A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 141

141. You’re Under Arrest

The investigation into Ham Dae-geun had been a headache for the police from the start. Ham Dae-geun immediately called his lawyer and clammed up.

Knowing they couldn’t predict his lawyer’s strategy, Jiheon had to move quickly. He asked the police to arrange a meeting with Ham Dae-geun, posing as the victim.

“Why are you here…”

Ham Dae-geun froze when Jiheon appeared.

“Because I’m the victim.”

“…”

“The victim of the incident you caused, Mr. Ham.”

Jiheon sat right in front of Ham Dae-geun, asking with a relaxed demeanor and a hint of mockery.

“Did Chae Eun-bi tell you I did something terrible to her? Or was it Chae Eun-yeop?”

As expected, Ham Dae-geun didn’t answer, turning his head away. He looked like he regretted what he had blurted out in front of the police station.

“Chae Eun-bi and I were never involved. Chae Eun-bi admits it, and Chae Eun-yeop knows it too. Whoever it was, you’ve been backstabbed, Director.”

Jiheon told him the truth, sliding a document in front of Ham Dae-geun. It was a copy of the complaint he had filed long ago.

“This is a copy of the complaint. This is the truth. The Chae Eun-bi and Chae Eun-yeop siblings spread so many rumors that I filed a complaint early on. Chae Eun-yeop came to me on August 12th, asking me to withdraw it.”

“…”

“And the Seryun Group online terror started on August 13th, so it seems Chae Eun-yeop met with you on the night of the 12th.”

Ham Dae-geun’s eyes widened as Jiheon pinpointed the dates. As he slowly turned his head, Jiheon could see Ham Dae-geun’s face twitching.

Jiheon calmly stated the harsh truth.

“Shall I tell you something?”

“…”

“Chae Eun-yeop will abandon you. If he were thinking of saving you, he would have rushed here already. Or at least sent Chae Eun-bi.”

Playing people against each other wasn’t just Chae Eun-yeop’s specialty. Jeong Jiheon was also someone who could exaggerate and lie skillfully for his goals. Of course, right now, he was confident that everything he said was the truth.

“Those siblings don’t have that kind of loyalty. They don’t even care about you. You’re just a stepping stone for them to climb higher. Stepping stones aren’t needed after you’ve climbed. They might be needed when you descend safely, but they won’t even think about coming down after they’ve gone up.”

Ham Dae-geun trembled, unable to breathe. Jiheon’s calm voice and sharp eyes seemed to be trapping and piercing him.

The thought that Jeong Jiheon might be right crossed his mind. He hadn’t heard from Chae Eun-bi once. Chae Eun-yeop had said his sister wasn’t feeling well, but it was still strange that he hadn’t contacted him.

He felt like he had done everything he could for them, but now he was stuck in a police station with nothing in his hands, and he couldn’t stop thinking about what he had lost.

‘My money…’

Ham Dae-geun had sent the cash in his home safe to Chae Eun-yeop. Five boxes worth of apples [a euphemism for cash].

With no evidence, Chae Eun-yeop could easily deny everything and keep the money.

As Jiheon’s voice trailed off, the police officer stood up.

“Then we’ll end the confrontation here…”

“…He took the money.”

Ham Dae-geun spoke up then. The police officer turned around.

“That bastard, Chae Eun-yeop, said he needed 6 billion won [approximately $4.5 million USD] to persuade the congressmen…”

Jiheon, who had been about to stand up, also paused at Ham Dae-geun’s resigned words.

“Chae Eun-yeop. That guy is truly ruthless. He even studies hypnotism to manipulate clients. I was also a victim of his.”

Hypnotism.

While listening to his desperate outburst, Jiheon suddenly felt a headache coming on. Feeling dizzy and with his ears ringing, Jiheon got up and immediately left.

He needed to leak the information to the reporters quickly and get everything published. That was the only way to stop the confirmation hearing.

“Jiheon, are you okay?”

Bae Il spoke to Jiheon as he stumbled out of the detective division, looking at him with a worried expression.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard? You should rest.”

“No, I’m really okay. More importantly, Bae Il, I need to talk to you about something.”

Clenching his teeth and overcoming the headache, Jiheon quickly planned his next move.

* * * * * * *

4 PM.

The confirmation hearing was in full swing when one of the congressmen brought up Ham Dae-geun.

“I saw a news report during lunch. I can’t help but ask about the nominee’s family issues. It’s being reported that the recent Seryun Group online terror incident was all a conspiracy. And the mastermind behind it is Daegun Industries’ CEO Ham Dae-geun, who is about to marry your daughter. Is this true?”

