Calvin’s face was dark, a storm cloud hovering over him, ready to erupt at any moment. “At your age, you should have graduated from kindergarten long ago. So, why do you still think like a naïve five- or six-year-old child? Do you really think you can resolve this matter by writing a simple text statement? If it were that easy, wouldn’t lawyers be out of a job?”Adriana felt frustrated and disheartened. She had offered her opinion from a professional perspective, yet not only did Calvin dismiss it, but he also hit back with biting sarcasm. Thankfully, there were no outsiders in the office to witness the scene. She refused to back down. “You’re questioning my professionalism, which means you must have a better plan. So, what’s your solution?”Kevin stood stiffly by the door, like a soldier bracing for a storm. He feared being caught in the crossfire, the fallout enough to ruin his day.Calvin pulled out a document and slammed it onto the table. “This is the indictment prepared by the l
Adriana’s eyes widened as she let out a soulful question. “Why are you holding my driver’s license?”Did you actually steal my driver’s license? she thought suspiciously.Calvin didn’t bother to explain. “I picked it up.”Adriana laughed coldly, the humor not reaching her eyes. “That’s just awesome.”“Not as awesome as you. Someone had to throw it away for me to pick it up.”****At noon, Adriana reluctantly acted as Calvin’s chauffeur. After driving him to the Star Tower, he got out of the car and said curtly, “Wait for me here.”Before Adriana could protest, he turned around and walked away in large strides.It was a long wait—two hours. Once again, Adriana missed her lunch. However, she’d learned her lesson from before. Midway through the wait, she stopped by a convenience store to grab a sandwich and a coffee.“Yogurt for you, pretty lady? And if you buy a second cup, it will be a half price,” the clerk offered.She paused. It was her favorite brand—low fat and low sugar—and the s
Adriana wanted to glance back over her shoulder and laugh, but she held herself back. “What can I do? I’m poor, so I have to be careful with my money,” she said with a small shrug.She was telling the truth—though it was slightly exaggerated.“Saying the word ‘poor’ makes it all make sense, huh?” Calvin replied skeptically.He had never tried food from a convenience store before. Picking up the cold sandwich in his hand, he stared at it for a moment, unsure whether to eat it or not.Seeing Calvin frowning at the sandwich, Adriana deliberately added, “The discounted food is usually close to expiring. So if you’re going to eat it, eat it quickly. It’ll taste even worse if you let it sit for too long.”Calvin’s face darkened further. “You bought me this cheap food on purpose, didn’t you?”Adriana kept her eyes on the road as she drove. She opened the yogurt bottle with her right hand and handed it to him. “This one’s new! I already drunk the one that was about to expire. And yogurt doesn
The person in charge of the engineering department noticed Calvin’s face, and his face paled slightly. Striding over to greet him, the man quickly instructed his assistant to fetch a helmet.Calvin took the helmet and put it on, glancing at the construction scene. “The outer wall tiles will be laid this afternoon. Have the workers come down for now.”The person in charge nodded with a polite smile. “Indeed, indeed. It’s too hot today, and I’ve been worried about the workers getting heatstroke. I’ll send them to work indoors for now.”Adriana, who had also donned a helmet, walked inside alongside Calvin. “I didn’t expect you to actually think about the workers,” she remarked.Calvin checked the site as he walked, his gaze steady and calculating. “The safety of the workers is directly tied to the progress of the project. Rather than taking risks to rush the timeline, it’s better to move steadily. This isn’t kindness; it’s just common sense.”Adriana trailed behind him, catching probing
The person in charge of engineering was too nervous to sleep properly—let alone the person at the helm.The weight of responsibility on Calvin’s shoulders was heavier than anyone else’s. Adriana thought.“Not so much,” he said coldly, offering only three clipped words.His personality was like this, and Adriana had long since grown used to it. “You could try improving your sleep with breathing techniques, adjusting your diet, or practicing yoga and meditation. Those things are helpful for better sleep,” she suggested.Calvin’s phone rang. He answered it quickly, responding with a few curt words: “Good.” “Can.” “Um.” The call lasted less than a minute before he hung up.“You are speaking like as if you are an expert in treating sleep disorders,” he remarked, his tone laced with cold sarcasm.Adriana wasn’t angry at his words or his tone. She was used to his ability to make even the most neutral content sound upsetting. “After Clarke’s accident, my parents struggled with insomnia for a
Henry spent half the day indulging in self-importance, only to uncover the key point at the very end.Could it be that Adriana invited him for coffee because she had something important to ask? he wondered.Does she also have insomnia, like Calvin?Adriana took a sip of her coffee and said casually, without giving it much weight, "It's not me; I slept quite well. It's my friend. He seems to have had sleep problems for quite a long time."Henry didn't think too much of it. After all, these days, insomnia was a common symptom for city dwellers. High-rise buildings were full of late-night wanderers. So, he said, "If it's mild, try melatonin or something to calm the mind. But if it's serious, proper treatment is necessary."Thinking about the medicine Calvin was already taking, Adriana added, "It's serious, and he's also a little depressed."Although, truth be told, she couldn’t quite see where Calvin’s depression lay. Aren’t his subordinates under far more stress than he is? she thought
