Chapter 5

"Get up, Elle!" Maxi said, yanking the blanket off me.

I groaned and buried my face into the pillow. "Don't want to!"

"Ellestacy Aquasiadel Casanove! You have a hiring in Korea!" she shouted.

"What hiring? I don’t remember having one," I mumbled, still refusing to move.

"The chaebol and the Malaysian girl!" she said, trying to jog my memory.

"Oh, shit! I remember now!" I shot up from the bed.

"I have to win that case," I said firmly.

"You never lose one," she replied with a smirk.

"Give me the context again," I asked, running a hand through my messy hair.

"She was at a bar. Alone. Then Jae-wan tried to force her to have se—"

"I remember now," I cut her off sharply.

"Aren’t cases like this your favorite?" she asked.

"Definitely. But it's sad that we even have to fight for something like this. It shouldn’t have happened. Some stupid f*ck couldn’t keep his d*ck in his pants, so he forced himself on someone." I spat out, my voice tight with anger.

"Calm down. You can cook him in court later," Maxi said.

"So, are my things ready?" I asked.

"Yes. Plane’s ready, too. The only thing not prepared is you," she added. "Oh, your mom called. She said to take Alaric with you—he’s got business in Korea and a meeting with the Prime Minister or something—"

"Okay, no need for the whole biography. Just text him to meet us at the plane. I’m sure Mother already gave him the tail number," I said, grabbing my towel. "I’m gonna shower. Prep the car. We leave in thirty."

After getting ready, we headed straight to the airport.

"What did Alaric say?" I asked.

"He said he’s already there and waiting."

"Did you pack the papers I need to revise later?"

As we walked through the airport, I spotted Alaric right away. He stood out like a star among streetlights. Tall, tanned, and commanding, dressed in sleek, modern Arabic fashion — no flowing robes, just perfectly tailored pieces that nodded to tradition and screamed wealth. Gold glinted on his skin like it belonged there, and his sharp features gave off the kind of presence that said: power lives here.

"Finally," he said as we approached.

"How long have you been waiting?" I asked.

"An hour."

"Let’s go. I still need to visit Oppa Jae-won and Unnie Won He."

"Let me take that," he said, grabbing the suitcase from Maxi’s hand.

After we landed in Korea, I told Alaric to wait thirty minutes before getting off the plane, fully aware of the reporters outside.

Sure enough, a storm of questions hit the moment I stepped out.

"정말 Alaric 씨와 함께 계시나요? 재벌 3세를 상대로 어떻게 승리할 계획인가요? 말레이시아 시민을 어떻게 보호할 계획인가요?"

"Are you really with Mr. Alaric? How do you plan to win against a third-generation chaebol? How will you protect the Malaysian citizen?"

I ignored all of them and headed straight into the car.

"Straight to Oppa Jae-won’s house," I told Maxi.

Once we arrived, I dropped off my things and told the maid I had to leave immediately for the hiring.

We went straight to the Seoul Central District Court, cutting through the crowd of reporters and slipping directly inside.

Inside the Seoul Central District Court

The court was thick with silence, like the moment before a typhoon lands.

I sat still, eyes locked on him—Min Jae-Hwan, the gilded son of a dynasty. He wore the smugness of a man who never thought he’d sit on that side of the courtroom.

His lips curled slightly, like this was just a game. But games end.

And I’m here to end his.

The judge raised a hand.

“민재환, 증인석으로 나오십시오.”

"Min Jae-Hwan, please step forward to the witness stand."

He did—fluid, confident, rehearsed.

Direct Examination

"3월 18일 밤, 사건 당일을 기억하십니까?"

"Do you remember the night of March 18th, the night of the incident?"

“예. 클럽 ‘세이렌’에 있었습니다.”

"Yes. I was at Club Siren."

"피해자와의 첫 만남을 설명해주시겠습니까?"

"Can you describe your first encounter with the victim?"

He took a breath, nodding.

“그녀는 바의 구석에서 혼자 춤추고 있었어요. 약간 어색하게. 계속 나를 쳐다봤어요.”

"She was dancing alone in the corner of the bar. A little awkwardly. She kept looking at me."

"그녀가 어떤 음료를 마셨는지 기억합니까?"

"Do you recall what drink she had?"

