진실

진실

Evelyn Blackthorn

229.0k Words / Completed
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Introduction

취업 기회가 빽으로 날아가고, 실직한 바로 그날 집에 돌아오니 양심 없는 집주인까지 마주하게 된... 비 내리는 추운 겨울 밤, 사회 초년생 허징은 사회가 그에게 보여주는 진짜 잔인한 모습을 목격했다.

사무실 건물의 빠르게 내려가는 엘리베이터 안에서, 허징은 고개를 숙인 채 눈가가 촉촉해졌다. 그는 엘리베이터 안의 또 다른 정장 차림의 변호사가 자신을 조용히 살펴보고 있다는 것을 전혀 눈치채지 못했다.

침대 위, 잠들기 전.
허징: "있잖아, 너 몇 명이나... 사귀어 봤어?"
한자오: "정말 알고 싶어?"
허징: "그냥 잠들기 전 이야기로 들려줘 봐..."
한자오: "...너 혹시 '6일 밤의 취침 전 이야기'라는 책 읽어봤어?"

한 줄 소개: 나쁜 남자의 과거를 파헤치다
커플: 한자오 x 허징; 셰루이 x 린차오
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About Author

Evelyn Blackthorn

Chapter 1

"양 변호사님, 그 말씀은 무슨 뜻인가요?"

퇴근 시간이 다가올 무렵, 허징은 파트너에게 사무실로 불려가 돌려 말하는 이야기를 듣고 나서, 참지 못하고 직접 상대방의 의도를 물었다.

"음, 음," 앞에 앉은 중년 변호사가 목을 가다듬었다. "솔직히 말하자면, 자네가 아주 우수하긴 하지만, 올해 우리 팀에서 남길 수 있는 자리는 단 한 자리뿐이야. 여러 방면을 고려해서, 비키를 남기기로 결정했네."

양 변호사가 말한 "여러 방면을 고려"가 무슨 의미인지, 사회 초년생인 허징도 모르는 바는 아니었다. 그는 이미 알고 있었다. 자신보다 늦게 실습을 시작한 비키가 양 변호사의 큰 고객의 딸이라는 것을. 다만 정말로 이런 이유 때문에...

"이번에는 자리가 제한되어 있어서 그렇지, 개인적으로는 자네를 꽤 인정하고 있어," 양 변호사는 그의 창백한 얼굴을 보며 말을 가려 했다. "빨리 다른 일자리를 찾아보는 게 좋을 거야. 추천서가 필요하면 내가 써줄 수 있어."

"양 변호사님, 지금 이 시기는 이미 대기업 채용 시즌이 지났고, 게다가 저는 허웨이에서 일하기 위해 대학원 진학 기회까지 포기했습니다." 허징의 목소리가 약간 격앙되었다. "당시 변호사님께서는 실수만 하지 않으면 남을 수 있다고 하지 않으셨나요?"

"허징," 양 변호사는 전혀 미안한 기색이 없었다. "자네는 어디까지나 실습생이고, 자리가 제한된 상황에서는 우수한 인재를 선발할 수밖에 없어."

"우수하다고요? 비키는 사법시험도 통과하지 못했잖아요!" 허징이 비웃듯 웃었다. "결국 누구의 인맥이 더 강한지 보는 거겠죠? 저 같은 작은 도시에서 온 배경 없는 졸업생은 아무리 우수해도 항상 남겨지는 쪽이군요."

양 변호사는 그를 잠시 바라보다가 말했다. "자네가 정말 이 업계에 들어오고 싶다면 갈 길이 멀어. 업계는 좁아서, 마음을 편하게 먹으라고 조언하고 싶네. 이렇게 하지. 한 달 더 남아서 천천히 일자리를 찾아보게."

억울함, 불만, 분노, 후회... 여러 감정이 가슴속에서 뒤엉키다가, 결국 그는 고개를 들고 당당하게 말했다. "양 변호사님의 가르침 감사합니다. 이왕 허웨이의 정식 직원이 될 수 없다면, 지금 바로 인사부에 출입카드를 반납하겠습니다."

이 말을 던질 때만 해도 허징은 자신이 충분히 멋있다고 생각했다. 하지만 정말로 카드를 반납하고 개인 물품을 들고 엘리베이터 앞에 서자, 억누를 수 없는 쓰라림이 밀려왔다.

아무리 "왜 나만"이라고 수없이 묻더라도, 이미 결정된 결과는 바뀌지 않을 터였다. 아무리 많은 노력을 기울였어도, 그가 동경하던 로펌은 이미 그를 문밖으로 차버렸다.

작은 실습생 하나가 떠난다고 해서 아무런 파문도 일으키지 못한다. 하지만, 이 일자리는 그에게 너무나 중요했고, 이렇게 애매하게 쫓겨난 것에 대해 누구에게 하소연해야 할까?

엘리베이터가 그의 앞에서 열리고, 허징은 기계적으로 걸어 들어가 상자를 안고 구석에 섰다. 그는 멍하니 상자 속 물건들을 바라보며 자신의 고민에 빠져 있었다. 엘리베이터에 또 다른 변호사가 있어 그를 조용히 관찰하고 있다는 사실을 전혀 눈치채지 못했다.

"딩!"

엘리베이터가 도착했다는 소리에 허징의 생각이 끊겼다. 그는 앞으로 몇 걸음 걸어가다가 고개를 들었는데, 주변이 화려한 1층 로비가 아니라는 것을 발견했다.

그의 뒤에서 걸어오던 변호사가 그의 어리둥절한 모습을 보고 한마디 했다. "제가 지하주차장 버튼을 눌렀거든요."

허징은 멍하니 그를 바라보았다. 45층 전체가 허웨이 로펌이었는데, 이 사람이 계속 그와 함께 엘리베이터를 타고 내려왔다는 건... 아마도 로펌의 변호사일 것이다.

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