Chapter 4

 4

One week later.

The day Maurer had been waiting for arrived - when the renowned lawyer Le Yuna would be released from prison.

The young forensic doctor waited in his car. Soon, a woman in casual clothing emerged from the detention center carrying a backpack, squinting against the bright sunlight as she looked around for her ride.

Axel drove up and stopped in front of her. "What took you so long?" the woman protested.

Axel remained silent, opening the door for her to get in. She sighed in relief once seated next to the driver.

"Sir, were you the one who handled my mother's murder case?" she asked, tearing up before Axel could respond. She grabbed a tissue from the dashboard and tossed it under her feet.

"Before discussing serious matters, could you take me to see my mother's body that you're keeping in the morgue?"

Again, Axel could only nod. Yes, this was Le Yuna, born from the womb of the elderly woman tragically murdered - eliminated by one of Maurer's men for an unknown motive. But Axel and Le Yuna would work together to uncover her mother's death and destroy Maurer's pharmaceutical company.

After a half-hour drive, they arrived at the hospital in central Milan. Le Yuna couldn't hold back her tears seeing her mother's frozen, embalmed body that Axel had preserved weeks earlier.

She embraced the cold corpse, looking at the autopsy sutures on the chest and abdomen. Axel had previously met Le Yuna in prison to discuss her mother's case as well as Maurer's company.

"Did they intentionally kill my mother to retaliate for the lawsuit two years ago? But why now, just as I'm released? Why take my mother from me?" Le Yuna sobbed bitterly, having lost her only remaining family member so tragically.

"You'll find the answers once we succeed in apprehending the perpetrators and destroying Maurer Pharmaceuticals," Axel replied.

"Please return my mother to the morgue drawer. I can't bear to see her like this any longer."

Axel obliged, wheeling the gurney back into the cold chamber. Le Yuna collapsed weakly, wiping away her streaming tears.

"You need to return to work at the Grumman law firm. They're expecting you, Miss."

Grumman Law Firm, where Le Yuna had previously worked as a highly skilled senior attorney capable of cracking cases in hours.

"But sir, the head of the Grumman group fired me dishonorably. How can I go back there? No one will trust me now after the pharmaceutical case," Le Yuna protested.

Axel smiled. "That will be easy, Miss. I'll take you to your workplace. They'll welcome you back with open arms to work there again."

"Really? They won't trust me or want me back after that case. Kang Chul, the head, will kick me out."

"Don't worry. Let me take you there."

Axel grabbed Le Yuna's wrist and they returned to the car. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"To the Grumman law firm."

At the Grumman Law Firm building

They arrived at the towering high-rise displaying the Grumman name. Le Yuna hesitated to enter the building where she used to work, memories of her dishonorable dismissal flooding back. She stopped walking, recalling how Kang Chul, the firm's head, had berated her after losing against Maurer Pharmaceuticals two years prior.

"What's wrong?" Axel asked as Le Yuna turned to leave. Before she could exit the lobby, he pulled her back.

"I'm sorry, I can't. Mr. Kang Chul will scold me harshly. I can't face him."

Axel just chuckled, guiding the woman he had only met twice before towards the head's office door.

Knock knock.

The door opened automatically. Le Yuna squeezed her eyes shut, heart pounding with dread at confronting Kang Chul again.

"Welcome, and congratulations on rejoining the Grumman group, Miss Le Yuna."

Le Yuna's eyes shot open in disbelief at the man who had once berated her now warmly welcoming her back.

"Am I hearing things?" she whispered. Axel shook his head.

Le Yuna hesitantly stepped forward and shook Kang Chul's outstretched hand, propelled by Axel's gentle nudge. A devilish smile crept across his lips.

A week before Le Yuna's release, Axel had met with Kang Chul, presenting a small computer chip containing incriminating footage of the firm head's indecent acts with a same-sex partner, recorded years earlier before his marriage.

At a restaurant, Axel demanded Kang Chul rehire Le Yuna at his firm. Kang Chul initially refused until Axel threatened to expose the sordid video, relenting to avoid public humiliation.

"Fine, I'll accept this deal, on the condition that you keep this secret. It would be devastating if it became public," Kang Chul had conceded.

Axel agreed, his plan succeeding in reinstating Le Yuna at the prestigious Grumman law firm.

"Congratulations, Miss Le Yuna, on rejoining the biggest law firm in Milan. You'll receive your first client assignment tomorrow morning," Axel said as they exited Kang Chul's office.

"Did you orchestrate all this? Getting me rehired at Grumman?" Le Yuna shook her head in disbelief at the man's maneuverings.

"Just go with the flow, Miss," Axel replied.

Back in the car, Le Yuna studied Axel intently, still unclear why the forensic doctor was so driven to destroy Maurer's pharmaceutical empire. She still lacked answers.

"Don't stare at me like that, Miss. You're scaring me, looking possessed with those bulging eyes," Axel quipped while driving.

Le Yuna turned away. "He even knew I was staring at him. Is he a psychic?" she wondered.