156. Without A Trace

"You've wrecked enough havoc and you still have the audacity to command my son to give you an audience? For what? With whose authority?"

"I didn't force him to come and meet me..." Mijin frowned. "He had the choice to not show up and he didn't..."

"Need I remind you and let me make it very clear lest you forget. He is a married man."

"I only requested him to represent me and nothing more. I apologize if I overstepped..."

"You most certainly overstepped with the full knowledge he is on maternity leave. I'm not your relative young lady! I will call you out when you cross the line!"

Mijin further frowned then rested her chin onto her palm hopelessly. She felt like she had been housing a lot of emotions inside of her that it was beginning to get heavy which only amplified her sadness. 'She is just like everyone else, shunning me away like some plague.'

"You won't fool me with your crocodile tears."

Elric's mother's statement brought her to the realisation that tears had been running down her cheeks. Wiping them away, she apologised then sat upright once more, her eyes on the table yet unfocused on no particular object at all.

Earlier that day, Elric's mother's secretary had contacted her to come to her office for an urgent meeting. She'd showed up, hoping for new infromation regarding the two fire incidences only to be given a mouthful.

"You make a convincing actress but I can see right through your act. My son is out of bounds. Consider it a fair warning."

"You are frightening me...I-I'm not a bad person as you may believe."

"You think this as a joke, putting your life in jeopardy? Exposing yourself as such to the public? This is not child's play! The media will uncover your part in all this and in due time, your involvement with Mora will be brought to light! Think of your parents, your daughter's future! Deliberate over what you and your brother endured at the hands of Mora and her father! You do know that those two are psychopaths right? They will never regret what they have done so no matter what you do, they won't care!"

"I didn't start the fire!"

"Oh, you most certainly had prior knowledge of it!"

"I want to ruin everything! I admit that but I didn't start the fire!"

Elric's mother was even more furious by Mijin's continual denial. "Stop throwing a fit as if you're the first person to go through trauma! Everyone you see walking around has something they are dealing with and if given the opportunity, they'll put your experience to shame..."

"I didn't start the fire!" Mijin yelled once more. "I'm innocent!"

"So says every criminal brought to justice! Who do you think you are to ask for my son to represent you behind my back? Or are you by any chance in the belief that I'm being lenient because I like you?"

"I said I was sorry..."

"I've heard enough of your excuses. Now, explain to me in a few words why you also inquired over my son's husband."

Mijin hesitated before she replied, "I just wanted to see him one last time."

"You'll have to do better than that." Elric's mother appeared unconvinced.

Unable to remain sitted, she stood up and paced about in front of Mijin, who seemed fidgety as she kept playing with her fingers nervously. Her eyes remained on Mijin like a hawk, observing her body language intently. She had vowed to stop cutting Mijin some slack. Leaving her to roam free unsupervised had been one of the biggest mistake she'd come to make.

'Perhaps she knew I'd come after her, or maybe I underestimated her by being too complaisant. She definately knows I'd jump in and avoid drawing negative attention to the case...Wait! She knew! Everything is intertwined, ofcourse! If she is discovered, everything falls apart dating back to Yeon's initial attack... I'd have no choice but to pull in my resources and solve the crisis to prevent a catastrophe! Mora's father won't be the only one brought to justice but my firm, the trap set by Mora as evidence and all involved from her parents to Stannies...! To my son!"

Seeing that Mijin was still quiet, Elric's mother pointed out. "I offered you the chance to reclaim back your life but you turned it down, insisting on being independent. You are clever to have evaded the eyes of the police, I'll give you that however, your anger, if you don't win over it, your brilliance becomes as good as a burden."

'I'm smarter than you.' Mijin remembered Mora's words. They'd ran in her mind every waking opportunity that even in the darkest of nights, she'd wake up upon listening to them like a whisper from her dreams.

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"What did you tell the authorities when you were taken in for questioning? I find it hard to believe they let you off the hook just like that. You were the whistleblower when Mora was attacked yet she wasn't allowed visitors then."

"I told them I was checking if she'd been released when I found the firefighters and her home ablaze."

"I'm reffering to the first incident."

"Her lawyer made it possible for me to see her... I kept coming everyday and I'd see him. Eventually, we became friends since he knew me long before all these things happened. I used to see him hover aroudn Mora from time to time."

"Are you conniving with someone in the police department?"

"What? No! I've hardly slept with anyone since Mora forced Hajin on me!" Crouching on her seat, Mijin wrapped her hands around her chest and murmured. "I can't let anybody touch me like that ever again..."

"How many lies have you told me today young girl?" Elric's mother seemed unmoved by Mijin's act. She stopped pacing about and sat back on her seat. "You were spotted staying in a motel with company for the past one week."

Mijin's face flushed in an instant. "I thought you said you haven't been spying on me."

"So you have been lying to me, huh? How unsurprising."

"You know how the world works. There is no such thing as free lunch."

"Who was that man?"

"I can't tell you."

"A supplier I presume?"