“그레이 구스였어요. 얼음 두 조각에 라임 하나. 매니저가 내 옆에서 그녀 주문을 확인하고 있었으니까요.”

"It was Grey Goose. Two cubes of ice, one slice of lime. The manager was confirming her order right beside me."

I sat up slightly.

That detail.

Too specific. Too observant. Too guilty.

"그녀와 대화했습니까?"

"Did you speak with her?"

“아뇨. 말을 걸려고 했지만, 그냥 고개를 끄덕이고 웃었어요. 별 대화는 없었죠.”

"No. I tried to approach, but she just nodded and smiled. We didn’t really talk."

"그녀를 나중에 어디에서 보았습니까?"

"Where did you see her later that night?"

"지하 주차장 근처. 혼자 있었어요."

"Near the basement parking lot. She was alone."

I folded my hands on the table. Lies, scrubbed clean by his legal team. But no script could erase what I heard next.

"그녀는 술에 취해 보였습니까?"

"Did she appear intoxicated?"

“조금. 비틀거렸죠.”

"A little. She staggered."

I looked at El-Fatima . Her hands were trembling in her lap.

He folded his hands as if in prayer. I knew the script. They taught him this posture.

Cross-Examination

I stood slowly, heels echoing like deliberate gunfire.

"민재환 씨. 클럽에서 나디라 씨가 어떤 음료를 마셨는지 기억하셨죠?"

"Mr. Min. You remembered what drink Ms. El-Fatimah was having at the club?"

“네. 그레이 구스요.”

"Yes. Grey Goose."

"그런데 당신은 그녀를 '처음 봤다'고 말했습니다. 이름도 모르고, 대화도 거의 없었다고요."

"But you also said this was your first time seeing her. That you didn’t know her name and barely spoke to her."

"예."

"Yes."

"그럼 어떻게 그녀의 음료, 얼음 개수, 라임까지 기억합니까?"

"Then how do you remember her drink, the ice cubes, even the lime?"

His face stiffened slightly.

“그냥 눈에 띄었어요. 우연히 들었고…”

"It just stood out. I overheard it..."

"무대 조명까지 기억하고, 그녀가 비틀거렸다고 했죠. 그녀는 당신의 시야에서 멀리 있었는데요."

"You recalled the stage lights and how she staggered. Yet she was at a distance from you."

He pursed his lips.

"그녀가 취한 것 같다고도 하셨잖아요."

“You also said she seemed drunk.”

"그녀는 그렇게 보였어요."

“She looked it, yeah.”

"사건 발생 2시간 후 국립과학수사대가 제출한 독극물 검사 보고서에 따르면, 엘 파티마 씨의 체내에는 알코올이나 약물이 검출되지 않았습니다. 심지어 파라세타몰도 검출되지 않았습니다."

“According to the toxicology report taken two hours after the incident—submitted by Korean National Forensics—Miss El-Fatimah had no alcohol or drugs in her system. Not even paracetamol.”

I walked towards the judge and give the report.

Silence.

Jae-Hwan's jaw shifted.

"그럼 아마 그녀가 취한 것처럼 행동했을 수도 있겠네요. 모르겠어요."

“Then maybe she acted drunk. I don’t know.”

"그녀가 당신을 쳐다봤다고 했는데, 그게 관심이라 생각했습니까?"

"You said she was looking at you. Did you take that as interest?"

"예, 뭐…"

"Yes, maybe…"

I walked once across the floor.

"그래서 그녀를 따라갔습니까?"

"So you followed her?"

"...아뇨. 그냥 우연히 같은 엘리베이터를 탔습니다."

"...No. I just happened to be in the same elevator."

I stepped forward.

"그녀가 당신에게 '싫다'고 했습니까?"

"Did she tell you no?"

“...아니요. 아무 말도 안 했어요.”

"...No. She didn’t say anything."

"당신은 그것을 '동의'로 받아들였습니까?"

"And you took that silence as consent?"

"모르겠어요. 취한 것 같았고…"

"I don’t know. She seemed drunk..."

"그녀가 말할 수 없는 상태였다는 생각은 안 해봤습니까?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she couldn’t speak?"

His breath grew uneven.

"그녀는 싸우지 않았어요! 그냥 조용했어요!"

"She didn’t fight! She was just quiet!"

