Chapter 74 - I hope you cooperate

The detective comes out of the ward. He whispers something to his colleague before going to Do Sejin. "She wants to see you."

Do Sejin stops in front of the door. He doesn't know how long he keeps standing there. He can't bring himself to enter or leave. He can't bring himself to meet her eyes. He can't forget how he found her in the basement.

He kept asking her what happened to her that night at Jung Kwang-soo's place. She didn't answer him once. The killer tried to make her submit that night. He laughed and did the same thing to her after a year later.

Ahn Hana stares down at her hands. She's still alive. That man didn't kill her. She remembers how she begged him to continue. She started enjoying the pain. She had been a fool. She lied to the world to lure him out. He saw right through her. She was desperate to protect her daughter. She failed to do so. He knew everything from the start. He even got hold on her daughter.

She smiles apathetically.

Do Sejin pushes the door slowly. He doesn't know what to expect. But, he notices her smiling coldly at her hands with a murderous look in her eyes. He steps back instinctively. She lifts her head. The look in her eyes is gone and replaced by a familiar calm. "Do Sejin."

"Hana." He releases a tensed breath and takes guarded steps toward her. He has a thousand things to say, but her empty eyes prevent him from saying so. "You wanted to see me."

"You wanted to know about the child." She signals him to take a seat near the bed. "I will tell you."

He doesn't know what she had said to the detective. He releases a breath and takes the seat. He waits for her to say something.

"She is 5 months old. I didn't give her a name. Before I came here, I left her at an orphanage in C country for her safety. I donated all of my money there to keep her identity hidden. She wouldn't be given up for adoption in any case." She stares into his eyes. "I was going to bring her here after the killer was caught."

She continues with her business tone, "After I came back, I didn't contact them once. They couldn't contact me either. I used Detective's phone to call them and confirm what the killer told me. The killer has her."

Do Sejin doesn't know about to absorb that information. His worst nightmare has come true. His 5 months old child is taken by the killer. Ahn Hana's sanity is breaking. It's been a year and he couldn't find the killer. He couldn't prevent his worst nightmare becoming true.

"Hana, did you see the killer's face? Anything that can help us identify him?" He asks her. "We have to find our daughter. Please, think. You have seen him enough times."

"You have also seen him." She lets out a cynical laugh. "You think that I don't know about the cameras in your house?"

"If you help me -"

Do Sejin is interrupted. Someone knocks the door. He looks behind and finds a familiar man standing at the door.

"Excuse me." Prosecutor Im Jihoon walks into the room. "Lawyer Ahn?"

Why is this prosecutor here? Do Sejin frowns deeply. He remembers meeting this man at the hospital the other day. "Prosecutor Im, why are you here?"

"I am handling this case." He smiles awkwardly. "I begged my seniors to give me another chance. I was wrong to prosecute the wrong person last time. I want to give justice to all the victims of the magnolia killer including lawyer Ahn. I hope you cooperate."

Do Sejin has heard of Prosecutor Im during his college days. He's quite a legend. His other name was Prosecutor Justice. When the 100th-day murder case first sprung to light and the professors were using that opportunity for debate between the wannabe prosecutors and wannabe lawyers, the two sides were mainly divided into one who supported Prosecutor Im and one who supported Lawyer Ahn. The court trial between Ahn Hana and Im Jihoo was highly anticipated, but Ahn Hana disappeared before that.

Hearing and seeing has a difference. Do Sejin didn't think that Im Jihoon's personality is like this. Prosecutor Im is just... Do Sejin has a feeling that Im Jihoon wants to use this case to get his fame back.

"Lawyer Ahn." Prosecutor Im looks at her with a mild smile on his face. "Are you okay now?"

She slightly furrows her brows. "If I am not okay, will you stop doing your job?"

Im Jihoon laughs awkwardly with a low voice. "Sorry, I have to bother you."

She shrugs her shoulder. "Ask what you want to ask."

"Tell me what happened." Im Jihoon's aura change instantly. He shifts the glasses on his eyes and looks at her gravely.

"I have already told everything to the detective," She replies coldly. "Before I left, I didn't hide anything. After I came back, I told him everything today. So, what else do you want to know?"

"I want to hear from you." Im Jihoon persists. "The truth loses its sharpness when it's circulating around. I have taken the statement from your friend, Jung Kwang-soo. I need to hear your version."

Im Jihoon pauses for a moment and glances at Do Sejin. "It's better if you leave us alone."

"Let him stay." Ahn Hana leans back and closes her eyes to gather her thoughts. "He has been curious a lot."

Do Sejin purses his lips. He wonders if he has the strength to hear what happened to her. He has to hear it. He needs to find the killer. For the sake of his daughter and Ahn Hana, he must hear it.