You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 103

You Have Been Defended – Episode 103

“The prosecution will likely request a search and seizure warrant for Ms. Go Jin-ah at 5 PM today. The news will break tomorrow. If the charge of special instruction in rape [referring to aiding or abetting the crime] and other related offenses are revealed, she will face additional indictments.”

“……”

“In that case, Ms. Go Jin-ah probably won’t be able to initiate divorce proceedings favorably. To regain control of the situation, Mr. Jung Young-joon, not Ms. Go Jin-ah, should be the one to file for divorce.”

A heavy silence settled over the office.

Jung Young-joon seemed to know everything, but he wasn’t as visibly upset as I anticipated.

Or perhaps, he simply didn’t have the capacity to be agitated at that moment.

He hadn’t displayed any discernible expression or movement for quite some time.

After listening intently, Jung Young-joon nodded slowly after a prolonged pause.

“……I see.”

I half-expected him to break down in tears, but instead, Jung Young-joon was just biting his lip, the color draining from it.

His hands trembled slightly, but he gripped the armrest of the sofa tightly, struggling to maintain his composure.

“Do you not know why Jin-ah did that, or what her purpose was……?”

“The prosecution will uncover those details through their investigation.”

“……I see.”

“Given the gravity of the situation, it would be beneficial for Mr. Jung Young-joon to hold a press conference immediately following the prosecution’s briefing. However, if Mr. Jung Young-joon feels that’s too much to handle, issuing a press release would suffice.”

It was quite predictable that Jung Young-joon would opt out of a press conference.

“……A press release, you say?”

“Yes. While the prosecution’s briefing will sufficiently highlight Mr. Jung Young-joon’s innocence, reporters will undoubtedly seek to hear Mr. Jung Young-joon’s perspective. Remaining silent could create difficulties for your family. It’s best to briefly outline the case’s progression, state your position, and conclude there.”

Jung Young-joon hung his head low, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Sensing that he needed time to process everything, I rose from my seat.

My continued presence would likely only add to his burden.

I instructed Kang Min-jae to keep a close watch on him to prevent any impulsive actions, and then I stepped out onto the veranda for a moment of fresh air.

I lit a cigarette and gazed down at the cityscape below.

Even without any dramatic displays of emotion, I could sense the profound sadness emanating from him.

That’s the nature of being betrayed by someone you deeply cherish.

After smoking three cigarettes in quick succession, I heard Jung Young-joon’s voice from inside.

“Please proceed as the lawyer advises. And I would be grateful if you could draft the press release. I’m feeling rather out of it…….”

Jung Young-joon said with a weak, forced smile.

“Understood. We will prepare a first draft and present it to Mr. Jung Young-joon for review. Once Mr. Jung Young-joon approves it, we’ll aim to distribute it to the press tomorrow morning. But before that, we still need to hear Mr. Jung Young-joon’s stance on the divorce.”

Jung Young-joon looked at me with a momentarily puzzled expression, but he quickly grasped my meaning.

He stared at me with trembling eyes, then averted his gaze and said.

“I have to… divorce. If Jin-ah wants a divorce that badly, I have to give it to her…….”

He looked as though he would agree even if Go Jin-ah grabbed his pant leg and begged him to reconsider.

The decision to divorce or not rests solely with the individual.

A lawyer’s role is to help the client achieve the outcome that aligns most closely with their wishes.

Of course, that’s only if it doesn’t violate the principles of justice.

Separating the perpetrator from the victim is the fundamental duty that the law mandates.

But when the victim is aware of their victimization and still desires to remain with the perpetrator, I find myself at a loss.

It evokes the same feeling as witnessing a ‘battered wife’ who insists she will die without her husband, despite being covered in bruises from his constant abuse.

In cases of ‘battered wives,’ love may be a factor, but often, inertia plays a significant role.

In Jung Young-joon’s situation, it appears to be a case of pure, unwavering love.

However, I hope that Jung Young-joon, just as he resolved to prove his innocence for the sake of his family, will also pursue the divorce for their well-being.