Mijin stiffened. She felt dumbstruck and as she opened her mouth to deny the obvious, it dawned on her that she could no longer play victim anymore for the person in front of her seemed well informed of her activities.

"Do you know what they say about liars? A falsifier will not be believed, even when they speak of truth. If you'd have been sincere, you wouldn't have to think hard before speaking up. Whenever I ask you a question, you take time trying to make your story make sence. If you'd been truthful from the start, you wouldn't have to remember anything."

Standing up once more, Elric's mother walked behind Mijin and stopped the moment she faced her back. "The many lies you have told the police, as carefully as you think you have been, soon enough, you'll start forgetting and mince your words. Additionally, when the time comes that you are cornered and discovered, even the simplest of truths will not be believed."

"I-I..."

"Expose Mora for witnessing your defilement will be considered a lie, you being the only witness to your own demise." Elric's mother whispered. "You shouldn't have taken that drug to recover your memory no matter how pure it was. If brought to court and believe me, it will be, then you hall have to explain your sources and how you came abotu them. There will be no difference between you and Mora's father. In the eyes of the jury, you'll receive the same sentence to his. You and Mora might end up beign cellmates"

Seeing that her threats had struck a chord, Elric's mother opted to play push and pull considering how dumbfounded Mijin was. "There is a light at the end of the tunnel therefore, do not despair. Your so called suppliers are hired men and women from your nemesis' father."

"That can't be true...They were not affiliated with that man I made sure of it!"

"You were being toyed with from the very start. How many people do you think were under Mora's father's wing? Or better yet, ask yourself why it has taken this long to bring him to face the law that even now, he might end up winning the case despite the public's knowledge of his monstrosities."

When Mijin remained silent, Elric's mother continued. "This is no child's play young girl. You are no match for that man and neither are you to Mora. You have no power, are quick to anger, impulsive by nature and not wicked enough. To beat them as you wish, you'll have to be as vile as it can get and stoop to their level. Sadly, they'll beat you with experience. Therefore, before you're made a papetrator to a major crime, walk away. Let. Your rage. Go."

"I c-can't do that..." Mijin stuttered. "It's still not enough..."

"It never will be enough. Two wrongs do not make a right. Let the law take care of them. 60% of pharmaceutical companies are controlled by a single entity. Shutting them down will cause a state of emergency in this country yet you, one insignificant individual is arrogant enough to think you can shut it down in a day? That's laughable."

"It isn't him I'm after but Mora."

"His daughter is as good as him. She has been diagnosed an unstable psychopath. Maybe you didn't know but whatever vengeance you've set forth to make her feel some sort of remorse will only disappoint you further."

Mijin gritted her teeth in anger, a tear falling from her eyes and Elric's mom wanted to believe Mijin's pain to be genuine but concluded them crocodile tears.

"She said she was bored."

"Pardon?"

"Mora... That was the reason for her attacking me." Looking up at Elric's mom, her face full of dispair, she asked. "Are you telling me all I did was for naught? That there is no retribution? How do you expect me to face myself by being a coward? I had a career I loved, a bright future ahead of me..."

Unmoved, Elric's mother inquired. "Were you going to ask my son all this questions if he'd come to see you? Or perhaps you sought some sort of closure from my son-in-law?"

Mijin let out a sad chuckled that burned her throat. She fought the need to scream and lash out at Elric's mother. As badly as she wanted to throw a fit, she knew causing a scene would be futile. This woman simply didn't care.

"Fine. You win. I'll stop."

"Apparently, you told your brother the same thing."

Mijin laughed as she wiped tears using the back of her hand. "My little brother betrayed me yet again."

"You betrayed yourself. I simply kept my distance and let you do as you pleased. My only interest was in catching your suppliers and now that they have been remanded, there is no longer need to get involved in your private affairs. Whatever you do with your life from now on is none of my business as long as you keep off my son. I'm sure you understand that includes everything that will draw negative attention to my firm."

"What's to say you are not the same as Mora's father? You used me just like he did." Mijin asked, hoping to strike a nerve.

"A bold statement." Elric's mother smiled. "I hope you remember your remarks when your name comes up through their lips as an accomplice."

"We share a common enemy with them. They hate Mora and her family just as much as I do."

"Don't say another word to me. I'm not your lawyer neither do I wish to be one."

Walking back to her seat, Elric's mother cautioned. "Think of your family whenever you act carelessly. Everyone is tired of cleaning up your mess so grow up. This is not your fight and whatever you do will not undo what has already been done."

"What if Mora is set free? She's going to go after my brother."

"With her current state, I doubt she can stay an hour without going into heat, something you are responsible of as innocent as you've made others believe. You were no rescuer, I'm certain of it.

Your former fated on the other hand caused quite a ruckus days ago after visiting his father to say his final goodbyes. He had the dignity to keep me informed before acting upon his thoughts. He understands the severyty of our predicament and how all is connected. I suggest you learn from him and come to terms with your trauma."

"Then what I'm I to do with the rage I feel inside of me... Inside my chest?"

"Young girl, peace is not something given by those that wronged you, you give it to you yourself. The sooner you realize that, the less chest pains you'll have."