Unfortunately, Adriana couldn’t see Calvin’s dazzling smile—like a beautiful oil painting—and so the revulsion in her heart didn’t deepen. “Sorry, I’m not as idle as you are.”Calvin pressed his fingers to the tip of his nose, trying to hide the flicker of embarrassment no one could see. “Tell me, what are you planning to do? It’s not easy to set aside an unsolved case—especially one with no proof of death.”Yet deep down, he knew—if she just opened her mouth and asked, even with the softest of words—he would stir up all of New York, uncover the truth, and kneel before her in gratitude.But Adriana no longer pinned her hopes on her ex-husband. She knew full well how powerful Calvin was, but that didn’t matter now. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you. And thanks to you disrupting the rhythm, I’m afraid I can’t solve it in the timeframe I promised.”“You mean... you’re breaking the agreement?”Adriana paused for two seconds before answering. “I’ll speed up the pace.”Calvin’s lips parted sligh
Before Adriana arrived, Jessica and Carson’s quarrel had already shocked many people’s views, and the outrageous things that came out of Jessica’s mouth shocked them even more.Selena, who had always seen Adriana as a thorn in her side, naturally wasn’t going to miss the chance to stomp on her while she was down.Now that Adriana’s career was suffering and her emotions were exposed, it looked like she had hit rock bottom and would never recover. How could she still act arrogant and high-minded? In a few days, she might have to pack up her store and leave.Selena straightened her back and laughed coldly. “Lawyer Clarke, you’re not afraid of eating what’s in the bowl while eyeing what’s in the pot? Aren’t you afraid of choking to death? You’re not just secretly hooking up with your boss in the office because your boyfriend can’t see you—you’re also shamelessly digging your claws into Lawyer Carson even though you know he already has a girlfriend! Lawyer Jessica and Deputy Director Carso
Adriana decided not to be merciful anymore. She deliberately straightened her posture and said, “Sorry for what exactly?”Jessica was practically grinding her teeth. She had counted on stepping on Adriana when she was down—kicking her while she was going through a rough patch. But how had things turned out like this?“I was in a bad mood… I couldn’t quite remember, but we did talk about it. Just now, I thought about it… You did encourage me that day, saying you had no interest in Deputy Director Carson. I must have remembered it wrong.”Her voice was low, but Adriana heard it—and so did Carson, who was silently watching.The crowd collectively felt like they’d been doused in a bucket of cold, bloody water.Adriana said, “That’s it? I remember there was more.”Selena, seeing Jessica bow her head and admit fault, snapped, “You’re not in the wrong! Why are you apologizing? Are we not allowed to call out Adriana’s misconduct anymore?”Jessica sharply interrupted her, “Don’t say another wo
Jessica wiped away her tears and bowed at a neat ninety degrees. “Thank you, Deputy Director, for your guidance. I will repay you with my performance.”Carson waved her off impatiently and pointed toward the door. “Get out.”When Jessica walked out, a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on her.Having just experienced the most humiliating social defeat of her life, she still managed to keep her composure. “Sorry to disappoint everyone,” she said. “I haven’t been dismissed, and I will not be leaving. We’ll continue to be colleagues. I hope we can separate personal matters from work and carry on professionally.”With that, she walked back to her workstation in long, confident strides, as if she had just won a battle.Jenny was stunned. Selena’s jaw practically hit the floor.Should she curse her—Shameless!—or nod in admiration and say—Crouching bull, hidden shameless queen!?The people in the criminal division were thoroughly embarrassed. One of them offered an apologetic smile. “Lawyer Clar
Adriana sat in her office chair with her eyes closed.She seemed to be having a nightmare. Her snow-white face was creased with frowns, and cold sweat trickled down her temples."No... Don't take my brother away... He's not guilty...""Mom, Dad, I'm sorry, it was my fault... Please forgive me..."Adriana mumbled, her voice barely audible."Mom..."Suddenly, she cried out, jerking awake. Her breathing was uneven as she opened her eyes.'That nightmare again... No matter how much I try to run from my past, it seems the past isn't going to leave me alone!' she thought.Adriana poured herself a glass of water when suddenly, someone knocked at the door.Knock! Knock! Knock!"Come in!" she called out.The door to her office opened, and Mona, Adriana's assistant, walked in holding some files. Mona looked at Adriana's pale face and asked with concern, "Ma'am, are you alright? You look pale!"Adriana took a sip of water to calm herself and replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep w
Adriana stared at him for a long time, but no words came out. It had been three years since she last saw him, yet he hadn't changed a bit. He was still as handsome as ever."Adriana, don't tell me you've fallen in love with me again?" Calvin's low, deep voice broke the silence.Adriana snapped out of her daze. As her eyes met his, she saw traces of disgust and mockery in them.She clenched her fists and replied, "I'm not blind anymore."With that, she turned to leave. But before she could take a step, Calvin spoke again."Where are you going?"Adriana paused but didn't turn around. "I don't think it has anything to do with you, Sir," she said coldly."Of course, it has everything to do with me," he replied, a smug smile forming on his lips.Adriana's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" she asked, a bad feeling creeping over her."Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm the client you're waiting for, Calvin Walker," Calvin said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.Adriana froze.
