The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 88

 

 

After Lee Seol-rok left, I wrote the response brief.

 

This was more than enough.

To file a lawsuit claiming a common-law marriage while having a fiancé.

 

Moreover, demanding fifty million won in alimony from Kim Su-yeon, the victim?

I could write the response brief without even engaging my brain.

 

[The plaintiff claims that the defendant had an improper relationship with Bae In-jun, the plaintiff’s common-law spouse, thereby violating the common-law marriage relationship, and is demanding fifty million won in alimony for this.]

 

[However, this is completely untrue, and even the ‘existence of a common-law marriage relationship’ claimed by the plaintiff in this lawsuit is not established.]

 

I was writing words that would touch the presiding judge’s heartstrings, referencing the evidence materials Lee Seol-rok had brought.

 

Perfect.

Noh Hae-min glanced over and spoke up.

 

“But Attorney Sung.”

“What is it.”

 

I answered without stopping my fingers from tapping the keyboard.

Sometimes my fingers would automatically write as if inspired by divine intervention.

 

[Bae In-jun and the plaintiff have never shared a registered address, nor do any objective materials exist to prove an economic community or emotional bond. A common-law marriage relationship cannot be recognized based solely on simple acquaintance or cohabitation.]

 

“No, it’s just. About Kim Su-yeon.”

“Yes.”

“I was wondering if she’ll be okay…”

 

My hands, which had been mechanically writing the response brief, stopped.

 

Kim Su-yeon. That’s right.

There had been no particular contact from Kim Su-yeon since the day the robber broke in.

 

The Cineser speaker that Lee Seol-rok had entrusted to a ‘forensics company he knew’ also hadn’t produced a report yet.

 

“I need to finish the response brief and get final review from the client.”

“Mmm…”

“Let’s contact her then.”

 

No news is good news.

This was especially true in Kim Su-yeon’s case.

Every time she contacted me, major incidents would break out one after another.

 

However, before Kim Su-yeon, I had found a new source of interest.

 

‘Choi Ji-young’s fiancé.’

 

The existence of the fiancé that Lee Seol-rok had discovered.

Even though it was an arranged marriage, he said their relationship was quite good.

 

Lee Seol-rok had organized a profile including photos of the fiancé and handed it over to me.

Most of it was information obtained through SNS and acquaintances.

 

For this lawsuit, I just need to submit the response brief and prove that Bae In-jun and Choi Ji-young are not in a common-law marriage relationship and that Kim Su-yeon has been suffering from Bae In-jun’s stalking.

 

But I had no intention of ending it there.

 

‘…Choi Ji-young.’

 

As long as Choi Ji-young is Choi Yoon-ki’s cousin.

 

The daughter that Cheon Future’s Representative Choi Hyun-wook cherishes.

Do Choi Hyun-wook or Choi Ji-young’s fiancé know that she filed such a lawsuit?

 

Completely cutting off Bae In-jun’s backing wouldn’t be impossible.

I chuckled and pulled out a document envelope.

 

It suited my temperament to prepare multiple escape routes and passages.

 

* * *

 

A few days later.

 

I left the office under the pretext of visiting Ho-shin Senior, who was still suffering from the flu.

There was no need to inform Noh Hae-min or Manager Yoon Ha-young.

 

Of course, I had contacted Ho-shin Senior in advance.

 

[Senior, are you feeling a bit better?]

 

Of course, true to Kim Ho-shin’s nature, no quick reply came.

I sent a few additional messages.

 

[I sent Korean beef, ginger syrup, and acacia honey.]

[Please return quickly.]

 

Well, even if he takes it as a threat, there’s nothing I can do about it.

 

I never intended to visit Kim Ho-shin’s house from the start.

Where I was headed was the university that Choi Ji-young attended.

 

According to information confirmed with Lee Seol-rok, she had attended university while repeatedly taking leaves of absence and returning.

She had delayed graduation as much as possible and barely managed to complete her coursework, but apparently still needed to meet conditions the school required for graduation.

 

[…Give me a break this week.]

[An older senior is sick, yet you’re being so cold…]

[Still, I’m grateful for the honey.]

[And the meat too]

[And the ginger syrup.]

[Sometimes you seem to know my tastes too well.]

 

Considering the years I’ve been entangled with Kim Ho-shin, I couldn’t help but know his preferences well.

Was he really sick?

Ho-shin Senior, who had been talking longer than usual, additionally sent a photo of himself lying in bed receiving IV fluid.

