You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 257

Standing in front of the elevator to Kim Sung-woo’s apartment, Gu So-jung took a deep breath.

Today would probably be the day she ended her relationship with Kim Sung-woo.

Once she handed over the recording, the lawyer would surely use it as a basis to bring everything to light.

Of course, she would also be investigated by the prosecution, but strangely, she was more concerned about finally ending things with Kim Sung-woo.

It wasn’t a perfect relationship, but Kim Sung-woo definitely filled a void that Gu So-jung had.

She had felt a sense of liberation as the comfortable life she thought she could never dream of was becoming a reality.

Gu So-jung stepped into the elevator that had arrived on the first floor.

There had never been a time when she wanted time to slow down as much as she did today.

But, mercilessly, the elevator took her to Kim Sung-woo’s door faster than usual.

She stood in front of Kim Sung-woo’s door and placed her hand on her chest.

It was true that she hadn’t moved on from the time she spent with Kim Sung-woo, but she wasn’t going to cling to that time like a fool.

She had enjoyed comparing herself to the heroine in a Cinderella story, while Kim Sung-woo had only thought of using and discarding her; time had flowed differently for them.

If she hadn’t heard anything from Cha Joo-han, what would have happened to her?

The time when Kim Sung-woo proposed to her was not long after Seol Hyung-seok’s surgery had been completed.

Kim Sung-woo had accepted the deal Seol Hyo-seok proposed and thought he could entrust this task to her, who happened to be Seol Hyung-seok’s nurse.

From the beginning, he had no intention of marrying her.

Thinking about it, it was true.

Numerous uncomfortable experiences that she had thought were trivial were all telling her that Kim Sung-woo simply thought of her as an ‘enjoyment’ partner.

The proposal was just a lure to get Gu So-jung to inject Cephalosporin [an antibiotic].

And she had even shed tears of emotion while wearing the proposal ring that Kim Sung-woo had knelt down and offered.

So, if that lawyer hadn’t interfered, she would have been kicked out of the hospital as planned at the same time Yang Dong-jin received the complaint.

She would have emptied her locker in the ward, thinking that all that was left was to get married.

Because it was an in-house relationship, they would have had to see each other even if they fought, and they would have naturally entered a period of ennui [a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction] because Kim Sung-woo was too busy to make time for her.

She would have nagged him about when they were going to get married, and Kim Sung-woo would have blamed her for not understanding his busy schedule, making her feel guilty and trying to break up with her.

She would have clung to him pathetically, and Kim Sung-woo would have become a pitiful man suffering from her misery.

Having lost her job and the future she thought was guaranteed, she would have been immersed in depression, and one day she would have heard shocking news from a close nurse.

The news that Kim Sung-woo was marrying the daughter of the chairman of Hanyoung Motors.

‘You son of a bitch…….’

Gu So-jung clenched her fist tightly.

She wanted to slap Kim Sung-woo across the face and shout at him for what he had done to her, but she couldn’t.

After all, she was also a terrible person who tried to live a comfortable life by driving Yang Dong-jin, who had done nothing wrong, into a dead end and even killing someone.

‘Still, I have to see that bastard Kim Sung-woo’s life ruined with my own eyes.’

Kim Sung-woo was the only one she could resent, since she couldn’t resent anyone else.

And as Cha Joo-han said, she had to atone for it that way.

Gu So-jung pressed the record button on the recorder Cha Joo-han had given her.

It could record for 15 hours, and the battery was full, so it would be enough until she got home.

Gu So-jung took a deep breath and entered the password to the front door.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Kim Sung-woo, who knew nothing, greeted her happily as he took the shopping basket from Gu So-jung’s hand.

“Why did you buy so much?”

“Well, you don’t eat well. I told you before, right? My mom makes good kimchi stew. I learned the secret recipe from her yesterday. I’m going to make you kimchi stew.”

