Chapter 12

Jaehyun sat at the very center of the conference table, rapidly scrolling through news articles on his tablet.

Reports about the divorce proceedings between Daewoong Electronics Vice Chairman Jung Jaehyun and top star Lee Yujin were pouring in by the minute.

<Shocking Revelation: Jung Jaehyun Admits to Having an Illegitimate Child. Can a Spouse at Fault Still Win Custody?>

<Who Is Attorney Kim Sunwoo of Yigim Law Firm, Who Is Taking on Vice Chairman Jung Jaehyun’s Elite Legal Team?>

<Attorney Kim Sunwoo, Representing Lee Yujin, Turns Out to Be Her Middle School Classmate>

<Jung Jaehyun vs. Lee Yujin: Fierce Legal Battle Over Astronomical Alimony>

Jaehyun’s expression remained impassive as he read the sensational headlines.

Dressed in an immaculate, perfectly pressed suit and wearing a pair of gleaming designer shoes from a renowned luxury brand, he sat with his legs crossed, silently exuding an air of authority.

“Is that all? I don’t think this will be enough.”

Attorney Yoo Daehyun flipped through a stack of documents before handing them back to an associate.

“I’ll look for more.”

“Include everything. Luxury shopping, dermatology clinics, massages, even the personal training sessions she received from those young men.”

“Understood.”

The associate attorney, her hair pulled tightly into a ponytail, bowed to Daehyun before leaving the conference room.

The elite legal team mentioned in the articles was gathered around Jaehyun, with lawyers seated on either side of him. There were six of them in total.

While the attorneys busily exchanged documents and discussed their strategy, Jaehyun seemed to exist in an entirely different world, leisurely scrolling through his tablet.

“We’ll fight to bring the two hundred billion won she’s demanding in alimony down to twenty billion. Prepare accordingly.”

Daehyun adjusted his glasses, which had slipped slightly down his nose.

He was a former judge who had served at the Seoul Central District Court, Incheon District Court, and the National Court Administration. Now, he was one of the attorneys handling Jaehyun’s divorce case.

His credentials were every bit as impressive as one would expect from such an elite legal team.

“My wife is quite lucky, isn’t she? She must have had a hard time finding another lawyer on such short notice.”

Jaehyun finally spoke after silently reading the articles for some time.

The once-bustling conference room fell deathly silent.

He lifted his head and offered a faint smile.

It was a crooked, sardonic smile that suited his sharp, cold features perfectly.

“I’ll assume that the reason public opinion is still against me is that you haven’t had a chance to demonstrate your abilities yet.”

If not for Jaehyun’s illegitimate child, this case would have been easy.

The attorneys lowered their gazes, unable to meet his eyes.

Public opinion was just as important as the legal proceedings themselves, and they would have to work tirelessly to turn the tide in their client’s favor.

“It seems that Ms. Lee’s position is having a significant influence on public opinion…”

“Then let’s play along. Since she seems determined to turn the courtroom into a drama, let’s give her a performance worth watching.”

The face of the man who had barged into his car—Sunwoo—flashed through Jaehyun’s mind.

He would have to teach that fearless little upstart a proper lesson for daring to stand before him and declare war.

He would show him that no matter how hard one tried, some things were simply impossible.

“Take this down.”

“Get the recording ready.”

At Daehyun’s instructions, the conference room sprang into action.

The other attorneys prepared to type, while several of them activated the recording functions on their phones.

“I was so miserable in my marriage that I had to seek psychiatric treatment. Yet my wife didn’t even know about it. No, let’s say she simply never bothered to find out. After all, restoring her body after childbirth was the most important thing to her. In the meantime, our child was cared for by the four live-in nannies and my mother, who took on the burden of raising the child.”

Jaehyun’s voice was steady and measured, with just the right cadence to inspire confidence.

He took a sip of the Americano in front of him before continuing.

“Despite being subjected to endless overtime every day, I endured by taking the strong medication prescribed by my psychiatrist. Even when I came home after working through the night, my wife showed absolutely no interest in me. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m trying to shirk responsibility for my illegitimate child. As for the alimony, I’ll leave it to all of you to reach an amicable settlement with my wife.”

“We’ll add the vice chairman’s psychiatric diagnosis to the evidence.”

