Chapter 7 – Money or Revenge

“Geum Nae-yeong. He is a law school graduate who started coming to our office recently, and he has a decent appearance.

I don’t know his skills well yet, but since a young lawyer joined, everyone looked at him proudly.”

“By any chance… are you talking about that Geum Nae-yeong? The tall, pale guy.”

“From what I heard, it seemed like he came after working at your firm.”

“Yes, that’s right… He went there. As expected of Yun Ho-jae…”

“Why? Is there some problem?”

Attorney Jo Jin-seop hesitated for a moment before speaking heavily.

“His skill is definitely solid. He will probably do lawsuits extremely well? His head is very extraordinary.

I heard that if he sees even a single character in the lawsuit materials, or a memo scribbled in pencil, he remembers it all. The divorce case of LKH Corporation’s chairman was also handled by that guy.”

“LKH Corporation? You mean the case where they received 800 billion won in property division?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Heh, that’s amazing. The firm wouldn’t have wanted to lose someone like him, right?”

“But…”

As Jo Jin-seop refrained from speaking, Attorney Shin Chang-ryul became impatient.

“What is it? Why are you hesitating like that from a while ago?”

“Have you… heard about Nine’s Representative Attorney Yun Ho-jae calling personally?”

“Ah. There was talk about that during the interview. That’s why we all found it strange? We wondered how good he could be for the representative to even call.”

“There was a lot of talk about letting him go at the firm. In the end, they said he quit on his own, saying he was going to some joint office. But the place he went to was there.”

“Why let him go? When he works so well?”

“You see…”

Jo Jin-seop slowly started the story.

A few months ago, Law Firm Nine.

“Secretary Kim, water.”

A middle-aged woman wearing a luxurious mink coat sat in the seat of honor in the luxurious conference room and crossed her legs.

Her personal secretary poured Evian into a cup and handed it to her.

The woman took the glass of water and drank it all at once, as if her throat were burning. She had an expression of suppressing her anger by force.

The secretary quickly laid out thick documents and dozens of photos on the table in front of the woman.

“This bitch… no… anyway, I’ve already investigated the relationship between this woman and my husband. Just as the lawyers told me. The evidence is overflowing.”

Having calmed her anger slightly, the woman gestured to the secretary again to bring something.

The secretary habitually brought an ashtray and a cigarette, put the cigarette in the woman’s fingers, and lit it.

Ting—

The flame of a high-end lighter flickered, and the woman inhaled the smoke deeply.

Whew—

“Now, I can’t stand it anymore. Proceed as Attorney Yun told me last time.”

“Yes. Understood, Madam.”

Yun Ho-jae, the representative attorney of Nine standing next to her, bowed deeply and began to open the documents to look through them.

The woman who requested the case was the wife of the chairman of Seongjin Construction, the number one in the construction industry.

Chairman Seong had a severe history of womanizing since the beginning of their marriage. His wife had turned a blind eye to his affairs for a long time, but it seemed she could no longer tolerate it.

Ultimately, she gathered evidence and prepared for a divorce lawsuit under the advice of attorneys.

Yun Ho-jae, who was flipping through the stack of papers, paused for a moment and showed a hesitant attitude. The Madam raised her head toward Yun Ho-jae.

“Why is that? Speak comfortably. I’ve let go of everything now.”

Attorney Yun Ho-jae hesitated before opening his mouth.

“Madam. A lawsuit is ultimately done to get a favorable result. The process is not beautiful.

As you know, a divorce lawsuit is a process of digging into the ultimate weakness of the spouse you lived with all your life, so I think it will be very difficult for you.”

“Ah, ah…”

The Madam raised her hand holding the cigarette and gestured for him to stop talking.

“You don’t need to give me such cliché words of comfort. I’ve already been hurt as much as I can.

Scandals are overflowing with things like secretaries and models.

I’ve heard all kinds of stories, saying that because the wife is ugly, he only looks for pretty women.

Just speak about the main point. The main point.”

“Yes. Madam. Then I will speak only of the main point.

Honestly, isn’t the purpose of a divorce lawsuit twofold? Property division, which is money, or revenge against the mistress.

Depending on which of the two takes priority, the litigation strategy is completely different.”

“……And?”

