ANLAH 08

08.

The awkward dinner began.

It was the first time Hee-jae had ever dined with them in the mansion’s dining room.
Perhaps because of that, she had no appetite, and the hand holding her chopsticks trembled slightly.

As a child, Hee-jae had never eaten meals on time.
After helping her mother prepare food for the owner’s family, the four of them would eat together.
Until then, Hee-jae had to wait alone in a tiny room under the stairs, clutching her hungry stomach.

When the family finished, the servants would have their late dinner from leftovers and whatever was in the refrigerator.
If she was lucky, there would be plenty left. If not, she nearly starved.

All her life, she had only watched the four family members dine together—yet tonight, instead of Se-heon, she sat at the table.

“Se-heon’s case will be handled by Hee-jae.”

Chairman Shin threw the words out in his dry tone.

At that, Sun-hye, who was just about to take a spoonful, dropped her spoon onto the table.

“What did you just say?”

Her eyes turned bloodshot as anger surged.
But Chairman Shin paid her no attention and continued eating.

Gyo-bin also ignored her completely.
Beneath the table, Sun-hye’s fists trembled.

Then her gaze clashed with Hee-jae’s.
Startled, Hee-jae quickly looked away.
Still, the scorching glare clung to her alone.

“Are you out of your mind? Choi Hee-jae is a traitor. After you gave her over ten years of elite education, paid her tuition, wrote her college recommendations, even sent her abroad, she stabbed you in the back and ran!”

Sun-hye jabbed her finger toward Hee-jae, raging.

Only then did Chairman Shin set down his chopsticks with a sharp clack.

“It already disgusts me that you dragged such a girl back into our company, and now what? You want to let her defend Se-heon?”

Sun-hye let out a hollow laugh.
Bringing a betrayer back into the company could be excused as a move to recover investments.
But entrusting Se-heon’s trial—the heir of the family—to her? That, she could never allow.

Yes, Se-heon had indeed committed heinous crimes and was now under investigation.
Yes, he had already been permanently dismissed by unanimous vote of the shareholders.

But Sun-hye still dreamed of returning Se-heon to Shin Group’s management.
For that, the trial’s outcome was crucial. She could not entrust that last chance to a betrayer.

“Hee-jae is a competent lawyer. I’ve judged that she can handle Se-heon’s case. So stay out of it.”

Frustrated, Sun-hye beat her chest with her fists.
She couldn’t understand her husband’s mind.

This was the man who had been first to cut off his own son when Se-heon embezzled funds and committed corruption.
He had revoked the inheritance, rewritten his will.
He had said that no matter the bloodline, he would not hand over management to someone who treated the company that way.

Yet here he was, pouring resources into Se-heon’s defense.

Perhaps his rejection of Se-heon had been nothing but a show.
Perhaps this was his desperate attempt to save the company.
In any case, the verdict mattered deeply to him.

“If this cannot be resolved cleanly this time, then I too will consider it beyond saving.”

His sharp gaze turned to Hee-jae.

“That bastard Shin Se-heon, and you, Attorney Choi.”

Chairman Shin had left both of their fates in Hee-jae’s hands.

If her true goal was revenge, she would never play things to their advantage.
In that case, Chairman Shin intended to drag them both down together.

But if she proved herself, restored the company’s image, and brought the result he wanted—
Then both Se-heon and Hee-jae could be redeemed.

“What happens then?”

It was Gyo-bin, silent until now, who suddenly spoke.
No one was more curious about the fates of Shin Se-heon and Choi Hee-jae than he.

“If Attorney Choi fails, she’ll have to return every cent I ever invested in her—plus high interest. Ten years’ worth.”

Hee-jae’s toes twitched under the table, though she kept her expression steady.

Since middle school, she had received expensive support: elite schooling, Korea’s most prestigious high school, university, law school, even overseas study.

The sum must be astronomical.
Her vision blurred at the thought.

“Hah. She hasn’t even handled a proper case yet—what could she possibly accomplish?”

Sun-hye sneered, though her eyes softened when she turned to the chairman.

“Darling, don’t gamble with our Se-heon. Let’s use the law firm Director Kim recommended—”

“Enough!”

The chairman’s roar cut her short.
Sun-hye ducked her head, silenced.

“I do not doubt my judgment.”

His head snapped toward Hee-jae.
She flinched but didn’t look away.

“So prove it yourself.”

His clenched fist trembled.

He had once doted on her—perhaps more than his illegitimate son Gyo-bin.
He had invested in her education, given her everything.
And she betrayed him.

The betrayal was painful, yes.
But even more unbearable was the thought that his judgment had been wrong.

His choices had always been right.
He had built Shin Group by proving every risk worthwhile.
Managing people, too, had never been difficult—money secured loyalty.

But his only failure was Choi Hee-jae.
Even if he had forced her return in less than a year, that absence had been intolerable.

Now, restoring his pride was paramount.

“That my judgment was not wrong. That my investment will yield profit greater than the principal.”

Only Choi Hee-jae could restore that pride.
Only she, by submitting, by producing the results he demanded.

“Prove it with your own skills.”

It had to be her—and no one else.