 

[Get plenty of rest.]

 

After sending my final reply, I turned off my mobile phone.

 

Today was the day Lee Seol-rok had told me about.

Had he said that Choi Ji-young sometimes appeared at school to meet her juniors?

 

I had forgotten all the useless side details, so I wasn’t sure.

Anyway, I waited for her at a cafe near the Business School where Choi Ji-young was said to frequently appear, drinking coffee.

 

The woman who was Bae In-jun’s backer and investor passed by near the cafe shortly after.

 

“Ms. Choi Ji-young.”

 

I grabbed my bag and followed her, calling out her name.

Choi Ji-young slowly came to a stop.

 

She turned around, and when our eyes met, she frowned slightly.

 

“…Who?”

 

She seemed not to remember me.

 

That was natural.

She and I were meeting for the first time today.

Rather, it would have been somewhat suspicious if Sung Tae-hyun had known Choi Ji-young.

 

“My name is Sung Tae-hyun.”

 

I answered gently and pulled out a business card to hand to her.

 

“I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Do you have a moment?”

 

The woman’s eyes glinted coldly.

A bright smile was suddenly painted over her previously bored-looking face.

 

People in the interview video that Lee Seol-rok had obtained had said this.

That she was scary.

I could see why.

 

This woman had never been in any position other than the dominant one.

So even in something as simple as receiving a business card, she reeked of those who live only in high places.

 

“…Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun?”

 

Choi Ji-young smiled as she faced me.

 

“Good. I happen to have some free time.”

 

The lie flowed out easily.

 

* * *

 

“Law Firm Ilchul… I think I might have heard of it?”

 

Choi Ji-young’s head tilted slightly as she sat in the cafe.

Her childish inner thoughts were revealed.

Since I was Kim Su-yeon’s lawyer, there was no way Choi Ji-young wouldn’t know about Ilchul.

 

Well, unless she knew nothing about this litigation and had no involvement in it whatsoever.

 

“You must know about Ms. Kim Su-yeon.”

 

So I simply continued speaking calmly, as if stating a fact.

 

Choi Ji-young was far behind compared to Choi Hyun-wook.

I had dealt with more people who hid their true intentions like cunning snakes while speaking in roundabout ways.

 

So Choi Ji-young just looked like an immature child to me.

 

“…I know her. Kim Su-yeon.”

 

Right.

Choi Ji-young didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it.

 

She leaned back in her chair while drinking the Americano placed in front of her.

 

“And Lawyer Sung Tae-hyun is Ms. Kim Su-yeon’s lawyer?”

“Why did you come? You surprised me. I thought you were another man who came to see me.”

“Why did you come? You startled me. I thought you were another guy coming to see me.”

“It’s true that I came to see Ms. Choi Jiyoung.”

Choi Jiyoung burst into laughter easily at the wordplay.

Nevertheless, he showed signs of being Cheondong’s young blood relative.

It was probably no coincidence that seeing her reminded me of Choi Yoon-ki from his young and naive days.

“I don’t like being teased.”

Like this.

They try to stab you with carefully sharpened words from time to time.

 

“Good. Shall we get straight to the point?”

“Yes, as quickly as possible. I actually have an appointment.”

“Have you lost interest?”

“I’m losing interest. So it depends on what the main point is. Ah.”

“…?”

“I won’t be withdrawing the lawsuit.”

 

I held back the laughter that was about to burst out.

Since we had already submitted the response brief, even if Choi Ji-young wanted to withdraw the lawsuit right now, she would need the consent of the defendant Kim Su-yeon.

 

So the cards she held weren’t much.

It seems the response brief hasn’t been served yet.

 

Instead of sneering, I smiled and said to her.

 

“You said you were in a common-law marriage with Bae In-jun, so I came here out of curiosity.”

“Is that really enough reason for a lawyer to make a move?”

 

The woman answered dutifully even while hardening her expression as if bored.

Instead of answering her words, I threw out a question.

 

“Your address is different from Bae In-jun’s.”

“That’s possible. I have multiple houses.”

“You’ve never announced your marriage either.”

“We’re planning to have a small wedding later.”

 

The daughter of Cheondong Future Innovation’s Representative Choi Hyun-wook having a small wedding?

 

Choi Yoon-ki would laugh if he heard this.

Ah, of course that’s a joke.

 

“A small wedding… you say?”

 

When I stopped speaking at her retort, Choi Ji-young playfully tapped the table with her finger.

