wttcs 30
Chapter 30
Rebby was fuming mad when she entered Shin’s office. “Look at what your pretty little wife has done to you.” She threw several reading materials on the table, all of which have news item about the scandal. Putting down his pen, Shin threw a brief look at it and turned his eyes to his noona.
“We need damage control. Business will be greatly affected. Everyone’s been talking about it. I can’t even go to the salon without people talking behind my back.” Rebby angrily said while taking a seat in front of his table.
Picking up the pen again, Shin fended off thoughts that have been distracting him all morning and went back to signing documents. “I’m sorry if this is causing too much trouble for you. I’ll think of something.” he answered.
“I’m not worried for myself. I’m worried of how it’s going to affect you. That girl is something. You give her everything she needs and this is her way of paying you back.” Anger was still lingering in the tone of her voice.
“I don’t think she’s the one behind it.”
“What?” Rebby sat up straight from her slouched position.
“She’s not the one who reported it to the media.” He replied as he finished signing and put the documents inside the portfolio.
“You mean there’s someone out to ruin you.”
Shin looked at his noona.
“That man? Why didn’t I think of that? But we need proofs. What are your plans?” she asked the questions successively.
“None as of this moment.”
“What?”
“It’s not in my hands. It’s up to Chae Gyung if she wants to pursue the case. I’m ready to face it.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“You know I’m not.”
“I won’t let you do this.” Rebby stood up and slammed the table.
“She should have done this a long time ago.” Shin swiveled the chair around and faced the wall to avoid further confrontation with his noona.
Five hours later
At Lawyer Yuru’s legal office
“Good afternoon, Chae Gyung ssi. You’re finally here.”
“What’s the meaning of this?” She held the newspaper and threw it at the lawyer’s desk.
Lawyer Yuru glanced over it and smiled.
“The files obviously came from your office. You were the only one who had these copies. Why?” Chae Gyung asked with a fierce look. She wanted to suppress her anger but seeing the lawyer face to face made it impossible for her to remain in a calm state.
“Why? Didn’t he rape you? Aren't you the one who wanted to sue?” Lawyer Yuru clasped her hands together and didn’t lose the smile. In fact, it has now turned into a wide grin.
“Didn’t I tell you I have changed my mind?”
“Didn’t you promise me you won’t?”
“What do you need from Shin? I chose to marry him. And all of these press releases are just exercise in futility. Why did you bring it to the media? Who’s behind all of these?” Chae Gyung’s composure was fast dissipating, with rage filling up every corner of her heart.
Lawyer Yuru casually replied, “Some women’s activist groups have found out about it, and they decided to report it to the media.”
“But they don’t have access to the evidences except you.”
“I need to do what I thought was best for you.”
“I’m not your client anymore, and I don’t need you to decide what’s best for me. I want you to retract everything you have said to those people.” Chae Gyung demanded.
“How can I retract when they already have the evidences?” the lawyer asked without blinking an eye.
“What do you want?”
“I want justice for you.”
“That’s not true. This is all about money.” Chae Gyung remained her eye contact with the lawyer.
“No.”
“Then what?” she almost shouted.
Lawyer Yuru smiled and said, “I want you to fight for what is right. You are the victim here.”
“I want this on record. I’m never going to pursue the case.” Chae Gyung lowered her voice upon realizing people outside the office have been staring at them through the glass window.
“What made you change your mind?” the lawyer kept right on.
Few seconds of silence
Chae Gyung walked over to the window and pulled down the blinds. “It’s none of your business.”
”How much did he pay you?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one to ask you that? Who’s behind you and how much did you get for plotting to bring my husband down?” Chae Gyung asked. She could literally burn the whole place down with the blazing flame in her eyes.
Lawyer Yuru shook her head and smiled again.
Chae Gyung seemingly annoyed with her action, decided to finish the conversation by pointing a finger directly at the lawyer. “I will not let you or anyone for that matter, hurt my husband.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something? He raped you?”
“Do you really think I need to be reminded of that?”
“How come the bad guy has now suddenly turned into a hero?” Lawyer Yuru asked with a smirk.
“I don’t even have to explain to you or to anybody. Just leave him alone.” Chae Gyung walked out and slammed the door behind her.
