"Attorney Elise Chae, please stop meddling in other people's lives, okay? Just focus on doing well yourself, alright?"
Behind the speechless Elise, Winter could see her law school classmates waving at her.
Winter turned her back on Elise, cheerfully waving back at them.
"Oh, and about those baseless rumors."
Winter suddenly turned back as if she had just remembered something.
Elise was still glaring at Winter, unable to say anything.
"They'll disappear soon. Because I'm not going to stay quiet anymore."
Winter picked up a sparkling champagne glass with a bright smile.
***
Winter was surrounded by people, laughing brightly.
Elise's eyes, watching from afar, grew cold.
"It's sickening to look at."
Elise couldn't understand why Winter always had to be the center of attention.
She felt she couldn't bear it unless she removed that bright face from her sight immediately.
Elise carefully looked around. Then she began to mix something little by little into the martini glass she had received from the bartender.
The white powder that dissolved without a trace was none other than a sleeping pill.
Elise, who had long suffered from insomnia, took sleeping pills every day. She didn't expect to use the ones she had brought to take in her room tonight like this.
But at this rate, Winter was sure to become the star of tonight's welcome party.
Elise planned to take Winter to her room and just let her sleep it off. Only then did she feel she could properly enjoy the welcome party.
This small amount would just make her fall asleep without any trouble anyway.
Elise stared down at the martini glass. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she approached Winter.
"Hey, Winter Yoo."
"Yes?"
Winter looked quizzically at the glass Elise suddenly held out.
"I thought I might have been a bit harsh earlier. Let's have a drink and make up."
Winter still looked at Elise with puzzled eyes.
"I'm not bothered at all, though?"
"Come on, don't make this awkward!"
Elise's face turned bright red, seemingly embarrassed by Winter's words. Winter felt a little sorry.
"Alright then!"
Just as Winter was about to casually accept the martini laced with sleeping pills, there was a heavy presence felt in the central hall, causing everyone to turn around at once.
A tall man was walking steadily into the hall.
The light from the brilliantly sparkling chandelier shattered across the man's beautiful face.
His overwhelmingly handsome face and towering silhouette instantly captivated everyone's gaze.
Winter watched the man approach with narrowed eyes.
Just by simply walking, the man was overpowering everyone watching him. His cold gaze and expressionless face made his presence even more imposing.
He was breathtakingly handsome.
His darkly sunken eyes were piercingly cold, and his clear downcast eyes slightly turned up along his sharp jawline.
The silk voile shirt and black wool suit he wore were clearly luxury items even at a glance. The perfectly tailored fit and subtly shimmering high-quality material seemed to be the work of a famous designer, difficult to obtain even with money.
But more than the impressive designer clothes, what truly captured people's attention was the man's toned and smooth physique, the muscular body that seemed almost visible beneath the clothes.
Every woman in the hall was hungrily eyeing the man from head to toe.
"Oh my, isn't that Attorney Kang?"
"What brings such an esteemed face to a place like this?"
Hugo Kang.
Was there anyone in the South Korean legal world who didn't know his name?
The only successor acknowledged by Maximus Kang, the founder of Seolbeop Law Firm, and the undisputed next representative attorney of Seolbeop.
Hugo was soon to become the firm and sole owner of this massive law firm.
Moreover, he was famous for never losing a case. Though his secret was unknown, it was said his win rate approached 100% so far.
Having graduated top of his class from S University Law School and joining Seolbeop right after completing his term as a military judicial officer, Hugo had become a living legend in the legal world at the young age of 33.
The moment she recognized that beautiful face, Winter's expression froze coldly.
"Well, well, he's gotten even more handsome."
Winter pouted secretly. This man was also one of those who had humiliated Winter three years ago.
However, his handsome face was far more attractive than Winter remembered. Even Winter, who found Hugo disagreeable, had to acknowledge his outstanding looks.
Unlike Winter, who was grumbling under her breath, Elise's eyes were filled with overflowing affection. Elise's one-sided displays of affection towards Hugo had been ongoing for a long time.
Elise called out Hugo's name loudly, as if to show off her affection in front of everyone.
"Oppa! Hugo oppa!"
But Hugo strode straight towards Winter without even glancing at Elise, who was smiling brightly.
Hugo was fixated on Winter's pale, delicate hand. His cold gaze shifted towards the martini glass in Winter's hand. Elise's face began to turn pale as she followed Hugo's gaze.
"O-oppa..."
But Winter couldn't hear Elise's flustered voice.
As Winter watched Hugo Kang approaching with steady steps, she was merely recalling memories of the past. Her gaze noticeably turned cold.
Yes, it was that man. A face she could never forget.
Three years ago, on the day Winter was fired from Seolbeop, he was the one who pressed a large sum of consolation money into her trembling hands.
His attitude, as if telling her to take the money and disappear, made Winter taste bitter humiliation. It was an even more bitter disgrace than the taste of being fired.