Kim Sung-woo kissed Gu So-jung on the forehead, took her hand, and pulled her into the house.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t take you on a decent date today, our 300th day. Today, my So-jung should be wearing pretty clothes like a princess and going to a fancy place to eat, but instead, she’s getting her hands wet. I’m such a bad boyfriend, right.”

“……It’s okay. How can we go at a time like this? If those people find out we’re dating, they might get suspicious. It’s always good to be careful. We can go on dates like that later.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

As Kim Sung-woo tucked her stray hairs behind her ear, Gu So-jung involuntarily shuddered.

In her head, the image of Kim Sung-woo doing the same thing to Seol Ye-ji in the photo kept overlapping.

“What’s wrong?”

Gu So-jung shook her head wildly as Kim Sung-woo looked at her strangely.

“Nothing. I’ll cook quickly, so you can watch TV or something.”

“I’ll help you. I can chop the ingredients.”

“It’s okay. I’ll do it.”

“No, I’ll,”

“I said it’s okay?!”

Gu So-jung shouted without realizing it.

Kim Sung-woo seemed surprised by her reaction and took his hands off her, stepping back.

“……I’m sorry, *oppa* [an honorific used by women to address older male friends or siblings]. I didn’t mean to get angry…….”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry.”

“I think I’ve been a little sensitive lately. You said you’d make sure there were no problems, but I’m still scared every time I see Seol Hyung-seok. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just…… I’m too scared…….”

As Gu So-jung muttered, Kim Sung-woo stared at her for a moment before sighing.

“I understand. Then I have to look at some papers for a while, so I’ll be doing that. So-jung, please make me some delicious kimchi stew.”

Fortunately, Kim Sung-woo didn’t seem to notice anything strange and went into the room obediently.

Gu So-jung washed her hands, took the ingredients out of the shopping basket, and closed her eyes tightly.

‘Idiot. You can’t even do this properly…….’

While shopping today, she had even thought about putting poison in the kimchi stew and dying together.

She felt that committing suicide together would be more appropriate for her, who couldn’t even do something like this properly, than creating evidence.

“Haa…….”

Gu So-jung sighed, chopped the ingredients, washed the rice, and put water in the pot.

She had planned to bring up the story as soon as she got home, but she thought it wouldn’t be natural, so she decided to have a sincere conversation while having a glass of wine after dinner.

But after entering this house, she felt like everything was a shackle, and she just wanted to achieve her goal and go home.

Gu So-jung put all the ingredients in the pot and closed the lid.

Then she slowly approached Kim Sung-woo’s room.

“Oppa. Are you busy?”

When Gu So-jung opened the door a little, Kim Sung-woo closed his laptop and got up.

“Hmm, smells delicious.”

“It needs to cook more.”

Kim Sung-woo wrapped his arms around Gu So-jung’s waist and sat down on the living room sofa together.

“Are you having a hard time these days, So-jung?”

As he stroked her hair, she was overwhelmed with the urge to shake off his hand.

But Gu So-jung forced a smile.

“Just…… I have a lot on my mind.”

“What’s wrong? You did well. Have you thought about that? ……That, what I told you.”

“You mean to testify that I was instructed directly by Seol Hyo-seok, not asked by you, to inject Cephalosporin into Seol Hyung-seok?”

“…….”

Kim Sung-woo looked at her silently.

It was a strange expression.

Did she say it too openly?

But the lawyer said that Kim Sung-woo had to admit all the facts or say it himself.

She had to give him the answer he wanted quickly, before Kim Sung-woo noticed anything strange.

Gu So-jung quickly added.

“I will. I’ll say it like that. As you said, we can’t both lose our jobs at the hospital. One of us has to survive. And I know how passionate you are about your work at the hospital. I honestly want to quit as soon as possible, but I know you don’t……. I’ll say it like that.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

Kim Sung-woo smiled softly as he took Gu So-jung’s hand.

“……Can I trust you, oppa?”

Gu So-jung said, placing her hand on Kim Sung-woo’s hand.