After some cheeky banter, Adriana asked Snow about her plans for the evening. Snow replied that she would go home and celebrate with a beer."Okay, I’ll call Aidan too," Adriana said.She then headed to the supermarket to buy ingredients for a hot pot at Snow’s place.Meanwhile, Aidan was in agony. “No hot pot, save me! I’ve been kidnapped by my parents for a blind date!”Adriana tossed a pack of hot pot meatballs into her shopping cart. “You’re a grown man, and you’re still afraid of blind dates? It’s just dinner and exchanging numbers. If you both don't hit off, just let it go.”“No. no, this time is different!” Aidan groaned. “The other party’s family is a business partner of mine. To put it bluntly, I’m being sold—practically auctioned off by my parents. Adria, my dear classmate, come save me! You are the only one who can save me!”Aidan sounded as if he were on the verge of tears.Adriana couldn’t help but ask, “Where is it?”Aidan hurriedly gave her the address. “The Red String
The girl bit her pink lips, her eyes flickering with annoyance as she paced around Adriana, clearly unconvinced but reluctantly admitting that Adriana was indeed beautiful. “Are you really his girlfriend?”Adriana wrapped her arm snugly around Aidan’s waist, pulling him closer in an intimate gesture. Just as she was about to respond, her face froze.Mark, who had gone but returned unexpectedly, was now walking side by side with a woman wearing a mask.From across the corridor, their unobstructed gazes met.Mark’s eyes lingered on her for a fleeting moment before his expression faded into indifference, as though he didn’t recognize her. Without a pause, he continued on his way.“Speak up!” the girl demanded, snapping Adriana’s attention back. “You’re not some actress he hired to fake it, are you? This kind of setup happens all the time on TV! It’s so cliché.”The girl pointed accusingly, her hands on her hips, looking every bit like a “proper wife” crusading against a third party.Adri
A knowing line officially opened the topic of the day.At that moment, both Peter and Leon fell silent—this was not a cold arrow they were prepared to receive.Peter’s peripheral gaze landed on Calvin, who calmly said, “Stocks go up and down all the time. Grandpa has been in the business world most of his life and understands the laws of the market better than I do.”“Don’t blame the market for a malignant result caused by individual behavior. Do you think I don’t watch the news? Or do you think I’m deaf?”The statement was serious, and instantly, the atmosphere in the garden dropped to freezing. Peter and Leon held their breath in unison, not daring to make a sound.Calvin remained calm and composed. “What did Grandpa hear?”George let out a cold grunt, his frowning brows folding into deep, angry lines. His sharp eyes seemed to carry blades.“I haven’t been
If a man cheats on his wife during the marriage, it’s considered a serious breach of marital obligations. The woman can hold him legally accountable, and in the event of a divorce, she may not only receive financial compensation but also have an advantage in gaining custody of the children.Adriana said calmly, “Special circumstances can certainly turn things around.”Jessica curled the corner of her mouth into a smirk. “I’ll find out.”The marriages of successful men often carried the shadow of extramarital affairs. If the defendant’s private misconduct could be uncovered, it would be in the plaintiff’s best interest to investigate thoroughly.After thinking for a moment, Jessica softened her tone and smiled. “Lawyer Clarke, thank you for being willing to help. I thought you didn’t want to get involved.”Adriana replied, “Work and personal life shouldn’t be mixed. And I&
“Thank you for the invitation, but today is obviously not suitable for a door-to-door visit. I’ll treat you to dinner another day as a thank-you for your frequent help over the past two days, whether it’s rare for you or not.”Adriana didn’t give Calvin a chance to respond. Today, she would not set foot in his house again—no matter what.A man and a woman in a closed space—it was easy to make irrational decisions, especially for a woman. The atmosphere could quickly lead to something impulsive. And besides, she wasn’t entirely immune to Calvin’s charm.Calvin stood calmly outside the car door, noting the resistance in her eyes.“Very well. I’ll wait for Lawyer Clarke’s thank-you banquet!”He was testing Adriana’s boundaries little by little, figuring out how to get along with her.The corner of Adriana’s mouth twitched into a polite smile. “Goodbye.”Turning the car around, Adriana gripped the steering wheel. The open window let in fresh air, and the sunlight warmed her face. The most
