Love Again

146. A New Identity

"Mijin, I can't say I'm not surprised to see you. You've never been present in any of our meetings neither shown interest in the case."

"It was of no concern of mine. I had my own problems to think of."

"Fair enough. How did you find me? You disappeared as soon as you delivered." 

"Your secretary told me you'll be here." 

"Tell me. How May I best assist you?" Sizing Mijin up, Elric's mother noticed she appeared frail and fatigued, more like she'd been constantly exhausted not just physically but mentally as well. "I'm not a doctor but you look quite frail. I'm afraid if you collapse, I'll not be able to help you much."

"I won't. I'm stronger than I look and if there is anyone to blame for my dark circles, it's because of that thing that cries every waking second." 

"Oh, so you returned home already?" Elric's mom asked but Mijin couldn't be bothered to respond for she shrugged her shoulders and pulled a chair to sit down.

Elric's mother stopped what she was doing and focused her attention on Mijin. Not wanting to entertain her dark mood, she asked, "Is that why you returned? You missed her?"

"I came here to help the case. I want to expose Mora for the things she did to me. I'm sure you received the confession I left behind but that was because I thought I could run away from everything."

"What made you change your mind and return?"

 "The thought that whatever I gave you may not have been enough kept bothering me I couldn't sleep, especially after I heard of her father's uncovered crimes. I've suffered under that family's hands, Mora's brother and me..." Mijin hesitated. "It wasn't consensual but forced on both of us for Mora's entertainment."

"Yes, I'm aware. That trauma cuts deep. It shouldn't have happened.  Nonetheless, I'd advice you just like Hajin, you will need to get the assistance of a professional to help you heal and cope with whatever happened. Hajin has shown tremendous recovery and of course, health wise, you and your daughter definitely take the credit, you the most since you could have gotten rid of the pregnancy but chose to keep it despite what you went through. It takes someone with a big heart to do that even I wouldn't be able to do so."

Mijin looked down and smiled briefly. It had been a while since anyone complemented her. All she ever heard were scoldings and expectations of others imposed on her for the last nine months. In fact, the last time anyone had thrown her a praise was when she and Niel were still in a relationship.

"Unfortunately the statement you left behind doesn't help us. It's your word against Mora. Keep in mind her brother couldn't be given an antidote to recover his lost memories seeming that his body was already intoxicated with a lot of that dangerous drug. He would have died since his body wasn't strong enough to handle a reverse effect." Placing her hands on the table, Elric's mother leaned forward and added. "Mora's brother doesn't know the torture he endured under his sisters care. You on the other hand seems to remember somehow. I wonder how you came to recover your memory."

Mijin raised her chin in defiance but didn't utter a word.

"Need I remind you that if I'd exposed you, you'd have delivered your daughter behind bars. You would have been forced to expose your supplier as well. That drug you took to recover your memories is the pure one is it not?"

Mijin remained silent.

"It's very very expensive and the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture it are licensed to do so. At the moment, all of them are under investigation nationwide due to involvement with suspicious stakeholders funding the manufacturing, supply and processing.