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Chapter 43 - Sine Qua Non
If it wasn’t a very skilled robber who broke into their highly secured mansion, the only other person who could harm Ikyung was his brother-in-law. He never was one to keep his hands to himself, so he always had bad rumors follow him, but he had never touched his family before. Maybe that wasn’t the case anymore.
Upon making that connection, Yoonshin urgently tapped at the window that was rolled up to the top. “Ikyung! Ikyung! I said open the door!”
“Are you not going to keep your voice down? Someone might hear! It’s nothing. Just take this first.” Ikyung slid out a thin, white envelope through the narrow crack of the window. Instead of taking it, Yoonshin simply stared at it. In her impatience, Ikyung finally opened her door and stepped out, showing herself. The moment Yoonshin was face to face with his sister, his expression crumpled completely.
“Was it my brother-in-law?”
“Yoonshin.”
“I asked if it was my brother-in-law.”
“Take this first. I told you I had something to tell you.” She made Yoonshin take the envelope with his trembling hands and said as she adjusted her clothes, “She’s a daughter of a decent family. All the information is summarized in the envelope. Try meeting her.”
“You’re telling me to go on a blind date? In this situation? Are you kidding me?”
“I think your brother-in-law needs that family. I’m not asking you to marry her right now. Just meet her first. You have to make some sort of move so I have something to report back.”
“You came to me looking like that, and you’re telling me to go on a blind date because my brother-in-law wants me to? What is this world coming to?!”
“Calm down and listen. This is an opportunity. My husband needs this family. To say differently, if you’re connected to this house, you’ll be safe no matter what happens. Thankfully, the other side seems to like you very much. They’ll contact you first, so if you like her, you can try going out. Even if you’re going to reject her, at least go to the first meeting.”
Yoonshin was about to protest, but his sister was faster. “And I already ordered from the people I always buy wine from. If you get a call, ask your firm’s staff to receive it quietly. It’s one bottle for Attorney Kang and one for Attorney Song. I already personally delivered the bottle to the director. They’re very expensive wines, so…”
Yoonshin couldn’t make sense of what she was saying. He was bewildered. His head throbbed, preparing to explode because he was injected with too much information at once. Yoonshin angrily cut off his sister, “Ikyung, I can’t understand a thing!”
“I’m in the middle of collecting evidence!” She was speaking calmly before, but this time she raised her voice. Then, she looked around, worried that someone heard, which Yoonshin felt bad about.
Yoonshin had no choice but to lower his voice. The air going through his throat shook uncontrollably. “He’s doing such horrible things to you that you need to collect evidence. Yet you’re still telling me to see a woman that the b*stard wants me to meet. How bad is it that I at least have to be safe? Please, explain to me.”
“I told you, I’m collecting evidence. I wasn’t just a sitting duck—I knew and allowed it to happen. He was always one to thirst after love, and he told me that he found someone he loved. He wanted a divorce because he didn’t want to cause an uproar at the company with rumors and feared potentially influencing his succession, but I didn’t want a clean breakup. Even if I do end up getting a divorce, it’ll be a lawsuit. That’s why I’m waiting for the right time.”
Divorce?
Lawsuit?
Ikyung was wiser and smarter than Yoonshin. Their father always praised her for those traits. His sister always had a purpose for her actions. So when she said that she was going to marry her current husband, their father and Yoonshin both believed in and supported her. Unlike his dirty public image, perhaps there was something else that they couldn’t see in his brother-in-law that captivated Ikyung.
His brother-in-law truly loved and cared for Ikyung. The couple’s married life was generally smooth sailing. They had minor conflicts, but they were all issues that every married couple had.
But something must have changed.
“The other party is a chaebol. You can’t even compare to those people. Just run away when he says he wants to break up.”
“I know. It’ll be a long battle, and I’ll get more hurt than now. Most big law firms won’t even take my case. Not only would they stop getting work from Soohan, but Soohan would use every means to bite back. That’s why I’m looking at this in the long run. No matter what, I have to get my hands on evidence and ensure. I have my kids to worry about too.”
“He won’t hand over the kids?”
“For his succession and inheritance, he will do everything to keep the custody and care of the children. I have to fight if I want to keep them.”
Despite the rope burns on her neck, his sister’s eyes were clear. She was very resolute. Knowing her, she probably already contemplated this and simulated multiple scenarios in her head. Yoonshin knew that he needed to go along with her wishes. In his heart, he wanted to pull her out of that house immediately, but he knew deep inside that he wouldn’t be able to do that in the end.
“I’m okay. I’m physically strong, and I’m sturdy. I’m worried about you. I’m worried that you’ll get swept up in this.”
“Is now the time to be worried for me?”
“But if it’s Doguk… Doguk is a good firm. They have a good reputation and a stable foundation. The partners are all very skilled. A lot of them are our father’s students. Moreover, Soohan gives a lot of work to the firm, so Doguk holds many of its weaknesses. The company can’t go after them so easily. I thought it was the best choice out of all the firms.”