Sentinel Tower, a high-rise district of Halcyon. Standing 600 feet tall, gleaming with a glass-and-steel façade. Each floor has limited suites, ensuring maximum privacy. The 43rd floor, where Yara's suite is located, houses only two penthouses.
A perimeter security system surrounds the building, with motion sensors and 24/7 CCTV surveillance. Armed guards monitor the entrance and lobby. Access to upper floors is restricted via a biometric system.
Entering the main lobby of the tower which is directly connected to the entrance, greeted us a grand space with vaulted ceilings, a water feature cornering the lobby, and a concierge desk in the middle of it.
Ethan and I approached the desk, taking out our IDs from the wallet, and showed it the employee at the desk.
"Good Morning Sirs. Are you expected by anyone in the building?", A blonde receptionist asked the question as we pulled our IDs.
"I believe we have a meeting scheduled with Ms.Yara Choi", Ethan spoke up.
"Mr. Ethan Harris and Mr. Ivor Snow? I'll guide you to the house", With those words the blonde receptionist in a black formal attire led us through the lobby and scanned her keycard on the lift.
The elevators feature reinforced steel and a panic button that maybe connects to building security. With a classical chime after a long silent wait, the elevator reached the 43rd floor.
The hallway on the floor was carpeted and adorned with abstract art. A single security camera monitors the corridor outside the suite.
Stopping in front of the door numbered 243, the girl was about to reach for the buzz-bell, but the doors opened before she could do so. Opening the gates was a woman in her thirties, maybe mid-thirties or older, with black hair, a sturdy build, and slightly tanned skin.
She was wearing a black coat and pants over a white shirt with the upper three buttons open, a gun holstered at her waist, and gloves on her hands.
She scanned both of us and then spoke up, looking at me.
"Advisor Ivor Snow?" she asked.
"Ivor Snow. Advisor for now," I replied.
With a single nod, she excused the beautiful employee who had guided us here and made way for us to enter.
Through the entrance was directly the living room, furnished with plush, minimalist furniture in neutral tones. A crystal chandelier hung over the coffee table. Beyond the table was a spacious area with floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of Halcyon Park and the city.
On the couches surrounding the table were two women. One was dressed in formal clothing: a mud-brown coat and matching pants over a black top. She had lush black hair, a classic silver feminine watch with pink diamond dials, mud-brown heeled shoes, and fair skin.
She was beautiful, but the one next to her, her looks were off the charts. Maybe only a few celebrities have that kind of delicate features—extremely fair skin, white hair, eyes with a tint of red. She was wearing a white night-suit made of what seemed like wool. Her posture was defined and sleek. If I were to guess, her height was around 5'7".
She was Yara Choi, a rising K-pop star in the industry and the prime suspect for the death of Evelyn Cho. The one beside her was Eun-Ji Han, her defense attorney.
Yara's legs were pulled up tightly to her chest with her arms wrapped around them in an embrace. Her head rested on her knees, eyes swollen from the tears she must have shed. Her expression was extremely grim.
The one who greeted us at the entrance, her personal bodyguard, moved to the side of the room as Eun-Ji stood up from the couch upon our arrival.
"Good morning, and welcome to Korea," Eun-Ji said with a respectful bow. "I apologize for not being able to receive you personally earlier."
"There's no need for an apology; it's good to finally meet you in person," I replied, extending my hand to formally introduce myself. "Ivor Snow."
She responded likewise, accepting my handshake. "Eun-Ji Han. Defense Attorney from Lex Aeterna."
"This right here is Ethan Harris, my assistant, clerk, and a very fine individual in handling associations." Ethan nodded and greeted her.
While we were exchanging greetings, Yara wiped her face with the set of wipes kept on the coffee table, brushed her clothes with her hands slightly, and sat up straight.
Eun-Ji turned around and met Yara's eyes, seemingly demanding answers. It wasn't Yara who had requested our assistance but her firm, Haven Entertainment, that sent a letter to Caldwell's. Eun-Ji directed Yara's sight on us and continued…
"Yara, this is Mr. Ivor Snow. He is going to be your legal advisor throughout the case. Professionally, he is a very successful criminal lawyer with no lost cases." But a lot of dead defendants. Well, I have had a history with people who love to play psychological games
"Morning, Ms. Yara Choi. May I?" I stepped forward and asked for a seat opposite her.
"Yes, ah—please! Morning, Mr. Ivor." She stood up and bowed slightly. Ethan, on the other hand, moved to the end of the room, looking at the city view through the glass wall.
"It's fine. Just be at ease. We're all here to ease your worries, not to make the situation more tense." I slowly rested my back on the couch. The effect of the medicine was starting to wear off, so the pain was evident.
"I understand that you're in a peculiar situation. But there's nothing for you to worry about. At this moment, the case the prosecution is trying to build is just an empty shell. No direct evidence states you're ever going to hit that trial," I added.
"It's just that I… I never. How can I even think of taking someone's life? She was close to me. We used to bicker and fight, but that just happened when I changed firms. Distance creates distortions in relationships, and that was the case for us too. And now I am being accused of taking the life of my teacher, who was my very own friend. I-I learned so much from her. There's a debt of immeasurable favors that she showered me with—" Yara spoke up with tears in her eyes, a shaky voice, and hands clasped together.
Eun-Ji passed a glass of water to her and a set of wipes. After that, she reached out for her tote bag on the couch beside her, took out some files, and passed them to me.
It was a forensic report. I scanned through the document and found nothing serious. Though there are some points that can make leads, nothing is direct.
"I know Ms. Eun-Ji must have said the same thing to you, Yara. Is it okay if I call you Yara?" I asked her, and she nodded.
"Perfect. Look, it doesn't matter. Emotions often guide you down the wrong path. I'm not saying always, but most of the time. So it doesn't matter whether it was you who took Evelyn's life or not. All you need to know is that your career is on the line here." I paused, observing her reaction. It was fairly positive. She seemed to collect herself back again.
"Look at it this way: what's gone is gone and cannot be recovered. But we can make sure that those losses don't affect your future. Your life's just begun, and we cannot let that go to waste. So our aim right now will not be to find the killer of Evelyn but to prove your innocence. That you, in no way, are connected to this case," I added.
"I am sure that the media is on hold with a cease and desist letter?" I asked, looking at Eun-Ji.
"Yes, but I'm not sure that's going to work for long. Cases like this are meant to be leaked in some way," Eun-Ji replied.
"Then issue a gag order. Claim that Yara is being framed for murder and that the perpetrator's goal might just be to make sure this news reaches the media." I kept the files on the coffee table and looked at Yara.
"Alright then. Let's start—" Yara nodded and drank the remaining glass of water.
"From the very beginning!"