One Step Closer [Social Media AU]

One Step Closer - 140💕

636.

"Attorney Lee, took you long enough." Na-Ra scowled, voice dripping with sarcasm and frustration. The extended confinement had turned her bitter and furious at everyone. "You obviously have no sense of time and how things work. I told you to take me out in twenty-four hours."

Attorney Lee glanced at her from the documents he was reviewing. He ignored her jab and gestured to her to take the empty seat.

"What the hell were your team doing? Why hasn't someone come for us already?" Myeong-suk asked, voice rising in panic. "They only took Na-Rae out. Why are we even here? She was the one who had drugs."

The attorney once again gestured a hand at her to sit. Instead of answering them, he said, "The investigation is completed and now we have a final version of everything. You're both cleared of several allegations but they have found evidence to prove that your auditor fabricated your tax documents on several occasions."

"What?" Myeong-suk gasped, her face growing pale. "We have never—"

Na-Ra put a hand on hers, shutting her up. She took a seat, staring at the attorney who continued to sift through the documents in his hand without taking his eyes off them. Her mind raced, the weight of the situation growing heavy on her shoulders.

"Tax evasion and fabricating tax documents is a crime, Ms. Shin." He put the documents down to stare at her intently. "You can be punished with up to two years of jail sentence and a hefty fine or you can evade a jail term by paying a fine equivalent to double the amount of tax you evaded. The choice is yours."

"What?" Her eyes went wide. The shock to her system was unexplainable. This can't be happening. They were clever. Her auditor said everything was taken care of. She even engaged in several philanthropic tax activities to escape the tax burden.

"That's ridiculous. We always pay our taxes," Myeong-suk argued, voice trembling.

"No, you didn't, Mrs. Shin. You wouldn't be locked up here if that's the case," Attorney Lee deadpanned, and then he glanced at Na-Ra. "Your father doesn't have any legal role within your company unlike your mother. Hence, he cannot be implicated in this. The prosecution team also has collected enough evidence including your chat history, call records with the auditors over the past three years." Attorney Lee reclined in his seat. "There's nothing we can do about it."

"What do you mean my husband cannot be implicated? He's one of the investors of Shin Cosmetics," Myeong-suk countered. Her anger and disbelief was so palpable.

"I'm just explaining the things as it is. If you don't wish to believe me, then fine go ahead and argue, wasting our limited time," he challenged, his patience visibly wearing thin.

Na-Ra scoffed, her tone even bitter than she felt. "So they went digging that deep and left no stone unturned until they found something," she conceded. "First, drug allegations and now it has come to this. What more?"

"What are you doing?" Myeong-suk hissed at her daughter. Her eyes were shaking as if to tell her to stop. Her scent was bitter.

"Be quiet, mom," Na-Ra growled. "You better keep quiet if you don't wish to rot in here forever."

That shut her up.

Attorney Lee continued speaking when Na-Ra looked at him expectantly. "We reached out to your father too. He said there's nothing he can do to help because he's in severe debt and cannot afford this. So you will have to choose a viable option after discussing this with your mother."

"What?" Myeong-suk jumped to her feet. "What debt? That bastard! How could he ditch us at a time like this?"

Attorney Lee pursed her lips and stared at Na-Ra. "I cannot comment about something I do not know. All I can tell you is the two options you have in front of you," he said pointedly at Na-Ra. "If you let me know your decision, I'll coordinate with the authorities accordingly."