 

“Yes. I’m not very materialistic and I’m frugal.”

 

What an amusing thing to say.

 

“Would that statement also be something that Youngoh Industries Chairman Sung San-bok’s second son, Sung Yi-kyung, agrees with?”

 

Sung Yi-kyung was her fiancé.

I heard they got engaged as soon as Choi Ji-young turned twenty.

According to Lee Seol-rok, he had such a quiet and calm personality that he didn’t stand out much.

 

And for the first time, Choi Ji-young’s face hardened.

She glared at me with completely cold eyes and slammed the table.

 

“What are you?”

“Please calm down, Ms. Choi Ji-young.”

“Did you investigate my background? I thought we could have a decent conversation, but now what are you saying to me….”

 

What Lee Seol-rok investigated was true.

Youngoh Industries wasn’t a major corporation like Cheondong.

It was just an ordinary small-to-medium enterprise, and its performance wasn’t good either.

 

The reason why such a Youngoh Industries and Cheondong Future’s Chairman Choi agreed in advance to form an in-law relationship was, surprisingly, not for any grand reason.

 

“Your fathers get along well.”

“You….”

“Childhood friends who’ve been together since young… Ah, actually, don’t people often forget past connections after reaching high positions?”

“….”

“But Representative Choi Hyun-wook’s story of building such a strong friendship until now was so touching that it stuck in my memory.”

 

Choi Ji-young ground her teeth.

I spoke gently as if sharing impressions of a beautiful story.

 

Yet such an intense reaction to this extent.

At least in this aspect, she resembled Bae In-jun.

 

They say you become alike when you’re in love.

Of course, whether Choi Ji-young truly loved Bae In-jun is beside the point.

I wasn’t interested anyway.

 

“Are you… threatening me right now?”

 

Good. Choi Ji-young got angry easily.

There was no need to go as far as Cheondong Future’s Representative; even the younger Choi Yoon-ki wouldn’t have reacted to this extent.

 

Anyway, it wasn’t bad that she reacted whenever I poked.

Youth is indeed wonderful, isn’t it?

 

“Of course not.”

“Then what intention do you have in saying this to me…!”

 

The woman’s lips trembled with anger.

It seemed words weren’t coming out easily.

 

Well, having been born as the daughter of Cheondong Future’s representative, she must have always played the role of ruling from above.

This kind of situation would be a first for her too.

 

It wouldn’t be easy. My empathy naturally drew an upward line.

 

“You claim a common-law marriage but have a separate fiancé.”

 

I spoke deliberately slowly.

The documents in my hand were the complaint that Choi Ji-young had sent to Kim Su-yeon.

 

I was just about to open my mouth and recite it when,

Choi Ji-young realized it was the complaint she had filed and trembled violently.

 

Soon she snatched the complaint from my hands.

 

“What are you trying to do? Withdraw the lawsuit? What do you want?”

“A unilateral withdrawal of the lawsuit is impossible at this point.”

 

Choi Ji-young’s face contorted.

 

“What… what? What are you talking about?”

“Exactly what I said. We’ve submitted a response brief.”

“…?”

 

Ah, she doesn’t understand what submitting a response brief means.

 

That’s understandable.

Even though Choi Ji-young tried to crush Kim Su-yeon using the law, she’s just an ordinary person who doesn’t know much about law itself.

 

However, as always said, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

 

“Didn’t you know? After submitting a response brief, unilateral withdrawal of a lawsuit is impossible.”

“…!”

“You need the defendant’s consent.”

“What the…”

 

And then. I slowly opened my mouth to her.

 

“You filed a lawsuit to intimidate Kim Su-yeon by pretending to be in a common-law marriage despite having a fiancé…”

“…”

“Oh, I’m curious if you got consent from your fiancé, Sung Yi-kyung.”

 

At my deliberately sarcastic words, Choi Ji-young’s face turned increasingly pale.

 

“The relationship between Youngoh Industries Chairman Sung San-bok and your father Representative Choi Hyun-wook might fall apart.”

“…You, right now… me, what…”

“If that happens, your father would be very disappointed. Enough to immediately finalize the succession structure.”

 

Should I stop here.

The opponent was too frozen to have any reason to push further.

 

“The M&A deal between Cheondong Future Innovation and Bailonics, you had a hand in it, right?”

 

Naturally, Choi Ji-young didn’t open her mouth.

She was gnawing on her lips while glaring at me.

 

“That’s what I want.”

“…!”

“Shall we start negotiating now?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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