“그러니까 그게 괜찮다고 생각했습니까?”

"So you thought that made it okay?"

He slammed the armrest.

“싫다고 안 했다고요!”

"She didn’t say no!"

His breath caught.

The room fell still.

The attorneys looked up, as if realizing too late—he had confessed.

Verdict

The judge’s voice sliced through the air.

"피고 민재환에게 강간 혐의로 유죄를 선고합니다."

"The defendant, Min Jae-Hwan, is found guilty of rape."

El-Fatimah gasped beside me.

"징역 12년. 첫 10년은 가석방 불가. 성범죄자 등록 대상 포함."

"Twelve years of imprisonment. No parole for the first ten. Lifetime registration on the national sex offender list."

Jae-Hwan’s body sagged as the cuffs snapped shut.

I didn’t smile.

Not because it wasn’t justice.

But because no one should have to crawl through hell just to be believed.

Aftermath

Outside, reporters flooded the steps. Microphones rose like bayonets.

“엘레스테이시 카사노브, 재벌가 아들 유죄 판결 이끌다!”

"Ellestacy Casanove delivers guilty verdict for chaebol heir!"

But I didn’t stop.

Nadhira walked beside me, slower than before—but taller.

The world would still be cruel.

But today, it remembered her name.

Outside the Seoul Central District Court

The courthouse doors slammed open behind us, and the swarm descended.

Cameras flashed like lightning. Microphones lunged like spears. I instinctively placed myself in front of El-Fatimah as the reporters closed in—dozens of voices shouting her name like it had just begun to matter.

"엘레스테이시 변호사님! 이번 판결의 의미는 무엇입니까?"

“Attorney Ellestacy! What does this verdict mean?”

I paused, straightening my spine.

"법은 누구에게나 적용되어야 합니다. 권력이 면죄부가 될 수는 없습니다.

“The law must apply to everyone. Power is not a free pass.”

"엘-파티마 양은 오늘 이후 어떻게 살아갈 수 있을까요?"

“How can Miss El-Fatimah live after this?”

I glanced to the side.

She stood silently. Hair tied back. Eyes clear. She was still afraid—but not broken.

"진실을 말하는 데 너무 늦은 때는 없습니다. 그녀는 끝까지 싸웠고, 이겼습니다."

“It is never too late to speak the truth. She fought until the end—and she won.”

"재벌가의 대응은 예상하셨습니까?"

“Did you expect the chaebol family's response?”

"그들은 법이 자신들 위에 있다고 생각했습니다. 오늘, 법이 누구 위에도 있지 않다는 걸 보여줬습니다."

“They thought the law was beneath them. Today, we proved it’s not beneath anyone.”

I raised a hand to end the questioning. The security guards opened a path, and I guided El-Fatimah through the chaos.

She didn’t speak until the courthouse pillars were just shadows behind us.

A Private Moment

Outside a quiet café in Gangnam

She stirred her tea quietly. The city buzzed beyond the glass, but in here, time moved slower. Gentler.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel,” she whispered.

“You don’t have to feel anything yet,” I replied. “There’s no right script after survival.”

She looked up. “I never thanked you.”

“You don’t need to,” I said. “You spoke the truth. That’s more than most people ever dare.”

She hesitated, then reached across the table, her hand trembling slightly as it touched mine.

“I was invisible in that courtroom until you said my name like it mattered.”

“It did matter,” I said softly. “It always did. Even when no one listened.”

Her lip trembled. “He said I was quiet, so he thought I wanted it.”

I clenched my jaw. “Silence is not consent. And now the world knows that.”

She nodded slowly, tears finally slipping down.

“I’m scared of going home.”

“I’ll fly with you,” I said. “We’ll do it on your time.”

She exhaled, a breath she’d been holding since Seoul’s skyline swallowed her whole.

“Do you think they’ll ever see me as more than a victim?”

I gave her a small, bittersweet smile.

“No. They’ll see you as a survivor. And one day, they’ll see you as the one who ended him.”

FLASHBACK: Three Weeks Before the Verdict

Location: Private Room, At a restaurant in Seoul

The suite smelled of expensive whiskey and ambition. A silent bodyguard stood at the door, his frame blocking the only exit.