“You won’t abandon me, will you?”

“……So-jung.”

“To be honest, I was really…… scared when you said that. I was worried about what would happen if you dragged me into this and tried to get out of it yourself by putting me forward. But……. I hated myself for thinking that way. What kind of person are you to me……. I know you wouldn’t do that, but I’m just scared……. That’s why I couldn’t answer right away. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“I understand. But So-jung, that will never happen. Why would I abandon you?”

“That’s right. I…… I was bad.”

“So-jung, but you know.”

At that moment, Kim Sung-woo’s hand suddenly groped over Gu So-jung’s jacket pocket.

“Why is your phone so hot?”

Then he quickly pushed his hand into Gu So-jung’s pocket.

“……What, it’s not a phone?”

Kim Sung-woo was holding a recorder.

Gu So-jung felt the blood in her body turn cold and instinctively jumped up.

“Recording? Haha, you bitch. You were recording?”

Kim Sung-woo approached Gu So-jung, pressing and holding the power button on the recorder.

Gu So-jung backed away in fear.

“So-jung. I’m disappointed in you.”

As Kim Sung-woo tried to grab Gu So-jung’s shoulder, Gu So-jung quickly ran towards the front door.

She only thought about getting out of here right away.

She didn’t even think about taking her coat and bag that she had taken off and ran across the hallway.

“Ah!”

But Kim Sung-woo was faster than her.

Kim Sung-woo immediately grabbed her hair.

“Let go! Let go of this!”

“Let go? How can I let go after seeing you do this?”

Kim Sung-woo dragged her into a nearby room.

Then he threw her into the corner.

Gu So-jung hit the wall hard and slumped to the floor with a thud.

Kim Sung-woo closed the door and blocked it with a chair and other things in the room.

It seemed like he was trying to prevent Gu So-jung from pushing him away and escaping from this room.

“Did you meet that lawyer? Why, did he tell you to bring evidence?”

“…….”

“I guess you haven’t found any evidence that I’m involved yet? That’s why he’s making you do this?”

Is this his true colors?

Gu So-jung trembled and curled up.

He always had a kind and gentle voice, but now he was no different from a gangster.

“Did Seol Hyo-seok say he would help you marry Seol Ye-ji?”

“What?”

“Did you want to become the son-in-law of a *chaebol* [a large family-owned business conglomerate] family that much? Even by killing people? Then you should have injected Cephalosporin into Seol Hyung-seok yourself. Why did you drag me in! You weren’t going to take responsibility until the end, so why did you drag me in!”

Gu So-jung shouted, tears streaming down her face.

Since he already found out about the recording, there was nothing she couldn’t say.

“Why would I do it myself? There are plenty of cheap things like you to do it for me.”

Kim Sung-woo smiled.

“You son of a bitch…….”

“Did you even think that someone like you could marry me? You bitch, I dumped you because you’re this kind of woman. Do you understand?”

“You dumped me because I’m this kind of woman? No? You were just playing with me from the beginning. You dumped me because you’re that kind of bastard. It’s not because of me! You dirty bastard. You have no skills, but you barely survived because you’re the director’s son and Jin Soo-yong pushed you. I’m not surprised that a despicable bastard like you betrayed me. Do you understand?!”

“What did you say just now?”

Kim Sung-woo grabbed Gu So-jung’s hair and pulled her up from the floor.

There was no time to scream.

Kim Sung-woo grabbed Gu So-jung’s neck with one hand and pushed her against the wall.

The grip on her neck was getting stronger and stronger, and only hoarse moans came from her throat.

She couldn’t breathe at all.

Gu So-jung’s face flushed as she struggled to break free from Kim Sung-woo’s grasp.

She dug her nails into his arm and scratched him wildly, but Kim Sung-woo didn’t budge.

She was losing the strength to resist.

Her vision was gradually turning black, and her mind was fading to white.

She felt it at that moment.

She might die here like this.