There’s no guarantee that Go Jin-ah, the orchestrator of this entire mess, won’t repeat her actions in the future.

Go Jin-ah will likely attempt to abandon Jung Young-joon whenever an opportunity arises.

This is because their relationship has become entirely dependent on Jung Young-joon’s affection alone.

Even stating that he won’t get a divorce under these circumstances is akin to standing beside Go Jin-ah while she’s being stoned, and willingly getting hit by the stones alongside her.

Even if Jung Young-joon is clearly a victim, he will inevitably face accusations of prioritizing money over his own well-being, for not divorcing despite witnessing such a betrayal.

“……Even if Jin-ah doesn’t want a divorce, I have to proceed with it.”

He added after a long pause.

“Because I can’t bear to see my family suffer any further.”

“In my opinion, it would be best to adopt a firm stance. As Mr. Jung Young-joon mentioned, this is to minimize the damage to your family. Of course, we will maintain a professional and respectful tone throughout. If we adopt a moderate approach, there’s a risk that public opinion might suggest Mr. Jung Young-joon is concealing something. This could arise organically, or someone might actively cultivate such an atmosphere.”

When I uttered the word ‘someone,’ Jung Young-joon visibly flinched.

But he quickly responded decisively.

“Please ensure that my mother, father, and younger sibling experience as little pain as possible. Whether the approach is strong or moderate, divorce is… inevitable.”

With those words, Jung Young-joon rose from the sofa.

He staggered slightly, and Kang Min-jae swiftly moved to support him.

However, Jung Young-joon brushed off Kang Min-jae with an awkward smile.

“I’m just tired. It hasn’t been that long since I woke up, but it’s strange, haha……. Can I go home? Anyway, it seems like it will take more time to officially proceed with the divorce, so I would like to talk slowly.”

“Understood. After the report is released tomorrow, Ms. Go Jin-ah’s side will likely contact you frequently. I advise you to refrain from engaging with them directly and to communicate through us.”

“I’m simply going to turn off my phone. I should probably disconnect the house phone line as well. If you need to reach me, please contact me through my younger sibling.”

Jung Young-joon said, gesturing with his cell phone.

“I’ll take you home.”

“You must be busy with the final stages of the case, so I feel like I’m imposing on you every time……. I can easily call a taxi,”

“It’s no trouble at all. I’d just feel more comfortable knowing you got home safely.”

Kang Min-jae quickly opened the office door and smiled reassuringly at Jung Young-joon.

“Let’s go. Lawyer, I’ll escort Mr. Jung Young-joon home and return promptly!”

I watched them leave the office and then settled back at my desk.

As I opened the document writing program and began drafting the statement, a sudden wave of unease washed over me, and I instinctively reached for the phone.

-Hello?

“Ah, Ms. Jung In-ah. This is Lawyer Cha Joo-han.

-Yes, Lawyer. My brother went to see you earlier, is something the matter?

Jung In-ah, who had weathered numerous crises thus far, sounded noticeably anxious.

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

-That’s a relief. You scared me for a second. Then, what can I do for you……?

I proceeded to inform Jung In-ah that Go Jin-ah was the true culprit, along with the various details I had shared with Jung Young-joon.

Unlike Jung Young-joon, who had listened with composure, Jung In-ah reacted with considerable agitation.

She repeatedly sought confirmation that she had heard correctly, and even resorted to swearing at Go Jin-ah without hesitation.

It was an entirely understandable reaction.

“Kang is currently taking Jung Young-joon home.”

-My brother is on his way now? Ah, I had just stepped out to meet a friend, but I need to head back immediately.

“Will it take you long to get home?”

-No, it’s a quick trip. Just 5 minutes away. I had just left.

“Jung Young-joon will likely be very exhausted.”

At my words, Jung In-ah sighed deeply.

-I imagine so. Even I, who am not directly involved, am struggling to process everything. I’ll do my best to comfort him. I’m not sure if I’ll be of much help, but my brother does listen to our parents.

