Chapter 21
From the morning, Yiyeon headed straight to the managing partner’s office.
Arriving at the door, she carefully knocked. A calm voice sounded softly from inside.
“Come in.”
As the door opened, Han Seong-hee, the managing partner of Beophyeon Law Firm, was seated in the center of a room filled with antique furniture and neatly organized documents.
Once a renowned women’s rights attorney, she had taken a step back since founding the firm, quietly focusing only on management.
The fact that she had personally summoned Yiyeon, even sending a message yesterday, meant it wasn’t just a simple greeting or a formal call; there was a definite reason.
“Managing Partner, what is this about?”
At Yiyeon’s polite voice, Managing Partner Han slowly closed the document she was holding.
“For the time being, I’d like Attorney Yu to support Attorney Cha’s cases.”
For a moment, Yiyeon’s eyes widened. But she soon composed her expression and cautiously continued.
“Um… Managing Partner, as you know, the work I’m handling now is already overwhelming. Taking on Attorney Cha’s work as well…”
“So, are you saying no?”
Managing Partner Han’s brow furrowed slightly.
“A talent like Attorney Cha came to our firm of her own accord. Doesn’t it make no sense to refuse that?”
Yiyeon took a breath and answered a beat late.
“I’m sorry, but I have some personal history with Attorney Cha. So, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to take this on.”
Hearing Yiyeon, who was usually never stubborn, speak so firmly, Managing Partner Han briefly lowered her gaze and let out a short sigh. On her desk lay the draft of Woo-gyung’s contract.
The Managing Partner’s fingertips lightly tapped on it.
“You’ve heard, right? What Attorney Cha’s condition was for working at our firm. It was just one line in the contract.”
“That is…”
“The condition to work with Attorney Yu. It’s simple, isn’t it?”
Managing Partner Han uncrossed her arms, leaned back in her chair, and looked straight at Yiyeon.
“Be honest. The relationship between you two isn’t so uncomfortable that you can’t work together, is it?”
“It’s not that, but…”
“A capable talent wants to join our firm. Why are you saying no? It doesn’t make sense to let this great opportunity slip away over one condition.”
A firmness seeped into the Managing Partner’s tone.
“Attorney Yu, as you know, our firm’s situation isn’t easy right now. Attorney Song’s mishandling of that corporate defense last time significantly damaged our image. Attorney Cha joining us now is a huge opportunity. A name value like Attorney Cha alone can turn the atmosphere around.”
“I know that. However, working directly on a team with Attorney Cha…”
“As professionals, we should be able to set aside personal feelings.”
Yiyeon bit her lip slightly with a troubled look and lowered her gaze. Seeing this, the Managing Partner’s eyes softened momentarily.
“Yu Yiyeon. You haven’t forgotten who reached out to you during your difficult times, have you?”
A solemn silence fell at those words.
It was true that the person who had steadied her during her college days and when she was lost after her divorce was the very Han Seong-hee before her.
“Managing Partner… that is…”
“This isn’t something you can refuse. For the sake of the firm.”
Finally, Yiyeon’s lips moved, and she slowly nodded.
“…I understand.”
The moment she stepped out of the managing partner’s office, the tension released, and the strength left her legs.
I lost. Completely lost.
A wry smile escaped her lips.
Coming straight down to the office, Joo-ho greeted Yiyeon and immediately asked.
“Are you done talking with the Managing Partner?”
“Yes… But it seems I’ll be supporting Attorney Cha for the time being.”
“What?”
Joo-ho’s face instantly hardened.
“You’re really going under Attorney Cha?”
Yiyeon took a moment to steady her breath and answered calmly.
“It’s already a decision made internally. It’s not something that can be changed just because I’m uncomfortable with it.”
“Even so, this is too sudden.”
Joo-ho frowned, his face showing irritation.
“Attorney Song.”
Yiyeon stepped closer and cut him off firmly.
“I don’t want to make a scene unnecessarily. I’m uncomfortable too, but I’ve decided to accept it.”
After the brief exchange, the office fell quiet.
That’s when it happened.
A low, relaxed voice came from behind.
“Then, Attorney Song.”
All eyes turned to where Woo-gyung stood, arms crossed.
“Please hand over the cases you’re currently handling. Attorney Yu will be joining me as well.”
“What did you say?”
Joo-ho’s face stiffened, and his gaze shot toward Yiyeon.
