This is heaven in hiding

chapter 8

Chaeyoung's office phone chirps with Jennie's tone. "Yeah, Jen?"

"Jisoo on the line. Information about the Muller case."

"The Muller case? She's not on that one..."

"I don't know what to tell you, Chaeyoung. She called for that. Do you want the call or not?"

"Yeah, send it through." Her phone rings a few seconds later. "Choi," she greets Jisoo."Park." Jisoo's voice is her professional voice. Chaeyoung instantly realizes she's not going to like what Jisoo has to say.

"When did you get the Muller case?"

"This afternoon. Dickinson wants it settled."

"No, no way. We have a decent case."

"You haven't heard the settlement offer yet."

"I don't want one."

"That's not your call, Park." She rolls her eyes so hard they almost fall from her head.

"Jisoo-"

"I'm just doing my job, Chaeyoung. We have a conference scheduled for this afternoon. I was giving you a courtesy call." She scoffs, "A courtesy call? Really?" She doesn't try to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Were you just going to show up instead of Nyko this afternoon as well?"

"Like I said, it's a courtesy call." Jisoo bites. Chaeyoung feels a hint of that old animosity flare up. The pure frustration that would always consume her whenever she interacted with Jisoo. "Well, I suppose I should be thanking you. I'll see you later, then. I have to go."

She hears Jisoo begin to say her goodbyes, but hangs up before anything more can be said. "Fuck," she groans loudly into her office. She jabs the button that gets Jennie. "Yeah?"

"When is that conference scheduled for today?"

"In like half an hour."

"Are you serious?"

"Yep."Her blood boils just under the skin. What a lovely surprise indeed.

Jisoo looks like her buttoned up self again while they sit in chambers and discuss the offer. Her eyes don't change and her jaw stays clenched, legs crossed and back completely straight in the uncomfortable chair.

She is all business.

Chaeyoung supposes it's a fair offer, but she was confident in her ability to get her client little to no jail time. When she presents it to him, he jumps at the chance to take it. Does not want to risk trial or a harsher sentence. Does not want to hear her advice.

And that's all there is to it.

She spends the remainder of the afternoon going over it with him, the ins and outs, speaking to him and his wife about what comes next. The little boy behind them playing with his toy cars on the carpet has no idea of the gravity of the situation in the room and something about that eats at Chaeyoung.

She knows he's doing this for his son, finds it the least dramatic path. Tries to hold on to that while he signs away the next seven to ten years of his child's life. She can read Dickinson's handprint all over the offer.

The desire to kick him through the window growing stronger every day.

It's not surprising in the slightest when she finds herself walking quickly to Jisoo's apartment building as soon as she leaves the office for the night. When Jisoo opens the door, she's still in her work clothes but her hair is down and she looks tired.

Chaeyoung steps inside and closes the door softly. Jisoo studies her for a long moment before a heavy sigh leaves her lips. She tries to retreat towards the kitchen but Chaeyoung reaches out and stops her.