Episode 12 of "Good Partner" kicks off with an emotionally charged scene, as Yu-ri ventures to the hospital to visit Eun-kyung, who is bedside at Jae-hui's hospital bed. Her earnest plea for Eun-kyung's return to the office echoes with a promise of renewal, subtly lifting Eun-kyung's spirits from the depths of despair.
The following day, a tectonic shift occurs within the firm as the CEO formally announces to Woo-jin his intention to groom him as the successor, initiating the paperwork for a seamless transition. Amidst this milestone, the duo inks an MOU with a prestigious medical foundation, solidifying their business alliance and ushering in new opportunities. However, this partnership comes with an unexpected twist – the foundation's patriarch entrusts the law firm with handling his son's contentious divorce case.
At first blush, the son portrays himself as a victim of his wife's monetary extortion through divorce petitions, vehemently refusing to grant her wish despite claiming undying love. Yet, beneath the veneer lies a twisted reality.
Faced with the CEO's unwavering resolve to dismiss Eun-kyung, he cunningly assigns the high-profile divorce case to Yu-ri, casting a shadow of discord between the two colleagues. Trapped between loyalty and obligation, Yu-ri reluctantly acquiesces to the decision.
The courtroom drama unfolds with a shocking revelation. The wife, her eyes betraying her fear, stands before the judge, claiming a lack of evidence due to her husband's meticulous destruction of all traces. A chance encounter in the restroom paints Yu-ri with a hint of suspicion as she observes the woman's aquaphobia and a telltale bald patch, which the wife attributes to domestic abuse.
Yu-ri's probing questions about these discrepancies ignite a fiery response from her client, who abruptly terminates their meetings. Haunted by the possibility of defending a perpetrator, Yu-ri unburdens herself to Eun-ho, her conscience weighed down by guilt.
In an unexpected turn of events, the client reverses course, requesting Eun-kyung as his counsel. Woo-jin, recognizing the value of Eun-kyung's expertise, grants his wish, reuniting Yu-ri and Eun-kyung on the case.
As negotiations intensify, the wife presents a game-changing piece of evidence: an audio recording exposing her husband's brutal abuse. Yet, this revelation fails to tilt the scales in her favor, leaving her vulnerable and at a crossroads. In a desperate plea, she begs the court for a divorce, warning that her life hangs in the balance should she remain trapped in the marriage.
The jury's decision to conduct a family investigation only fuels the client's rage, who threatens Eun-kyung and Yu-ri with dire consequences. Later, in a moment of vulnerability, Eun-kyung confides in Woo-jin, voicing her concerns that their client might resort to extreme measures, especially considering the wife's precarious position without irrefutable proof of abuse. The stakes have never been higher, and the battle for justice takes on a dangerous new dimension.
It transpires that Eun-kyung, with cunning forethought, had covertly captured the client's explosive outbursts and menacing threats using a spy pen she carries with her, always prepared. Upon learning of Yu-ri's confrontation with the volatile client, the CEO summons Eun-kyung to a meeting with the esteemed director of the medical foundation. During this encounter, Eun-kyung is struck by a revelation that shatters her composure: Woo-jin, the CEO's son, a fact he had concealed from her for the past 14 years of their acquaintance, a betrayal that wounds her deeply.
The following day, the client storms into Eun-kyung's office, his words laced with a chilling threat to take his wife's life. That fateful night, the wife flees her home, barefoot and desperate, pleading with her mother for sanctuary. But the mother's heart is hardened, denying her entry, insisting they will not welcome her back if she dares to divorce.
The husband arrives swiftly, reclaiming his wife and dragging her back to their tumultuous home. As the hours tick by, he summons Eun-kyung to his abode, a summons that sends a chill down her spine. Sensing the gravest of dangers, Eun-kyung, accompanied by Yu-ri, rushes to the scene. There, they behold a haunting sight: the wife, lying helpless on the floor, her pleas for aid met with her husband's chilling indifference, as he remarks, with a tinge of disappointment, that she has yet to succumb to her fate. Eun-kyung stands frozen in shock, the scene etched indelibly in her mind, as the episode draws to a chilling close.