“If it’s money, first of all, there are many things to calculate from the chairman’s assets to his inherited property. There is also the contribution share.”

“Ah. I understand.”

“Yes.”

“For me, money.”

“……..”

“When there were only one or two bitches he slept with, I had some desire for revenge. Not anymore. Tell him to go live well with that flight attendant bitch or whatever, and I just need to get compensated for holding back and living for 30 years.”

“Yes. Understood.”

“Are we done now? Shall we go?”

As the Madam took her handbag and tried to stand up, the representative attorney hesitated again and spoke to her.

“Excuse me… Madam.”

“Our law firm has prepared the best attorneys for you…”

“…?”

“Among them, there is a part you need to consider slightly… in designating the attorney in charge.”

“Attorney in charge? What do I need to consider?”

“We have a slightly unusual guy on our side. Since he is so smart. Hahaha.

You know, right? That among geniuses, there are people who are a bit difficult in terms of personality. But that guy is really extraordinary, from calculating money to proceeding with lawsuits.”

“A genius? Then that’s great. Tell him to tear away even a single 10-won coin.”

“Yes… but as I said, his personality is a bit…”

“I don’t hear people say I lose to anyone in terms of personality either, so don’t worry. Let’s go with him. The genius.”

“Yes… then I understand. But before you leave, please meet him once.

If you give us just a moment of consultation time, that guy will take care of everything from the next process on.”

“Is that so? Well, since I came all this way, I’ll see him. Tell him to come in.”

Pressing and extinguishing the cigarette in the ashtray, the Madam gestured to call the attorney.

“But that… that guy finds these large conference rooms a bit difficult. Since he is a very shy guy.”

“What? Look here, Attorney Yun. Are you telling me to go now?”

“I am sorry. Madam. But by any chance, do you know the case of LKH Corporation’s Madam? This guy handled that divorce lawsuit.”

“What? The one where they got 800 billion won in property division?”

“Yes.”

“Really? That person was here? Then I’ll go.”

Hearing that the attorney who had secured an enormous property division and alimony in the divorce lawsuit of the century was in charge of her, the Madam raised her hips.

Tap.

Opening the door and entering, the Madam sat in the center of the sofa, as was familiar to her.

Thud, thud.

An attorney who was sitting at the work desk approached the Madam and bowed.

“Hello. I am Geum Nae-yeong.”

Seeing Geum Nae-yeong greeting her, the Madam was surprised. He looked very young, and he was a very handsome man.

‘No, I thought he would be a nerd who only studied because they called him a genius… but he is quite handsome?’

The Madam’s attitude softened slightly.

“Okay. I gave all the materials I brought to the representative attorney. I heard we just need to do a short consultation?”

“Yes. I will review it.”

Geum Nae-yeong took the materials the secretary brought and began to look at them with focus.

Out of habit, the Madam gestured to the secretary, and the secretary habitually took out an ashtray and a cigarette.

Ting—

As the sound of the Dupont lighter rang cheerfully, Geum Nae-yeong took his eyes off the document he was holding and shouted.

“No Smoking!!!”

As the secretary unknowingly stopped her hand at Geum Nae-yeong’s firm voice shouting no smoking, the Madam was also flustered.

“Over there.”

Along with those words, Geum Nae-yeong pointed to the office wall. The words ‘No Smoking’ were written in large letters.

This was the first time she had received such treatment.

The Madam was flustered for a moment and put down the cigarette she was holding in her hand without realizing it.

Regardless of whether the Madam put down the cigarette or not, Geum Nae-yeong focused again on the document he was looking at.

After a while.

The Madam watched Geum Nae-yeong, who did not make a single movement, anxiously, and finally could not bear it and spoke.

“Look here. How long will it take? Attorney Yun said it would take an hour to see?”

Geum Nae-yeong muttered without taking his eyes off the document.

“……She is a beauty. The opposing woman.”

“What did you say?”

“I mean the mistress is a great beauty.”

The Madam was dumbfounded.

‘So you are a man too, huh? Right, she must have been pretty for him to have an affair.’

Meanwhile, Geum Nae-yeong was calculating the chances of winning the lawsuit.

According to the flow of consciousness, Geum Nae-yeong unknowingly began to pour out the words he thought of.