Across from me sat Min Ji-Hoon, the uncle of Min Jae-Hwan and executive director of the conglomerate’s legal arm.

He poured a drink. I didn’t touch mine.

“카사노브 변호사.”

"Attorney Casanove."

“우리 민재환 군은 실수했습니다. 하지만 한 젊은이의 인생이 달린 문제입니다.”

"Our Jae-Hwan made a mistake. But this is a matter of a young man's entire future."

I said nothing. I wanted to hear the number.

He set down a black envelope. Thick. Clean.

“10억 달러를 미국 계좌로 입금해 드립니다. 게다가, 귀사의 미래 프로젝트도 확실하게 지원해 드리겠습니다."

"$1 billion. Into a U.S. account. Plus, we’ll back your future projects—guaranteed."

I picked up the envelope. Opened it.

Inside wasn’t just money—it was cowardice, disguised as generosity.

I met his gaze.

“여자 하나를 위해, 세상의 판을 바꾸시겠습니까?”

"Would you really upset the world over one woman?"

I stood, heels sinking into their pristine carpet.

“You’ve mistaken me for someone who’s afraid of burning the world down.”

“이건 조언입니다. 증인, 자료, CCTV—모두 관리되어 있습니다. 당신은 어차피 질 겁니다.”

"This is advice. The witnesses, the evidence, the CCTV—they’re all taken care of. You’re going to lose anyway."

I walked to the door. Looked back once.

“No one owns the law. Not even you.”

My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

I answered out of instinct, still dazed from memory.

“Casanove speaking,” I said.

A soft accent greeted me. One that spoke in calm tones, even when forged in power.

“This is Tengku Idris Shah, father of El-Fatimah.”

I sat upright.

“I’m honored, Your Highness,” I said instinctively, remembering his title as the Sultan's cousin and tech tycoon of Kuala Lumpur.

“I won’t take long,” he said. “I watched the livestream. I watched how you made a predator speak the truth. On behalf of my family... thank you.”

“It was the law’s duty,” I replied.

“No, Miss Casanove. It was your spine that upheld it.”

Silence settled for a second.

Then—

“If you ever set foot in Malaysia… and you need anything—anything at all—you ask for me. No gates will be closed to you. We will welcome with an open arms.”

I swallowed. The weight of that statement wasn't lost on me.

“Understood, sir.”

“And Miss Casanove?”

“Yes?”

“She’s smiling again. That’s all a father could ask.”

He hung up.

I stared out the window. The world kept turning.

But tonight, for once…

it turned in the right direction.

Korean Media Storm – Days After the Trial

(Broadcast across Seoul, TV segments, social media clips, and gossip columns)

[Korean News]

"역사적인 성범죄 유죄 판결! 변호사 엘레스테이시 카사노브, 대한민국 법조계의 새 얼굴로 떠오르다!"

“Historic sexual assault conviction! Attorney Ellestacy Casanove rises as the new face of Korean law!”

[Korean 연예뉴스]

"엘레스테이시, 카리스마와 정의감 모두 갖춘 국제 변호사… ‘한국인보다 더 한국인 같다’ 반응 화제!"

“Ellestacy: Charisma and conviction—the international attorney praised as ‘more Korean than Koreans!’”

📸 [Dis Korea]

📸 "마스크도 못 숨긴 미모, 청담동에서 포착된 엘레스테이시! 그녀의 쇼핑 동선은?"

“Spotted in Cheongdam: Ellestacy’s beauty shines even behind a mask—what’s she shopping for?”

💬 [Online Forum Post]

💬 "Jae-Hwan 재벌3세 무너뜨린 그녀 ㄷㄷ;; 진짜 사이다... 카사노브 언니 우리나라에 눌러 앉아줘요ㅠㅠ"

“She crushed that third-gen chaebol omg… so satisfying… Casanove unnie please stay in Korea ”

 Avenuel Mall, Seoul – Early Afternoon

I wore sunglasses and a cap, but it didn’t matter anymore.

Korea didn’t see me as a foreigner now. They saw me as the woman who made a chaebol confess. That made every store, every passerby, feel like a camera.

But thankfully, I wasn’t alone.

“언니, 너무 유명해졌어요. 이젠 편의점도 못 가겠네,” Won He said, looping her arm through mine.

“Unnie, you’re too famous now. You probably can’t even go to a convenience store.”

