You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 347

The moment Kim Hwa-young uttered the word “CCTV,” Kim Chan-young lunged at her.

“Mom, who is it? Who called you?”

[Madam, I know it’s hard for you, but unless you want to become a murderer in place of Go Sang-jun’s sons, hurry up and get the evidence from me. With just this one photo, you’ll be released immediately. What’s taking you so long? You have plenty of money.]

“…….”

[Or are you too attached to Chairman Go? But it seems the Chairman values his sons more, doesn’t he?]

“That’s impossible…….”

A scattered gaze, devoid of focus.

A trembling hand.

Kim Chan-young, sensing something ominous, snatched the phone away.

“Who are you?”

[Oh, it’s the son.]

“Damn it, is it you? Why are you contacting my mom? I was talking to you. You could have talked to me!”

[Well, it seemed like the decision was taking too long. I asked her out of concern, and she said her son called me a scammer? Did I scam you? You saw the photo I showed you, didn’t you? Did that look like a scam to you? Huh?]

“You crazy bastard…….”

Kim Chan-young threw the phone down and grabbed Kim Hwa-young’s arms.

“Mom, listen to me. Mom.”

“……Kim Chan-young.”

“Mom, I’ll explain everything. I didn’t want Mom to know…….”

Slap!

Before Kim Chan-young could even make an excuse, she slapped him across the face.

Her tear-filled eyes clearly resented Kim Chan-young.

“Madam, what’s going on?”

At the same time, lawyers from Kim Hwa-young’s defense team, having heard the loud noise, rushed over.

Fortunately, it seemed they had warned the other lawyers, as no one else came.

Kim Hwa-young glared at the lawyers.

“A fake real culprit……?”

“Excuse me? Madam, what suddenly…….”

“……You, you guys…… it was all a show?”

“A show? Madam. Chan-young, what’s going on?”

“You knew the real culprit…… but pretended not to know, acted like it was because of the situation, that I was bound to be suspected, that there was no real culprit…… pretended to be concerned…… ha, you pretended all along…… you were desperately trying to protect Go Sang-jun’s sons? Because of you, I’m in the newspapers for a crime I didn’t commit…… getting cursed at…… unable to even go outside…….”

“Madam, what are you…….”

“Is the Chairman very worried? Is the Chairman trying to protect me no matter what? Protect me? Is this protecting me? Is this using me as a shield? You guys and Go Sang-jun are in cahoots…… trying to protect the murderers Go Yoon-ho and Go Yoon-seok…… that’s why…… you bastards! You’re worse than animals…… you sons of bitches! You sons of bitches!”

Kim Hwa-young pushed the lawyers away, yelling.

But soon, she staggered, clutching her forehead as if dizzy, and leaned against the wall.

Kim Chan-young rushed to catch her, but Kim Hwa-young shook off his arm.

“Kim Chan-young.”

“……Mom.”

“Call Go Sang-jun.”

“Mom, calm down. Mom, please. Listen to me first.”

“Are you ignoring me too? You too, you too now…… Go Sang-jun is using me as a shield to protect his sons, so your mother is being gossiped about, tormented, and contemplating suicide dozens of times a day, and you, who have been watching your mother from the side…… you’re deceiving me? How could you do this to me! How!”

“Mom, that’s not it. Please. Just listen to me.”

“Call Go Sang-jun! Call him right now, or…….”

Kim Hwa-young looked around and ran into the meeting room.

She rummaged through her handbag and opened the drawer in front of the projector.

From inside, she took out a box cutter and slid the blade out.

“Call Go Sang-jun right now. Or I’ll die. If I die here, Taekwang [likely referring to the law firm or company], you’re all finished too. Ah, or are you going to secretly hide my body and make it look like an accidental death?”

The lawyers tried to approach Kim Hwa-young, but the more they did, the more Kim Hwa-young screamed, holding the blade to her wrist.

“Don’t come any closer! Call Go Sang-jun, quickly!”

“Mom, I understand. Please…… please calm down. I’ll call. I’m calling right now.”

Kim Chan-young tapped Go Sang-jun’s phone number into his phone, tapping his foot anxiously.

He was worried that if Go Sang-jun didn’t answer the phone right now, Kim Hwa-young would really slash her wrist.

Surely he’ll answer.

At least someone must have reported it.

It’s been quite a while since the commotion started, so someone must have reported it to Kim Yoon-hee, and they would have contacted Go Sang-jun.

“Madam, it’s Chairman Go on the phone!”

Just before pressing the call button, one of the lawyers rushed towards Kim Hwa-young.

Kim Hwa-young, without putting down the box cutter, snatched the phone from the lawyer’s hand.

“Go Sang-jun…… are you even human? You son of a bitch…… I’m going to reveal everything about your sons killing the housekeeper. I’m going to reveal everything, sob, and, and kill them all. I’m going to kill them all!”

Kim Hwa-young squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.

The end of her words, ‘kill them all,’ turned into a scream and lasted for a long time.

“Aaaaaaah!”

She screamed without stopping, as if she was about to run out of breath.

Then, once again, she staggered, losing her balance.

“Mom!”

At that moment, she collapsed on the spot as if all her strength had left her.

Kim Chan-young rushed to her and caught her before she hit the floor, but she was motionless, as if she had lost consciousness.

“Chan-young!”

Then, Kim Yoon-hee pushed through the lawyers and approached.

Kim Chan-young stared down at Kim Hwa-young.

Her face, which had been screaming just moments ago, was now as still as death.