“He undoubtedly relies on Ms. Jung In-ah a great deal as well.”

-Does he? Haha……. [nervous laughter]

A moment of silence hung in the air.

I was about to bid her farewell and end the call when Jung In-ah suddenly spoke.

-Lawyer.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

-Thank you, truly. To be honest, there were times when I questioned whether my brother was genuinely innocent……. My brother was incredibly grateful that you consistently believed in him.

If I didn’t have the ability [to see the truth], I wouldn’t have believed Jung Young-joon either.

There was no readily available evidence to support his innocence, and not even a single clue to uncover such evidence.

In his previous life, Jung Young-joon’s innocence remained unproven.

Come to think of it, Kim Yeon-joon and Jung Young-joon, who were my first clients.

Both of them were unfairly condemned and socially ostracized in their previous lives.

A question suddenly arises.

Who bestowed this ability upon me, and what is its intended purpose?

-I believe it was a fortunate decision to recommend you to my brother. I felt I could trust you from our very first meeting last year.

Last year?

Perplexed, I asked for clarification.

“Did I meet Ms. Jung In-ah last year?”

-Ahahaha, I suppose you don’t remember. I wondered if you didn’t recognize me when I came to find you because of this case.

Was my memory truly that unreliable?

Depending on the specific time last year, I can determine whether there’s a genuine issue with my memory or not.

Because the memories before last March, when I embarked on this new life, feel as distant as 10 years ago to me.

-I don’t recall the exact date last year, but I encountered a pervert on the subway. And you came to my aid then.

“…….”

-Then I saw an article about you solving the Kim Cheol-hwan and Yeo Hee-sook case, and I kept seeing you mentioned in articles after that, so I remembered you. That’s why I urged my brother to seek you out. I thought perhaps you could help us……. And it turned out to be a good choice. The result is, well, perhaps it’s unfortunate for my brother.

Ah, unfortunately, it was after I started a new life.

Listening to her words, I remembered when it was.

It was the day I first came to work at this office.

“I see.”

-My brother may be unhappy right now, but I think it’s ultimately for the best. If I remained ignorant of her true nature and continued to live with her, I might have faced even greater hardship down the line.

It’s not entirely wrong, but it’s often a platitude uttered to cope with immediate unhappiness.

The fact that she’s expressing that sentiment suggests she’s currently experiencing considerable distress.

-I’m home now. My brother isn’t here yet. I need to quickly remove my makeup before my brother arrives. He’s the type who would tell me to go out quickly if he noticed that I was going out. Thank you so much, Lawyer.

“You’re welcome.”

The call soon ended.

I returned to my desk and sat down.

Now that I’ve informed Jung Young-joon, it was time to contact Lee Ye-jin and instruct her to expedite the application for a search and seizure warrant.

She mentioned waiting until 5 o’clock, but the sooner, the better.

It was at that moment.

The phone that I had just placed down began to ring again.

I assumed Jung In-ah had something more to add, but the caller was someone else entirely.

“This is Cha Joo-han’s law office.”

-Hello. This is Lawyer Lee Young-jae from Tae Kwang Law Firm.

He was the lead lawyer of Go Jin-ah’s defense team.

“Yes. This is Cha Joo-han. What can I do for you?”

-I filed for divorce yesterday. The registration will go to Mr. Jung Young-joon, but I thought it would be good for you to know in advance, Lawyer Cha, so I contacted you.

Oh dear.

Filing for divorce.

I suspected he might have sensed the impending storm to some extent, given his connections within the prosecution.

Lee Ye-jin’s prosecutor’s office maintains tighter security than I had anticipated.

“Is that so?”

-……That’s right.

Lawyer Lee Young-jae sounded uneasy at my response and answered awkwardly.

If he filed the complaint yesterday, it will arrive in a week.

“I see. Understood.”

-……Yes, then.

After the prosecution briefing and Jung Young-joon’s statement are released tomorrow, how will Go Jin-ah respond?

Since she was aiming for an amicable divorce, she could have waited a little longer.