permission, may I have a copy of these terms? I’d also like a brief moment to speak with my client before we continue. I believe that’s only fair, given the circumstances.”

Mr. Song exhaled softly, clearly annoyed, but after exchanging a brief look with Yuna, he nodded reluctantly. “…Fine. Make it quick,” he said, handing the document to Attorney Park.

Attorney Park took the document and gestured lightly toward me. “Mr. Kim, shall we?”

I nodded, stood up, and followed him out of the lounge.

He quietly closed the door behind us.

Once we were alone, he straightened his tie and gave a polite bow. “Allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Attorney Park Jun-ho. I know you’re confused right now, but don’t worry, Mr. Kim. I’m here on the order of Ms. Hwang.”

My eyes widened slightly.

Sera?

He continued calmly, “She was concerned when you said you’d come here alone. She already anticipated this might not be a fair meeting. So, she send me.”

Attorney Park’s tone grew slightly firmer, though still polite.

“And to be honest, Mr. Kim, Ms. Hwang was right. I don’t know what you expected by coming here alone, but from what she told me, this meeting was never going to be in your favor. You’re requesting a divorce without your spouse’s consent. That alone makes things legally complicated. And with Chairwoman Seo’s influence, it’ll be almost impossible to proceed without resistance.”

Knowing how reckless I had been, I could only let out a faint sigh. “So there’s really no other way, huh?”

Attorney Park gave a small, knowing chuckle. “That’s exactly why I was sent here, Mr. Kim.”

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⸻

We returned to our seats. The air in the room felt heavier than before.

Attorney Park sat down beside me, his expression calm. “Now, before we continue, I’d like to review the last condition mentioned by Attorney Song.”

Mr. Song leaned forward slightly, smiling politely. “Of course. As stated in the terms, if Mr. Kim insists on this divorce, the Chairwoman will allow it, on the condition that they live together for six months to confirm mutual consent.”

Attorney Park nodded once. “Yes, I heard that part. However, that condition sounds more like forcing someone than a mutual agreement. Making them live together doesn’t prove consent, it takes it away.”

Mr. Song chuckled softly, as if speaking to someone who didn’t understand. “I think you’re mistaken, Attorney Park. It’s not forcing, it’s a chance to reconcile. The law allows a period for both sides to rethink their decision.”

“That may be true,” Attorney Park replied evenly, “but reconciliation must be agreed upon by both parties. My client never requested or agreed to that period.”

Mr. Song’s polite tone didn’t falter, but his words grew sharper. “Then perhaps your client should have thought about legal details before demanding a divorce from the head of a major conglomerate in the country. This isn’t a casual breakup, Attorney Park.”

I could feel the tension rising. Attorney Park stayed calm, but I saw his jaw tighten slightly.

“With all due respect,” he said, “being a chaebol doesn’t automatically make someone right in a marriage.”

Mr. Song smirked faintly. “Maybe not, but it does influence who the court is likely to believe in the end. And between a nineteen-year-old and a prominent chaebol… well, I think we both know which way it would lean.”

The room fell quiet again. My stomach twisted uncomfortably.

Yuna still hadn’t said a word, just sitting there calmly, watching the exchange.

Mr. Song leaned back, his tone confident. “So unless your client is ready to meet our conditions, I’m afraid there’s nothing more to discuss today.”

Attorney Park stayed silent for a moment. Then, he let out a quiet sigh, taking off his glasses and cleaning them slowly with a cloth from his pocket.

“I see,” he said softly. “So that’s how it’s going to be.”

He put his glasses back on, straightened the papers in front of him, and spoke in a calm but firm voice. “Very well. Since you’re insisting on making this difficult for my client, we’ll take a different approach.”

He reached into his briefcase, pulled out a small folder, and placed it neatly on the table.

“From this moment, this meeting is no longer a discussion about divorce,” he said clearly. “It will proceed as a lawsuit for domestic abuse.”

The entire room froze.

Mr. Song’s polite smile vanished instantly. “What did you just say?”

Attorney Park didn’t even blink. His voice stayed calm and steady. “You heard me. This meeting will now proceed as a lawsuit for domestic abuse.”

Yuna’s eyes darkened, and her jaw tightened ever so slightly. “That’s a heavy accusation you’re making, Mr. Park,” she said quietly. “Are you sure you can back it up?”

Attorney Park chuckled lightly, completely unfazed. “You see, my client came here today with good intentions. He just wanted to settle this quietly, without bringing it to court. But it seems that every attempt to speak reasonably has been met with intimidation and manipulation. So, I’m afraid we’ll have to take another route.”

Mr. Song looked at Yuna briefly. But he quickly composed himself, trying to recover. “You’re bluffing. There’s no evidence for that. Empty words won’t hold up in court.”

Attorney Park smiled faintly and opened his briefcase again. “Evidence, you say?”

He pulled out a stack of neatly clipped papers and handed them across the table to Mr. Song.

Yuna’s brows furrowed slightly the moment she saw the logo printed on the top of the document.

“These are medical records from XXX Medical Centre,” Attorney Park said calmly. “As you can see, the paramedics’ report includes notes on head trauma, external bleeding, and extensive bruising found on my client’s body. From what I can tell, it’s difficult to deny these injuries as anything but physical abuse. Don’t you think so, Attorney Song? I’m sure you’ve handled plenty of similar cases before.”

He paused for a moment, then gave a faint, almost mocking smile. “Tell me, Ms. Seo, were you aware that your husband was admitted to the hospital a few days ago? Or did no one bother to inform you that he was found collapsed and covered in bruises?”

The room went completely silent.

Yuna’s expression turned icy at his words, but she forced herself to remain composed.

Attorney Park continued, his tone calm but sharper now. “And the most interesting part is that, someone inside the hospital tried to delete those records shortly after they were filed. Well, I won’t question who gave that order…” His eyes stayed on Yuna.