Surely she’s not dead, a sudden anxiety consumed him.

Kim Chan-young placed his trembling fingers under her nose.

Thank goodness.

She’s alive.

She just, just fainted.

“Should I call an ambulance?”

“No. We can call a doctor to the house. This has happened a few times.”

“Ha…… what is going on.”

“Lawyer, I apologize for the inconvenience. It seems a bit much for today, and I will contact you again.”

“Okay. Chan-young, it seems Madam has misunderstood something…….”

“I’ll talk to her. I didn’t tell her beforehand because I thought she might have other ideas.”

“Okay, ha……. How did this happen…….”

“Please make sure this doesn’t leak outside. I’m sorry for causing a commotion.”

“No, it’s okay. We’ll keep it quiet, so don’t worry too much.”

Kim Chan-young picked up Kim Hwa-young and headed towards the elevator they had taken earlier, guided by the lawyer.

“Chan-young!”

In the underground parking lot, his uncle, who had been waiting for them, shouted in surprise when he saw Kim Chan-young carrying Kim Hwa-young.

“Uncle, please drive.”

“What’s wrong with Hwa-young? What happened?”

“Mom was a bit shocked…….”

“We should call a doctor to the house. Uncle, if you don’t have any plans today, could you stay with us?”

“Okay, I understand. Let’s go home quickly.”

* * *

Kim Chan-young swept his face with a stiff expression.

Kang Min-jae opened a bottle of water and handed it to Kim Chan-young, who took a sip and sighed.

“So, has your mother woken up?”

“Yes. So I told her the truth. I told her that the fastest way for Mom to be safe was for the fake culprit to confess, and that Attorney Cha would reveal that it was Go Yoon-ho and Go Yoon-seok’s doing after that. So I didn’t tell Mom in advance. I didn’t hide it because I had other ideas. Then Mom told me about the conversation she had with that gallery employee.”

“You must have been very surprised.”

“That gallery employee, that son of a bitch, was subtly provoking Mom. If it weren’t for that bastard…….”

“What did your mother say when you said you didn’t hide it because you had other ideas?”

“She cried, apologizing for slapping me earlier. I don’t care about a slap or two, I just want Mom to be safe…….”

Kim Chan-young chuckled dryly.

I think I know why he said he was done with Go Sang-jun in the earlier phone call.

With that commotion, it’s understandable.

“But isn’t it too early to say it’s over? Go Sang-jun knows your mother is sick.”

“Surprisingly, Go Sang-jun is okay. I talked to him while Mom was sleeping, and he told me to comfort Mom. And he said it doesn’t make sense that Go Yoon-ho and Go Yoon-seok killed the housekeeper.”

“He didn’t know?”

“It’s not that he didn’t know, it’s that he says it’s not true. He said they weren’t there even before the CCTV was deleted. That’s Go Sang-jun’s claim, anyway, but I don’t know what it’s really like.”

“He must have known.”

I could have said, “He knew,” but I didn’t.

Because there’s no way to prove that Go Sang-jun knew in the first place.

Kim Chan-young nodded, as if he thought the same thing.

“He probably did.”

“Anyway, if Go Sang-jun is taking that attitude, you must have explained our plan to your mother, so can’t we just proceed as we were?”

Kang Min-jae asked.

Since that’s what we want most, I think it’s best to do that if Go Sang-jun told you to comfort her.

Taekwang is in a position to take orders from Go Sang-jun, so they wouldn’t go around saying that Kim Hwa-young caused a ruckus, and we could wrap up the case as if nothing happened.

But if we break up like this, things get complicated.

Kim Hwa-young mentioned Go Yoon-ho and Go Yoon-seok directly to Go Sang-jun, so Go Sang-jun will take some action to silence Kim Hwa-young.

“Mom doesn’t want to.”

“Ha…….”

“Mom says she’s disgusted by all the Taekwang people who pretended not to know anything, acting concerned in front of her, when they clearly knew who the culprit was. And she’s disgusted by Go Sang-jun too. She doesn’t want any help from Go Sang-jun. She says she’d rather die than get help from Go Sang-jun.”

Kang Min-jae sighed.

I felt the same way.

I understand how she must feel to some extent.

I felt a great sense of betrayal when Hwang Young-chan betrayed me.

Of course, the betrayal Kim Hwa-young felt was greater than the betrayal I felt.

She gave up her entire career and devoted her entire life to Go Sang-jun, didn’t she?

If she hadn’t gotten involved with Go Sang-jun, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

Even their first meeting wasn’t what Kim Hwa-young wanted, was it?

“I talked to her psychiatrist, and he said Mom should be hospitalized. So I’m going to do that, for now. I can still visit her even if she’s in the hospital.”

“That seems safer.”

“Ha…… the situation has become really fucked up. But Attorney, you’re not going to give that gallery employee that son of a bitch 400 million won to get the evidence, are you?”

“I don’t have 400 million won.”

I answered clearly.

“If you’re going to give 400 million won to get it back, I should give it.”

“You don’t have 400 million won either.”

“How do you know if I have 400 million won or not, Attorney?”

“Where would you get 400 million won to give to a bastard like that?”

Kim Chan-young smiled faintly at my words.

“Attorney, I don’t want to get help from Go Sang-jun either, now that Mom hates him so much.”

Now that things have come to this, I don’t want to put up with Go Sang-jun and try to stay safe.

Now is the time when the client’s situation has changed and they can’t make the best choice, so we have to find another best option.

“Kang and I will take the case.”