“I know the name Ham Dae-geun, but I don’t know anything else about him. Please consider it a personal matter that I was unaware of.”

Chae Seo-bok spoke into the microphone, stating the facts. It was the answer he had practiced during lunch.

Eun-yeop had made the contact, and he had never met him, so it was perfectly true. Chae Seo-bok had also seen the articles about Ham Dae-geun’s deviation but dismissed them with a sneer.

“So you’re saying you had no contact with CEO Ham Dae-geun at all?”

“That’s correct.”

When Chae Seo-bok stated it definitively, the congressman didn’t ask any further questions.

The confirmation hearing seemed likely to wrap up in an hour or two. The goal was in sight.

As everything quieted down and he was feeling relieved, someone said while looking at their phone.

“A breaking news alert just came in. Everyone should check the news.”

Another congressman who checked the breaking news said.

“Nominee, you should check it too.”

No one objected, so Chae Seo-bok also turned on his phone and checked the article. Chae Seo-bok’s heart sank at the words at the top of the portal site’s news section.

「Chae Seo-bok, Supreme Court Chief Justice Nominee, Bribery Allegations. Daegun Industries CEO Ham Dae-geun Confesses to Providing Funds」

Chae Seo-bok looked up at Eun-yeop. Eun-yeop, who had also seen the article, seemed at a loss for words.

Eun-yeop, looking flustered, quickly started typing a text message. At that moment, a secret messenger message popped up on Chae Seo-bok’s phone. It was from Eun-yeop.

– Just say you know nothing about it. There’s no evidence.

One of the congressmen who had read the article asked.

“Nominee Chae, please tell us yourself. What is all this about!”

“I know nothing about this. I’m the one who’s bewildered. I’ve never met CEO Ham Dae-geun…”

“Nominee Chae can say she doesn’t know Ham Dae-geun. What if you didn’t contact him directly and worked through your son?”

“I know nothing about it. I don’t believe my son would do such a thing.”

“Nominee, that absolute trust is what’s frightening. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has the heavy responsibility of judging fairly and impartially, whether it’s a complete stranger or your own son.”

Taking advantage of the gap, one of the congressmen pointed out the Chief Justice’s qualifications. Sweat broke out on both Chae Seo-bok and Chae Eun-yeop’s foreheads.

The congressman even read the article aloud.

“Mr. Ham confessed that ‘Mr. Chae delivered some of the funds he received from him to someone among the 13 members of the Personnel Hearing Committee and asked for a confirmation hearing without incident’… Who is this? Who received the bribe and is sitting here pretending not to know anything! Who has defiled this sacred National Assembly!”

“This is unprecedented. Bribery being exposed on the day of the Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee’s confirmation hearing.”

Another person chimed in, supporting the excited congressman.

Amid the commotion, Chae Seo-bok spoke in a heavy voice.

“I am a person who has nothing to be ashamed of before heaven. Since becoming a judge, I have believed that my life has no meaning other than serving the people. Honesty and integrity are my greatest pride. I swear to heaven! I stake the court and my life! I can say that all the articles are misreporting. It’s all forces trying to slander me. An immediate investigation is needed.”

The National Assembly became noisy again at Chae Seo-bok’s guarantee, staking heaven, the court, and his life.

“Nominee Chae is staking his life. We should believe him at this point. Isn’t it really suspicious? This kind of thing happening on the day of the confirmation hearing, of all days.”

“Even if it’s suspicious, we should still be suspicious! Congressman Kang, did you perhaps receive a bribe? Why are you suddenly defending Nominee Chae?”

“Why are you suddenly trying to pin it on someone else! Congressman Yoon, you’ve been quiet all day, and you’re suddenly getting excited as soon as the article comes out. Did you perhaps receive special orders to make Nominee Chae fail?”

“What an insult!”

The congressmen started arguing with each other. The sacred National Assembly had become a mafia game scene.

The chairman, unable to bear it any longer, offered an opinion.

“We should call Nominee Chae’s son to the witness stand. Where is he?”

All eyes turned to Chae Eun-yeop. It wasn’t planned, but Eun-yeop had no choice but to take the stand. It was the only way to help his father.

Eun-yeop stood at the witness stand with the most virtuous expression he could muster. After taking the oath, a congressman asked Eun-yeop.

“Does the witness know CEO Ham Dae-geun?”

“We know each other.”

“The witness’s sister and CEO Ham Dae-geun are about to get married.”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s going to be my sister’s husband, and I’m the legal advisor for Daegun Industries, but there’s no relationship beyond that.”