Behind Yuna, Harin’s eyes softened with relief as she gave me a faint smile.

“What nonsense are you trying to say?” Yuna said coldly, her voice low and threatening. “Are you accusing me of something, Mr. Park?”

“Chairwoman, please, wait,” Mr. Song quickly intervened, trying to calm her down before things escalated.

He leaned forward, forcing a composed tone even though there was tension in his voice. “You know this is ridiculous, right? These so-called medical records could easily be forged. Anyone could fake a document like that. It’s meaningless without proper verification.”

Attorney Park tilted his head slightly. “Forgery? I see. So you’re suggesting a national hospital fabricated an entire medical report? I’d be careful with that statement, Attorney Song. That could be considered defamation against a public institution.”

Mr. Song’s jaw tightened. “Don’t twist my words, Mr. Park. The court won’t take vague claims seriously. And even if this report is legitimate, it doesn’t prove who caused the injuries. There’s no witness and no direct evidence. If you continue spreading false accusations against the Chairwoman Seo, we’ll have no choice but to sue for defamation.”

Attorney Park smiled faintly. “Who said this is the only evidence?”

The room fell silent again.

Then he turned his head slightly toward me and gave a small signal with his eyes.

I understood immediately. My hands were trembling slightly under the table. I exhaled slowly, trying to ease the weight pressing on my chest.

“I’m sorry, Yuna,” I said quietly. “I really wanted to settle things peacefully between us today.”

“Hey, Haemin, what are you doin—” Yuna’s cold voice called out to me.

I slipped my hand into my pocket. “…but you’ve left me with no choice.”

Then, slowly, I pulled out a small silver pen and placed it gently on the table.

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Epilogue

“So there’s really no other way, huh?”

“That’s exactly why I was sent here, Mr. Kim.”

I blinked in confusion.

He gave a faint smile. “To be honest, Mr. Kim, Ms. Hwang already told me about your situation. She told me about Ms. Seo’s abusive behavior toward you… and everything you’ve had to endure until now.”

“W-Why did she tell—”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Kim,” he said calmly. “I won’t say anything about this. It’s protected under attorney–client privilege.”

Then he continued, “You have a good heart, Mr. Kim. You really do. I understand why you don’t want to make things difficult for your wife. That’s why you’re trying to end this quietly. Am I right?”

I nodded slowly, lowering my gaze.

“As your lawyer, I won’t question your choice. I can negotiate these terms for you, but trust me, they will find a loophole. And in the end, you’ll still end up back with your wife.”

Mr. Park continued, his tone softening slightly. “I’m saying this because I see you… like a younger brother.”

He opened his briefcase. “Right now, I have reports from XXX Medical Center, where you were admitted a few days ago. Everything, including clear evidence, was provided to me by Ms. Hwang. If we go with her way, she wanted me to intervene immediately and file a lawsuit against Ms. Seo.”

I froze, completely shocked.

“But I don’t want to do that just yet. I wanted to talk to you first. I understand how you feel, and I respect your decision. So tell me, Mr. Kim, should we proceed with their terms, or file the lawsuit?”

I stayed quiet for a long moment, torn between fear and guilt.

“Is there really no other way to make her agree?”

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Kim.”

I lowered my head.

“You don’t have to feel guilty about your actions, Mr. Kim. You’ve done your best as her husband. Be proud of that, you’ve done more than enough. Even as a husband myself, I can’t help but respect the patience and effort you’ve shown.”

Mr. Park placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s alright now. You don’t have to endure this anymore. Be free.”

He gave me a genuine smile. For the first time in hours, I felt a sense of relief. Maybe this was the kind of push I needed to finally face the truth. Maybe this truly could be the end of our story.

“Thank you, Attorney Park.”

He smiled again, kindly.

“But… you’ll need more than just that evidence to make sure your win is solid.”

Mr. Park frowned slightly, puzzled.

“You were wondering why I came here alone, weren’t you, Attorney Park?”

I asked, slipping my hand into my pocket to pick up the item.

“Here’s why…”

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[Flashback] [Chapter 62]

“S–Separation order? Harin—won’t it be dangerous if Yuna finds out you’re behind it?”

“I know how to handle it. I’ll do it quietly… of course.”

“But… will she even obey the order? She has the power to do whatever she wants.”

“She will, leave that to me.”

There was a brief silence before she continued, her voice gentler.

“Haemin-ssi, there’s something I want to give you.”

I looked at her, a little confused.

Harin took something out from her handbag and placed it in my hand.

“A pen?”

Harin smiled gently, her eyes warm. “Yes, but it’s not just a normal pen.”

She leaned forward slightly and gently took it back from my hand for a moment, showing me a small hidden button near the clip. “If you press this button right here,” she said softly, “it will start recording. It can record up to eighty hours of audio.”

“Wait… it can really do that?”

Harin chuckled quietly at my reaction and placed the pen back into my hand, closing my fingers around it. “Haemin,” she said kindly, “I know things might get even more difficult from now on, and I can’t always be there to protect you, but I hope you’ll use this pen as your own protection. If Chairwoman Seo ever tries to hurt you again… this will be your evidence.”

I lowered my gaze, gripping the pen tightly.

She continued softly, “Keep it with you until the day you find what your heart truly wants. Until then, let this be your shield.”

My eyes stung. “Why are you going this far for me, Harin-ssi?”

Harin just smiled, her expression gentle but sad. “You don’t need to ask that, Haemin-ssi. I’m doing this because I care about you.”

I felt a tear slip down my cheek before I could stop it.

She reached out, gently placed her hand over mine before meeting my eyes again. “Whatever happens after this,” she said softly, “promise me you’ll be strong, alright?”

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