"From whom?" Adriana asked."There’s a little card on it, but it doesn’t have a name or any contact information. So, Lawyer Clarke, see for yourself!"The receptionist's gossipy eyes could have written to the sixteenth episode of her Korean drama, but there wasn’t the faintest ripple in Adriana’s heart.The large bouquet contained roughly ninety-nine flowers—a standard number meant to convey a particular meaning. Yet it didn’t meet any of Adriana’s expectations.The card's generic stationery, provided by the florist, had only one line written on it: “The weather is nice.”Just four words.Outside the window, the sunlight spilled like shattered silver, illuminating the glossy leaves of the sycamore tree. The turquoise-blue sky was dotted with a few white clouds. It wasn’t yet summer, just the twilight of the spring season, with the daylight lingering sweetly. It really was, as the card said, a nice day.Adriana thought for a while, trying to figure out who could have sent the flowers.
After living there for only a month and gradually adding things one after another, Adriana now found herself leaving with just a suitcase and two punching bags stuffed to the brim. The light winds of parting tugged at her heart. “Let’s go,” she said calmly.Aidan felt sorry for her. “What’s wrong with the house? The type, the floor, the decoration—it didn’t cost two or three billion a month, right? Calvin’s been mooching off you for years. If there’s free wool to grab, why not grab it?”Adriana patted him on the shoulder, her voice steady. “Aidan, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”Compared to the spacious luxury of the Green Wick apartment, the one-bedroom house seemed extraordinarily cramped and narrow. Aidan’s heart ached for her, and he couldn’t hold back his words. “Didn’t you take over Calvin’s case? Technically, you’re still his party B, aren’t you? Why move out?”Adriana carefully arranged her personal belongings and gestured for Aidan to help her set the quilt cover. The
Adriana was like his discarded, shoddy shoes—once thrown away, and now, just a passerby. So why was he so drawn to her again? Why did it hurt so much?Was he crazy?Just then, Calvin’s phone rang. He picked it up with a dark expression. “Speak!”On the other end, Henry, sounding cheerful as always, said, “Whoa, why so fiery? I didn’t provoke you. Still brooding over that thing from this morning?”“Cut the crap and bring a medical kit over here,” Calvin snapped.Henry’s voice shot up in mock alarm. “What? Self-harm? Did you cut your wrist?”“If you keep talking nonsense, believe it or not, I’ll come over and deal with you myself.”Henry wisely decided to stop teasing but couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Alright, alright. Where are you? At home?”“Building eight, top floor!”Henry, always eager for excitement, arrived in no time, carrying a medical kit, a few bottles of beer, and some snacks. It was clear he wasn’t just here to help but also to enjoy the drama.As soon as he stepped in, he
Smiling slightly, Adriana said, “Is there something wrong?”She distanced herself from the drama in the office—if the fight didn’t concern her, she wouldn’t get involved. With matters unrelated to her, she chose indifference; when they did involve her, she handled them without argument. She believed in keeping her own integrity intact, knowing that saying less was often more effective.But not speaking didn’t mean she was unaware.Selena, known as “Jessica’s best friend,” approached her with an air of faux friendliness that felt more like a veiled provocation.“Tonight, Lawyer Clarke is the main character. I hear the reunion is just a pretense—the main event is presenting you with an award. Didn’t you earn half a million dollars for winning the Grand Empire lawsuit last time? That’s the biggest payout our firm has ever seen.”The sour tone in Selena’s voice barely masked her envy. Adriana replied calmly, “Then I must thank Lawyer Jessica for organizing such a grand occasion. I’m truly
Adriana was in the United Kingdom for university when she began following her professor to participate in financial litigation cases. At the time, she wasn’t qualified to take the lawyer’s seat and could only observe the battles unfold in court.Her mentor was a renowned legal scholar from Cornell and an authentic Brit. Though he ultimately won the case, the process was fraught with difficulty, as the opposing lawyer, Carson, was both cunning and resourceful.Carson was a master tactician with ample connections and a flair for theatrics in the courtroom. Like a performance artist, he stirred emotions to gain the jury’s sympathy. If not for the strong evidence in the mentor’s favor, even he might have lost to Carson’s skillful maneuvers.After the case concluded, Carson approached Professor Johnson.“Hello, Professor Johnson. I’ve admired your reputation for quite some time. It’s an honor to finally compete with you on the same field. Your defense was extraordinary. I truly admire it!”