Thoughts were rapidly moving back and forth inside her mind. Chae Gyung quickly followed Shin inside his study room as soon as he arrived home that evening.
“We need to talk.” were the first words she said to Shin as he sat down on his chair.
He raised his eyes to look at her as he loosened his tie.
“We need to hold a press conference, Janny has friends working at a television network and she’s willing to arrange it for us.”
“What are you going to say to the press?” Shin asked.
“I’m going to clear your name.” she sat by the edge of the table beside him.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes. We will face the media together and we will show them everything was just a big misunderstanding.”
“I’m afraid I can’t.” he stood up and walked away from the table.
“Why?” Chae Gyung’s eyes followed him around.
“I can’t face the public and lie.” He remained standing with his back on her.
“Why are you making this hard on me? I’m doing this for you.” she asked frustratingly as she stood up and walked to his side.
Shin turned around and gazed into her eyes, “Why are you doing this for me?”
Chae Gyung couldn’t give a straight answer. Instead she distanced herself in a moment of silence, and then spoke again, “I’m going ahead with the press con, with or without you.”
At this point, she slowly reached for his left hand and placed a ring on his palm. It was his wedding ring.
“Wear it.”
She stretched out her left hand and showed him her ring finger, “I’m wearing mine.”
Dumbstruck, Shin could not utter another word.
Chae Gyung pulled his ring finger and put the ring on. His hand felt warm, she savored the moment and wanted to hold onto it a little longer, but Shin quickly pulled it back.
Visibly embarrassed by his reflex, Chae Gyung smiled and left the room without another word.
Three days after
At the press conference held in MBC Studio.
Chae Gyung sat in the middle of the room as members of the press jockeyed for position to be near her.
“Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming today.” she held the microphone and began reading her statement with a radiant smile. “In relation to the news coming out regarding my husband, Lee Shin, I would like to state once and for all, that none of the issues are true, all are just fiction and figment of imagination of those who want to bring him down. Ours is not a forced marriage, nor a hoax. I am in love with my husband, and he loves me as well. I hope this statement will finally put an end to all speculations and clears up his name. Thank you.” Chae Gyung ended the statement with a stern look on her face.
“Who would like to start?” the coordinator asked.
A lady reporter raised her hand.
“Yes, go ahead.” He said.
“Shin Chae Gyung ssi, there was a medico - legal report shown as a piece of evidence, and a complaint affidavit stating you were raped, which you yourself has presented to your legal counsel before. Can you shed light on this matter?”
Chae Gyung raised the microphone again. “Yes, it is true, there was such a report being made but it was falsely done due to some misunderstanding my husband and I had before. I was having a big fight with him that night and I resorted to doing such, of which I have regretted later on. It was nothing more than lovers’ spat that was just magnified, but I immediately withdrew the complaint.”
Another reporter asked this time, “Why is it that you two were never seen together in public places? There are no photos of you together, except for this.” The reporter took out a copy of their wedding picture. “You didn’t seem happy here, ma’am.”
Chae Gyung took a deep breath as she desperately searched for a believable excuse inside her head. “Again, that picture was taken at the time when my father has fallen terribly ill. He was undergoing kidney transplant and I just couldn’t hide my emotions that day. As to why we’re not seen together publicly, I don’t think this is enough to conclude we’re not getting along fine as a couple. We do go out together but there are no media to cover us. In fact, we just came back from mountain climbing weeks ago. Besides we are not public figure, so we don’t feel the need to publicize each and every affair that we attend to.”
“Why is Lee Shin ssi not around today?” this was a follow up question by the reporter who has asked earlier.
“He is busy with his work, and since the misunderstanding stemmed from my actions before, it is only right that I should be the one to correct it.” Chae Gyung smiled noddingly.
Rebby turned the volume down as Shin stared intensely at the television screen. “How did you convince her?”
“I didn’t.” he remained motionless as he listened to each word that has been coming out from Chae Gyung’s mouth.
“She is acting strange. There’s something going on with that woman, so you better be careful.”
He could hear his noona’s voice but couldn’t understand any word, as his senses were fully overwhelmed by the courage Chae Gyung has displayed in public.