But the outcome was already decided.
It was clearly Cha Woo-gyung’s victory.
***
The law office was quiet, well past lunchtime.
Perhaps because the seats of the attorneys who were out on external appointments were empty, the excessive silence felt unfamiliar compared to usual.
Sitting in front of her monitor, Yiyeon stared blankly at the screen for a while before pressing her fingertips against her temples.
Her head throbbed, perhaps from a heavy headache.
Whether it was the cold air from the air conditioner or the tension that had been building since morning, her body shivered slightly.
Could it be because of getting drenched that day?
Normally, she would have brushed off this level of fatigue without a second thought.
Even during her college days, juggling lectures and assignments, pulling all-nighters was common.
But today, her body felt unusually heavy.
Was it the coffee? Or because she hadn’t eaten properly since morning?
Muttering to herself, Yiyeon rubbed her cool arms. A faint warmth spread from the slight friction.
Feeling a bit better, Yiyeon slowly moved the mouse.
On the screen, case folders she hadn’t yet organized were densely lined up.
Among them, the folder managed by Song Joo-ho caught her eye.
It was a case file he had said she could refer to during their relationship.
Even though she could no longer assist him directly, she was still the only one who could organize these files.
Given more time, her access permissions would likely be revoked too.
She had to finish reviewing them before that.
Yiyeon tightened her grip on the mouse slightly.
On the monitor, legal documents related to a wage arrears lawsuit involving a subcontractor of Shin Yu Group were displayed one after another.
Witness statements, account tracking records, case progress reports—it was all a familiar structure to Yiyeon.
But the more she scrolled through the documents, the blurrier her vision became.
Nevertheless, Yiyeon forced her eyelids open. As she scrolled down, her fingertips suddenly stopped.
“…Scheduled for disposal?”
One file title stood out conspicuously.
[ShinYu_WageArrears_ScheduledForDisposal.]
Yiyeon rubbed her eyes for a moment and checked the screen again.
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
Scheduled for disposal?
This wasn’t the kind of material that could be dismissed as mere reference.
It might be an important file containing case records.
Hovering the mouse cursor over the file, her slightly hesitant finger clicked.
The screen blinked, and a list of decompressed files unfolded.
Inside the folder, case summary documents by date and a file titled ‘Final Settlement (Confidential)’ were visible.
Yiyeon took a deep breath and moved the mouse again.
As she slowly scrolled down, familiar names appeared in sequence within the document.
Shin Yu Group Legal Team, Song Joo-ho.
The moment she saw that name, Yiyeon’s fingertips came to a complete stop.
More than that, a short sentence in the memo section at the bottom of the file caught her eye.
[Internal evidence deletion complete. External reporting withheld.]
Instantly, Yiyeon’s mind went blank.
“…Deletion complete?”
The whisper that escaped her lips trembled faintly in the air.
Her heart raced wildly.
Her fingertips turned cold, and the monitor’s light seemed to shimmer slightly.
Could it be that Song Joo-ho…?
Yiyeon leaned back in her chair, taking short, ragged breaths.
The inside of her chest felt hot, and heat seemed to rise from her head to her nape.
“I have to check…”
Yiyeon grabbed the mouse again and clicked.
But the screen suddenly turned dark, and a cold, blinking warning message appeared.
Startled by the ‘File Access Restricted’ message, Yiyeon tapped the keyboard with panicked fingers, but there was no response.
“No…”
Meanwhile, her headache intensified, and her heart beat irregularly, thumping wildly.
The fingertips resting on the pile of documents gradually lost strength.
Then, her fingers slipped off, and a file tumbled over the edge of the desk with a soft thud.
The light sound of it hitting the floor cut through the quiet office air in an instant.
“Ah…”
A short sigh escaped.
Yiyeon hurriedly bent down.
Scattered papers were strewn about, and Yiyeon’s fingers fumbled as she gathered them one by one.
That’s when it happened.
At the edge of her lowered vision, near the floor, a pair of impeccably polished dress shoes suddenly came into view.
Even before she could lift her head, a peculiar gaze felt from behind quietly weighed down on her shoulders.
“What are you doing?”
Raising her head slowly, she saw Joo-ho, dressed in a black suit, looking down at her leisurely with one hand in his pocket.
At that moment, Yiyeon’s fingers froze on the paper, unable to speak or move.