“Huh?”Kevin thought he’d misheard. “Green Lake Village? The village you went to yesterday, President?”“Yes,” Calvin replied. “Especially the house on the hill—Tony’s place. Fix it up for the old woman. Send some furniture and get everything properly arranged. You can take care of the details.”Adriana glanced at his serious profile as he focused on driving. Her earlier embarrassment vanished in an instant, and her heart gave a subtle flutter.Kevin’s brain short-circuited for a second, then quickly caught up. “Understood, President. I’ll contact a construction team and arrange everything on site.”The call ended, and the car fell silent again.Adriana touched the bridge of her nose. “Um, I’ll thank you on their behalf.”Calvin chuckled. “Is the next thing you’re going to say, ‘You’re a good person’?”Well… that was almost exactly what she was about to say. But saying something like that now? With everything going on? It felt… a bit out of place.Calvin added, “You can say anything y
Calvin looked at her as she instinctively reached out, her slender fingers curling with tension, knuckles protruding from the force.“Lawyer Clarke,” he said, “if you want something, just say it straight. There’s no need for adults to play games.”Adriana awkwardly lowered her head and cleared her throat. “Calvin, please watch your words. Can you not always say things that make people misunderstand? Like this morning, and just now—what exactly did you mean? Is there nothing else in your head besides that?”Calvin responded casually, “Which sentence did you misunderstand? Misunderstand what? Lawyer Clarke, please be specific. Maybe I’ll consider changing.”Adriana clenched her teeth and rolled her eyes at him, but couldn’t bring herself to explain further. “In short, it’s uncomfortable to hear.”When they found the car, Adriana was ready to hop into the driver’s seat, but Calvin pulled her toward the opposite side and shoved her gently into the passenger seat.“Be honest—sit. I’ll driv
Calvin’s identity couldn’t be exposed. Once everyone knew he was the president of Grand Empire—the young master of the Walker family—wouldn’t that cause chaos?That was Adriana’s first reaction.Before she could speak, her body had already moved. She stepped in front of Calvin in a flash, blocking him protectively, and said calmly, “I am his personal lawyer. If there are any problems, I’ll handle them.”Calvin looked at Adriana. She was a bit disheveled, but still stunningly beautiful. This wasn’t something they had discussed in advance, and yet she had reacted purely on instinct. If he couldn’t see that she cared, then he wouldn’t be Calvin.A faint smile tugged at his lips, like the first rays of a new sun piercing through the morning mist—just enough to gently light up the dull earth around them.The local cops weren’t used to handling major cases. They hadn’t dealt with many lawyers before, so they didn’t question it much in the moment. Adriana skillfully shifted the focus, removi
She shouldn’t have zoned out on such a special day. Adriana skipped over the topic and looked up at the round patch of sky above her head. “Why hasn’t anyone come yet?”Calvin replied, “The nearest police station is in town. With their efficiency, we’ll be lucky if they arrive before dawn.”Adriana sighed, "Yeah... there are just some things you have to know and accept."“Are you just going to stand there? Planning to turn into a statue?”She patted the dirt next to her, then thought better of it and pulled some hay over to make a rough cushion. “Don’t be shy, big brother. Sit down. Who knows how long we’ll be stuck here?”Scar chimed in, “Those guys are seriously unreliable. Might as well sit and wait.”Hearing a gangster complain about the police made Adriana laugh. “From the sound of it, you’ve had some experience?”Scar scratched his head, embarrassed. “Not too many times…”The cave wasn't big enough to tire Calvin, but sitting beside Adriana and gazing at the sky felt like a mome
Calvin listened as Adriana half‑chatted, half‑joked, half‑bluffed—effortlessly weaving her way into Scar’s mind and pulling out all his secrets. He couldn’t help but be impressed again.Was the girl he used to know really Adriana?He spoke calmly. “Where’s the rope?”Adriana looked around carefully and had to admit the truth. “The rope was yanked away.”In the darkness, she couldn’t clearly see Calvin’s expression—but she didn’t need to. He was probably frowning. That was one of his little habits. Maybe he hadn’t noticed it himself, but whenever he was annoyed or in a bad mood, he always squeezed his eyebrows together—and the depth of that crease depended on the seriousness of the situation.Scar cursed under his breath. “Son of a bitch! Bunch of assholes!”Adriana glanced up at the cave’s entrance, eyeballing its height, then turned to Calvin.“Can you fly up there?”Scar stared in disbelief. “You… can fly?”Calvin frowned. “No.”Adriana pursed her lips. Her body was exhausted—there
Scar couldn’t help but feel terrified. Adriana knew he wasn’t a core team member, and she didn’t expect him to hold any key information—but each knock on the door was another ray of hope.Adriana didn’t mince words. “I’m going to ask you a few simple questions. Answer them truthfully. Once we find out you’ve lied, forget saving your life—you won’t even walk out of this place alive.”Scar weighed his options. Based on their words, could they be trusted?However, he had no choice. A good man shouldn’t have to lie—but this woman was right: even if he escaped, his big brother would never trust him again. After a moment, he nodded. “You ask. I’ll tell you everything I know.”Calvin stood diagonally behind Adriana, one hand in his pants pocket, the other ready to protect immediately.The vegetable cellar was cramped and stifling, but Adriana felt as if Calvin’s presence purified the air. Whenever he stood near her, it seemed to grow clear and fresh.“How old are you?”Scar froze. Why is she