Jaehyun waved a hand as though he hadn’t finished speaking.

“There’s something rather strange about all this. She suddenly changes lawyers, and it turns out the new one was her middle school classmate. My wife, who initially said she didn’t need any money and wanted only custody of the child, suddenly demands two hundred billion won in alimony. I regret having to bring this up, but I’m sure you’re all aware of the scandals involving my wife and several businessmen before we got married.”

Jaehyun placed his hands on the table and interlaced his fingers.

A gold watch set with diamonds peeked out from beneath the neatly stitched cuff of his shirt.

“Could all of this really be a coincidence? I can’t help wondering whether my wife approached me for my money from the very beginning, or whether she’s using our child as leverage because she has some other motive in mind. It worries me.”

Jaehyun slipped his tablet into its leather case, signaling that he had said everything he intended to say.

When he rose to his feet, all six attorneys stood with him.

He gestured for them to sit back down.

“Show me what you’re capable of.”

Carrying a tumbler in one hand and his tablet in the other, Jaehyun left the conference room.

Employees wearing Daewoong Electronics ID badges bowed as he approached the private executive elevator.

Jaehyun smiled at each of them in turn.

The elevator’s interior gleamed with a golden radiance, as though every surface had been coated in gold.

<First floor.>

The moment Jaehyun stepped out of the elevator, he took out his phone and called Secretary Kim.

“Yeonha, did you eat a good lunch? You didn’t complain about the side dishes like you did yesterday, did you?”

His tone was considerably gentler than the icy voice he’d used during the meeting.

“Dad! Tell that lady to take Yeonha to Mommy!”

Yeonha’s whining voice came through the phone.

The child had taken to calling Secretary Kim a strange lady ever since the secretary had suddenly appeared and begun following her around all day.

Jaehyun closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again and brought a hand to his temple.

“You have violin lessons today, don’t you? If you run away saying you won’t do it, like you did last week, you’ll be in trouble.”

Worried that Yeonha would continue to complain, Jaehyun changed the subject.

On the other end of the line, her breathing was becoming increasingly uneven.

“Why isn’t Mommy coming to see Yeonha?”

“Well, it seems Mommy has something more important to do than see you.”

Yeonha’s sniffles mingled with Secretary Kim’s gentle attempts to comfort her in the background.

“Does Mommy hate Yeonha?”

Her words were broken and muffled by her sobbing.

Jaehyun glanced at his watch and let out a faint sigh.

“You’ll have to study hard if you want to see Mommy.”

“Your car is waiting, sir.”

Jaehyun’s private chauffeur-driven car had pulled up in front of him and Secretary Kim.

“Be good and listen to your teacher.”

Before Yeonha’s sniffles had even subsided, Jaehyun ended the call.

“Take me to the Daewoong Hotel.”

His voice was as cold as the depths of winter.

He opened the rear door, got into the car, and leaned back against the seat.

Daewoong Hotel — VIP Lounge

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass walls stretched a magnificent view of Namsan Mountain.

By day, the scenery brimmed with the vitality of nature. By night, it was filled with the awe-inspiring splendor of the city.

It was a place where nature and urban life blended into a breathtaking panorama.

The Daewoong Hotel stood in Yongsan, offering a view of both worlds.

Its VIP lounge had been closed to the public for an entire year.

All for the sake of a single person.

Click. Click.

The sharp tapping of heels echoed across the marble floor.

A woman entered, wearing a limited-edition pair of heels from brand J, their pointed toes and ankle straps encrusted with Swarovski crystals.

Her off-the-shoulder dress left her shoulders bare, its hem falling just below her slender ankles.

Click. Click.

She strode confidently across the vast space, as though she were its rightful owner. A cross-shaped necklace glittered at her throat.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she crossed the lounge and stopped in front of a window near the far end.

Directly opposite her stood a church bearing a massive cross.

She brought both hands together in front of her chest and slowly closed her clear, sparkling eyes.

“Lord… Please forgive me.”

Her rose-red lips moved gently as she prayed, her voice pure and clear as it spread through the stillness.

“Please forgive me for saying that I loved You.”

She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the cross.

Her eyes were deep and dark, like an ocean whose depths could never be fathomed.

“There is someone I love more than You, Lord. Please take pity on me for loving him.”