Xi

15

Chapter 308
[This is an adaptation, this story is not mine. The credits goes to the original writer. Please do not vote!]
Minchul's words had completely shattered the last bit of hope in Song Ji- Hye's heart. She looked away and let out a bark of laughter.
Initially, her laughter sounded suppressed. However, later, her laughter grew louder, except that her amplified laughter was filled with heartache and self-mockery, as if mocking herself for having plotting and scheming, thinking that she had always been his favorite person all these years.
Song Ji-Hye's tears unwittingly streamed down on her cheeks while she was laughing.
"Mother..." Looking at Song Ji-Hye's crying and laughing appearance, they did not feel good about it. This was especially so for Yu-min.
She was different from Minchul. Minchul had been sent to various boarding schools and hardly stayed with Song Ji-Hye. She only met with Minchul several times within a year. Yu-min, on the other hand, had stayed by Song Ji-Hye's side ever since she was young. She was stuck with Song Ji-Hye like superglue.. Naturally, Yu-min and Song Ji-Hye had formed a much closer bond compared to Minchul. When Yu-min saw Song Ji-Hye's heart- breaking meltdown, she did not feel good either. Her hatred for Jung Tae and Jennie grew increasingly stronger.
After Song Ji-Hye had enough of laughing, she casually used her hand to wipe away the tears that streamed all over her face. She snorted, "I have always plotted and schemed for all my life. I schemed for men, finance, and status. Originally, I thought I had won the moment I became one of the members of the Kim family, rising to the position as the madam of the house, and kicking Jennie out of the Kim family. Never did I think... in the end... I lost... I ended up losing everything... Hahaha..!"

"Mother, Mother, stop laughing. I'll get upset seeing you like this. You still have us. You've got us." Tear marks were all over Yu-min's face. She pursed her lips as she looked at Song Ji-Hye. She could not help herself from sobbing.
Song Ji-Hye looked numb, as if she was immersing herself in her own world, and could not hear any voice from outside.
When Minchul saw her in her current state, he could not help but heave a sigh. He turned his head around and said to Yu-min, "Sis, please go out for a moment first. You and Mother are not emotionally stable yet. If you two come close together, the situation would only get worse. You may go out to breathe in some fresh air first, while I'll talk to her alone. She needs to calm down as well."
Yu-min was stunned. Looking at Song Ji-Hye who was in a daze, she tried her best to hold back the tears that had welled up her eyes. She nodded reluctantly.
"Talk to her properly. Don't agitate her anymore." "Okay, I know."
Yu-min cast a final glance at Song Ji-Hye before she rose up and left. At that time, little did she know that this would be her last meeting with Song Ji-Hye.
Right after Yu-min departed, Minchul's eyes sparkled. His expression changed slightly.
"Mother..." Minchul called Song Ji-Hye and whispered to her, "I heard that the police officers have had sufficient evidence on hands about you hiring contract killers to attempt on murder. They are now hesitating on how to give you a sentence."
Right after Minchul spoke, Song Ji-Hye's lifeless and still eyes were once again lit up. She stared at the young lad opposite her, brightened with interest.

"The hiring of contract killers to attempt on murder is a serious charge. Even though no one was hurt or killed in the end, it has led to irrecoverable damage. You could at least be sentenced to two or three years in jail, and moreover, this case has also involved the Manoban family and the Park family..."
Looking at Song Ji-Hye's expressionless face, Minchul heaved a sigh and continued, "I've conducted an investigation on this matter. It was the member from the Park family who had handed over your crime evidence to Eldest Uncle, and Eldest Uncle, in turn, passed over the evidence to the police officers. In this case, as long as anyone from these families were to have a hand in it, there is a high chance you will be sentenced for eight to ten years of jail, Mother."
"What exactly do you want to say to me?" Song Ji-Hye's face was as white as a ghost as she stared at the young man, who was looking indifferent. She totally could not relate her son, who had just comforted her so gently, to this person in front of her.
Minchul swept a glance at Song Ji-Hye nonchalantly before he blurted out, "Mother, Father has severed ties with you and my elder sister, but not me."
Song Ji-Hye's entire body shuddered. She looked at Minchul in bewilderment.
Minchul met Song Ji-Hye's gaze. He instinctively touched the earring on his right ear. He smiled faintly as he said, "Mother, you said you have failed miserably. In fact, you didn't. You still have me. How could you possibly have been defeated?"
Looking at her son in front of her, who looked completely like a stranger to her, she could not help but quirked one of her eyebrows. "So?"
"Mother, you've fought for so many years. You didn't want to admit that you've been defeated so miserably, and become a laughing stock for the rest of your life, right?" Minchul looked at Song Ji-Hye profoundly. His expression remained the same, yet the words that came out of his mouth were incredibly shocking. "You could spend ten years of your life in prison,