“Then what is CEO Ham Dae-geun’s confession that’s being reported in the news?”

“I need to look into that as well. As the congressmen here know, I have never done anything like bribery.”

Several congressmen glanced at each other. If he admitted to bribery, it would be even more difficult for the congressmen Eun-yeop had bribed. So they had to protect Eun-yeop to the end. Eun-yeop was well aware of this.

“I think it’s a personal matter committed by my sister’s boyfriend. I’m hesitant to say this, but to tell the truth, my sister hasn’t met Ham Dae-geun for a week due to relationship issues. I think it’s a love triangle caused by this… One person’s misconduct should not stop the work being done in this sacred National Assembly. I ask that the confirmation hearing be resumed quickly.”

“How can we continue the confirmation hearing in this state!”

Eun-yeop requested politely with the most honest expression he could muster, but the congressman couldn’t shake off his unpleasant feelings and became agitated. As one person raised their voice, the congressmen each shouted in anger.

Eventually, the chairman suggested a recess.

“It seems too heated, so let’s take a short break. The confirmation hearing will resume in 30 minutes. In the meantime, congressmen, please contact the police to quickly correct the facts.”

Even after the recess was declared, the reporters continued to press their shutters. Chae Seo-bok glared at Eun-yeop with an angry face and left the hearing room. Eun-yeop quickly followed Chae Seo-bok.

After confirming that the reporters couldn’t follow, Chae Seo-bok questioned Eun-yeop only after getting far away from the hearing room.

“What the hell is going on!”

“Father, let’s go outside and talk. You can go through the side door.”

The building was dangerous. He didn’t know who might be listening in any room or hallway. Eun-yeop led Chae Seo-bok to a secluded side door that he knew.

“There’s no one I contacted directly among the congressmen. I delivered everything through my closest aides, and there were no mistakes.”

Chae Seo-bok looked at Eun-yeop with distrust.

“You know how meticulous I am. You can confidently continue the confirmation hearing. Just make Ham Dae-geun look like a madman.”

Eun-yeop calmed Chae Seo-bok’s agitation and laid out a clear alternative.

At that moment, a man’s voice was heard from the other side.

“Oh? There he is!”

Eun-yeop flinched and turned his head.

People were rushing from where the voice was coming from. There were at least 10 reporters. As they ran, they were joined by those who had come out during the break and the reporters who were guarding outside the National Assembly.

“Mr. Chae Eun-yeop, is it true that you received money from Mr. Ham Dae-geun and asked for a confirmation hearing?”

“That’s not true!”

Surrounded by reporters in an instant, Eun-yeop shouted and protected Chae Seo-bok. They had to go back inside the building. But he couldn’t move. In the meantime, two men who weren’t holding cameras ran over.

“Mr. Chae Eun-yeop?”

Strangely enough, a path opened up as if the Red Sea had parted when the two men appeared. The reporters cleared the way. Even then, they were still holding up their cameras.

Eun-yeop looked at the two men who approached. They were burly men.

“We’re police officers. We need you to come with us to the police station.”

When the police officer touched his arm, Eun-yeop shook it off and scolded him.

“Are you doing this on purpose? What rude behavior at this important time!”

“…”

“Let’s not try to pressure me with non-existent slush funds [illegal funds]. Who is plotting this terrible thing?”

“Oh, come on. Just go quietly for your father’s sake…”

The police officer sighed as if he couldn’t help it and grabbed Eun-yeop’s arm again.

“Chae Eun-yeop, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder conspiracy.”

Eun-yeop’s vision went white as the police officer read him his Miranda rights [rights read to a person being arrested].

That couldn’t be. It couldn’t be….

“What are you talking about? Me, a murder conspiracy!”

“Do you know Cheolwang Faction [gang name]?”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s talk at the station since there are so many eyes watching.”

Eun-yeop, with his arms grabbed, struggled.

“Say something that makes sense! This is also a smear campaign! Is this because my future brother-in-law attacked Seryun Group? Is this the power of Seryun Group?”

He thought he had to drag Seryun Group in somehow to muddy the waters.

But what the police officer took out of his pocket was an unexpected item.

His heart seemed to stop.

“Kim Jin-gu’s cell phone was found at Mr. Chae Eun-yeop’s house.”

Eun-yeop’s face turned blue.

There was something else he had to hide besides the money, and he had completely forgotten about it.

But he had hidden the phone in a place where no one could find it, turned off, so who on earth….

In the meantime, far away.

He could see Jiheon watching from afar.

It was so chilling that all the blood seemed to drain from his body.