“I didn’t plan on becoming a local celebrity,” I muttered.

“누나, 고개 숙이지 마요. 고개 빳빳이 들고 다니세요,” said Jae-won, walking beside me with iced coffee.

“Noona, don’t lower your head. Walk like you own this place.”

I smiled faintly. They were my anchors in Seoul. My roots when everything else was noise.

Then—

as we passed the Tom Ford boutique—

A tall figure turned sharply and collided into me.

“Ah, shit—watch it—”

British accent. That drawl.

Alaric Demir.

He looked down, eyes widening as he recognized me.

“Well, well. Didn’t expect Seoul’s most-wanted to be out shopping.”

I raised a brow. “Alaric. Thought you were tangled up with a foundation gala in Zurich.”

“I was. Then he called.”

Before I could ask—

Jae-won stepped protectively beside me. Won He narrowed her eyes.

“Oh? You’re that friend,” she said in Korean, unimpressed.

Alaric gave them a lazy smirk. “Ellestacy has many lives. And I seem to appear in all of them.”

Before the tension could snap, a subtle vibration buzzed from my phone.

[NOTIFICATION: LEUVREMONT – PRIVATE JET LANDED @ INCHEON INT’L AIRPORT]

I froze.

“Ellestacy?” Jae-won asked.

Won He tilted her head. “Who’s that?”

I slipped the phone into my coat pocket.

“Someone,” I said. “Who never lands anywhere without a reason.”

Seongsu-dong, Seoul – A Chic Rooftop Bistro

It was meant to be just lunch.

But when Alaric Demir decides to tag along, just lunch becomes a production.

The rooftop had a modern Hanok-meets-industrial vibe, sunlight spilling through bamboo blinds, acoustic jazz floating in the background. The moment the waiter recognized me, then saw Alaric behind me—blond hair, suit no one else in Seoul would dare wear—it was over.

“I cannot believe we let him join,” Won He muttered in Korean, stabbing her sundried tomato salad.

“He literally invited himself,” Jae-won added, deadpan, sipping his Americano.

“I did offer to pay,” Alaric said cheerfully, pouring sparkling water like it was champagne. “Besides, I’m very good for press.”

“You’re the press scandal,” I muttered.

He leaned in slightly, his voice quieter now.

“You look tired, Casanove.”

“I am,” I admitted. “But I’m still breathing.”

His gaze softened. “Don’t forget to live. Not just win.”

I was about to respond—until I felt it.

Click.

Then another.

I turned slowly.

Across the street, behind a tinted window, a long-lens DSLR protruded from an unmarked black van.

Too late.

Three Hours Later – Online Media Frenzy

📸 [Dis Korea Exclusive]

"엘레스테이시 카사노브, 서울 성수동에서 포착! 미스터리한 외국남성과 ‘더블데이트’ 중?"

“Ellestacy Casanove spotted in Seongsu! Mysterious foreign man sparks ‘double date’ rumors!”

💬 [Nav Comments]

• "누나 커플 아니면 안 돼요... 제발ㅠ"

“If she’s not dating that hot oppa, I’m suing!”

• "청담 vs 성수, 알라릭 vs 재원... 드라마보다 더 재밌다ㅋㅋㅋ"

“Cheongdam vs Seongsu, Alaric vs Jae-won… this is better than K-drama lol”

🎙️ [TV Segment]

"정의의 아이콘 엘레스테이시, 로맨스 루머 속 진짜 남자친구는 누구?"

“Justice icon Ellestacy: Who’s the real boyfriend behind the romance rumors?”

Back at the Table – Moments After the Camera Clicks

“See?” Alaric said smugly. “Told you I’m good press.”

“Congratulations,” I said. “You’ve officially given Korea a new couple to ship.”

Jae-won looked deeply annoyed. “They better not edit me out in those articles.”

Won He leaned back and crossed her arms. “This better not interfere with her next court hearing.”

Alaric sipped his espresso. “It might. But then again... maybe a little chaos is what Casanove thrives on.”

I rolled my eyes, but inside, I knew he was right.

I didn’t come to Korea for a romance.

But the moment that camera clicked… the public had already decided I was in one.

And somewhere in the clouds over Seoul, Leuvremont had just landed.

This was only the beginning.

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