“The partner in the infidelity is a beautiful woman. The time they met. The place, the gifts. If he put in this much effort, the husband will not easily end the relationship. High probability that the husband will represent the opposing side in the lawsuit from behind.

Then on the opposing side, first, they deny it.

Second, they meekly admit it and reduce the money. One of the two.”

He pointed to another document.

“If we trace back the money the husband spent on the woman, this woman has almost no assets. In that case, the money we can get by suing the woman is twenty million? Thirty million?

The probability of the husband paying that converges to one hundred percent. If so, even if we go to court, the property division is the biggest problem.”

“First, need to apply for property disclosure. Need to check if there is money funneled to the mistress.”

Geum Nae-yeong glanced at the Madam.

“Unexpected factor, the Madam. Shows no intention to resolve it rationally. Speaks informally to a stranger, lack of conversational etiquette. And cigarettes. Lack of public manners, and addiction symptoms. Tendency to escape the relationship with the husband through that addiction.”

The Madam’s emotions began to boil up. What, calling me a person lacking manners? Addiction? Right in front of me?

Isn’t this guy not just a bit difficult, but a crazy bastard?

The Madam felt a hot anger rising to the top of her head.

Whether Geum Nae-yeong knew this or not, he continued to mutter while looking at the documents.

“Anger due to the stress of being abandoned by the husband. The addiction and escape tendency can rather appear as explosive aggressiveness.

Possibility of disrupting the lawsuit. High probability of uncompromising attitude due to irrational desire for revenge.

Hmm… If we only consider efficiency, it might rather be better to discuss with the husband’s representative first.”

“What! Abandoned by the husband? Disrupting the lawsuit? Aggressiveness? Hey! You crazy bastard!”

Splash!

Unable to bear it any longer, the Madam took the glass of water in front of her and splashed it all over Geum Nae-yeong.

Geum Nae-yeong got completely soaked with water from the top of his head, not knowing the reason.

“What kind of crazy bastard is this? May your wife have an affair and you suffer from it later too! What? Calling me an abnormal addict with a strange personality?”

The Madam’s angry voice rang loudly even outside the office.

Yun Ho-jae, the representative attorney who was waiting in front of the door just in case, entered Geum Nae-yeong’s office with an expression of “as expected.”

“Madam… It seems this friend made a slip of the tongue. Because he is so smart, various information got mixed up…”

“What? You must be joking! You guys!! What, do you think yours is the only law firm here?”

The Madam was furious and called her secretary.

“Secretary Kim! Tell them to withdraw all of Nine’s counsel right now! Contact even my father’s company! Right now!”

“…… No, Madam…”

“You guys, I will not forget this insult today!”

The Madam stormed out of the office, panting with rage.

Geum Nae-yeong was muttering something to himself with an expression of not understanding the Madam who was walking out of the office.

Watching Geum Nae-yeong like that, Representative Attorney Yun Ho-jae felt a stuffy feeling as if a heavy stone were blocking his chest.

‘Ha… that brainless bastard… If I just fire him, he’ll sue for unfair dismissal… What should I do…’

“Anyway, while Attorney Yun was worrying about how to fire him over that case, he said he would leave on his own.

And since he said he was going to Teum, Attorney Yun thought it was great, so he personally called there.”

“So that’s how it happened. That’s so like Yun Ho-jae.”

“Right. But anyway, since Teum is a separate partner system, you do your own cases. Even if that guy makes trouble, it’s his own loss, so wouldn’t there be no big problem.”

“I don’t know. There hasn’t been any big problem so far. As you know, there are only experienced, veteran attorneys here, so we don’t have such bad clients either.”

“Anyway, Geum Nae-yeong has an extraordinary head. Everyone was surprised when he said he would open his own office. I wonder if there is some reason..”

Like that, the two attorneys shared a conversation about Geum Nae-yeong as they tilted their glasses, and the night deepened.

***

Friday morning.

Geum Nae-yeong came out of his house to commute to work and was walking to the subway station.

He heard the sound of someone running at a fast speed from somewhere.

Click-clack, click-clack…

It was the sound of dress shoes that conveyed the urgent mind of an employee who was late.

As Geum Nae-yeong casually turned around, a woman was running toward Geum Nae-yeong at a very high speed, at full speed.

And…