The courthouse was packed with reporters and spectators as the trial between Hena and Madam Seo officially began. Armed with Jun-ho's legal documents and the public on her side, Hena sat calmly in the front row beside her legal team, her birthmark clearly visible beneath her sleeve.
Madam Seo, on the other hand, looked every bit the part of a fallen queen—dressed in black, her lips tight, her posture proud but brittle. She refused to meet Hena's gaze.
Judge Kwon entered and banged the gavel.
"We begin proceedings in the case of Seo Hena vs. Seo Corporation and Madam Seo."
The prosecution began, presenting the documents Jun-ho had uncovered—proof that two heirs had been legally recorded in the family registry, but one was erased through forged paperwork.
Gasps rippled through the courtroom when the original birth certificates were shown on the screen, backed up by DNA evidence.
"This," the lead lawyer said, pointing to the screen, "proves beyond all doubt that Madam Seo orchestrated the disappearance and legal erasure of one daughter to favor another."
Madam Seo's face turned pale.
Then came Jun-ho's recorded testimony. "My mother never intended to treat us as family. She used everyone like chess pieces. Hena was a threat, so she made her vanish."
The defense tried to object, but it was too late. The damage was done.
---
Outside the courtroom, reporters swarmed Jun-ho.
"Why did you turn against your mother?"
He answered without hesitation. "Because I finally chose justice over blind loyalty."
---
Meanwhile, across the city in a luxurious hotel suite, Hara stirred from her sleep. Her head throbbed with confusion. As her eyes fluttered open, she turned—and froze.
Lying next to her was Jae-woon.
"What the hell?!" she shrieked, throwing off the blanket and jolting to her feet. She grabbed a pillow and hit him with it. "What happened last night?!"
Jae-woon, half-asleep, blinked slowly. "Relax. We didn't do anything. You drank too much and passed out. I stayed to make sure you didn't choke on your own bitterness."
"Liar!" she snapped. "Even being in the same room as you is a mistake!"
She stormed to the door, yanking it open. "Get out, Jae-woon! And don't come back. You mean nothing to me. You never did. It's always been Damian!"
He got up slowly, unfazed by her outburst. "Say what you want. But you're lying to yourself more than you're lying to me."
"I'm not!"
He stepped closer, smirking gently. "You're angry because I'm still here. Because part of you still wants me. You just don't want to admit it."
"Leave!" she screamed, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't need you!"
He nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll leave. For now. But I'm not done, Hara. I'll win you back—even if it kills me."
With that, he walked out, closing the door softly behind him.
Hara collapsed to the floor in tears, gripping her knees. "Why does it still hurt...?"
---
Back in court, Hena took the stand.
"Growing up, I was told I didn't belong. I was treated like a mistake. But I never gave up hope that one day, the truth would come out. That I'd be more than someone's shadow."
She looked straight at Madam Seo.
"You stole my childhood. You tried to erase me. But I'm still here. And I'm taking it all back."
Madam Seo finally snapped.
"You ungrateful brat! I gave Hara everything. You should've stayed gone!"
The judge banged the gavel again. "One more outburst, Madam Seo, and I'll hold you in contempt."
But it was too late. The courtroom saw her for what she truly was—a tyrant protecting her throne at all costs.
Outside the courthouse, Damian held Hena's hand tightly.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I didn't think this day would come."
"You were brave," he said softly. "I'm proud of you."
Suddenly, the press caught sight of them. Cameras flashed. Reporters shouted questions.
"Hena, how do you feel about your win in court?"
"Will you take over the company?"
"Is the engagement to Damian still on?"
She smiled calmly. "One thing at a time."
But her eyes sparkled with victory.
That night, Madam Seo returned to an empty house. The staff had resigned. The halls echoed with silence.
She collapsed into a chair, exhausted, defeated, and alone.
"Everything… for nothing."
Just then, a court order was delivered to her doorstep: all illegally transferred properties would be frozen pending further investigation.
Her empire was crumbling.
---
In a separate suite, Hara stood by the window, watching the rain fall.
Min-ah entered quietly. "You okay?"
"No," Hara whispered. "I lost everything."
"No," Min-ah corrected gently. "You still have yourself. It's time to find out who you are… without the lies."
Hara stared out at the dark city, the lights blurry through her tears. "Maybe it's time to stop fighting for someone who never chose me."
---
And somewhere in the shadows, Jae-woon boarded a plane, casting one last look at Seoul.
"She'll miss me," he whispered, "even if she won't say it."
But he would return. When the time was right.