“Miss Clarke, hello again!” Carson greeted her at just the right moment. From the moment he entered the room, his eyes had been drawn to Adriana. Under the soft glow of the lamp, she exuded a natural, effortless beauty—bright, clear, and striking without the need for embellishments.His use of the word again subtly shifted the lively atmosphere into something more tense, almost unsettling.Jessica, already irritated by the earlier exchanges, immediately leaned closer to Carson, holding onto his arm with deliberate possessiveness. “You two know each other?” she asked, her tone laced with suspicion.Adriana, wary of Carson’s potential for mischief, was about to answer when he spoke first. “Yes, we met briefly in the United Kingdom. Miss Clarke left a deep impression—her professor, Johnson, is quite the legend in financial litigation.”Adriana, determined to keep the conversation light, took a step closer to Mona and replied casually, “Lawyer Carson has such a remarkable memory. If you h
Yes, she could call herself his lover, but in truth, she was nothing more than a convenient, long-term bed companion. She had never truly entered Carson’s heart.Carson had made this painfully clear early on: “If you’re with me, I’ll give you whatever you want. But don’t expect me to be single-minded, and don’t even think about marrying into the Collen family.”Despite this, Jessica wasn’t willing to give up. She believed that with enough time, effort, and deeper feelings, she could eventually win Carson over and become irreplaceable.She had been careful and patient, biding her time and putting in painstaking effort. She thought she was finally close to achieving her goal…Snap!Jessica dropped her wine glass in frustration, her hand trembling uncontrollably.“Adriana’s heart is too deep,” she muttered bitterly. “She acts like she’s above everything, like she doesn’t fight for anything. But in reality, she’s secretly taking it all!”Selena gritted her teeth and cast a sharp glance to
At the end of the awards ceremony, Adriana held a delicate crystal trophy in her hands. “Aidan, thank you!”Aidan, looking like an old father marrying off his daughter, was on the verge of tears, his emotions overflowing. “You… you! Why pretend to be clueless when you were so well prepared?”Adriana tilted her head and pouted. “I wanted to surprise you too!”Aidan let out a defeated sigh. “Fine, fine. Whatever you say. You always have an excuse.”Mona’s starry eyes practically sparkled with admiration. “Master, I now officially announce that you and Lawyer Clarke are tied for first place!”Adriana playfully tapped the bridge of Mona’s nose. “Didn’t you say that Mark wasn’t a good person, that he was too calculating?”Mona cupped her small hands around her cheeks, blinking mischievously. “Well… when it comes to his promotion, a
“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
“Ahhhh!”The man let out a pig-slaughtering scream.“Scar! Scar, don’t be impulsive—ahhh!”Scar spat out several expletives. “Damn it! Who the hell are you?!”Calvin said coldly, “You don’t deserve to know.”Scar snapped back, “Bullshit! Trying to scare me? Do you even know who I am?!”Adriana’s limbs were exploding with pain, but through the haze, she quietly wiped some of the man’s blood and smeared it on her clothes, keeping the fingerprints. As long as she got out, they’d be able to identify who he was.In the dark, she groped for her cellphone in her pocket, relying on muscle memory. She found the shortcut key and tapped to begin recording…Now all she needed was for her jaw to recover—then she could ask questions and produce testimony.“Mmm! Uhhh!”Adriana struggled to make any sound, her voice warped into strange syllables. It was harder than she thought, but she didn’t care about appearances anymore. Not now.Sensing her distress, Calvin turned his fury into cold viciousness.
Adriana’s scalp tingled, and she swallowed hard. “That…”She didn’t have claustrophobia, but staring into the depths of a dark pit with no visible bottom was still a little creepy. Who knew what might be lurking down there?And it wasn’t winter anymore—global warming was real. The winter insects were waking up. What if something alive was down there?The hair on the top of her head practically stood on end.“I mean… let me take a look first.”She turned on her phone’s flashlight and leaned over to peer into the hole. But the beam didn’t focus well—it barely cut through the darkness. There was a corner inside, and she couldn’t see anything beyond it.Calvin watched her small, hesitant movements for a moment, silently amused, before saying, “Lawyer Clarke, it’s only right to dedicate yourself for the sake of justice.”Adriana forced a noble look, half-expecting Calvin to go down himself and gallantly let her stay at the top.She really had thought too much.“You tie the rope to the tree