“YOU ARE THE ONE who betrayed our marriage.”The biting reproach brought back the painful memories, Adriana had desperately tried to forgot, which rushed back to her mind like a flood.(FLASHBACK)Three years earlier, Adriana had been the daughter of the Clarke family and the wife of the wealthiest man in the country, Calvin Walker, CEO of Grand Empire. People had envied her for having him as her husband, but Adriana was the only one who truly knew the reality of their relationship.Despite knowing that Calvin didn’t love her, she had married him, believing that as long as she loved him, he would eventually fall in love with her.But Adriana’s belief had been nothing more than wishful thinking. In their three years of marriage, the number of times she had seen him could be counted on one hand.Although Calvin treated her coldly, Adriana, like a stubborn fool, had tried to warm his heart.Then, that rainy night changed everything.Adriana opened her eyes and felt her head spinning. She
Seeing Adriana squatting down like this, Calvin couldn't help but frown. He thought that she was just pretending to be weak to gain his sympathy."Adriana, you don't have to pretend in front of me, I know you well! Just get the hell out of here! I can't stand your hypocrisy. It made me feel disgusted!" Calvin said coldly.Hearing his words, Adriana felt as if someone had stabbed a knife in her heart. She wanted to stand up and leave, but the weight of those memories was too much for her to bear.Adriana felt that as if her legs got weak, and all her energy of her body had been drained out. No matter how hard she tried to stand up, she couldn't."Calvin?"Just then a sweet woman's voice came, breaking the tension.Adriana looked up, only to see a beautiful woman walking towards them.The woman was wearing a white shirt and black skirt, with delicate, fair skin. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, making her look even more beautiful."Rose! What are you doing here?" Calvin asked
Jessica wiped away her tears and bowed at a neat ninety degrees. “Thank you, Deputy Director, for your guidance. I will repay you with my performance.”Carson waved her off impatiently and pointed toward the door. “Get out.”When Jessica walked out, a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on her.Having just experienced the most humiliating social defeat of her life, she still managed to keep her composure. “Sorry to disappoint everyone,” she said. “I haven’t been dismissed, and I will not be leaving. We’ll continue to be colleagues. I hope we can separate personal matters from work and carry on professionally.”With that, she walked back to her workstation in long, confident strides, as if she had just won a battle.Jenny was stunned. Selena’s jaw practically hit the floor.Should she curse her—Shameless!—or nod in admiration and say—Crouching bull, hidden shameless queen!?The people in the criminal division were thoroughly embarrassed. One of them offered an apologetic smile. “Lawyer Clar
Adriana decided not to be merciful anymore. She deliberately straightened her posture and said, “Sorry for what exactly?”Jessica was practically grinding her teeth. She had counted on stepping on Adriana when she was down—kicking her while she was going through a rough patch. But how had things turned out like this?“I was in a bad mood… I couldn’t quite remember, but we did talk about it. Just now, I thought about it… You did encourage me that day, saying you had no interest in Deputy Director Carson. I must have remembered it wrong.”Her voice was low, but Adriana heard it—and so did Carson, who was silently watching.The crowd collectively felt like they’d been doused in a bucket of cold, bloody water.Adriana said, “That’s it? I remember there was more.”Selena, seeing Jessica bow her head and admit fault, snapped, “You’re not in the wrong! Why are you apologizing? Are we not allowed to call out Adriana’s misconduct anymore?”Jessica sharply interrupted her, “Don’t say another wo
Before Adriana arrived, Jessica and Carson’s quarrel had already shocked many people’s views, and the outrageous things that came out of Jessica’s mouth shocked them even more.Selena, who had always seen Adriana as a thorn in her side, naturally wasn’t going to miss the chance to stomp on her while she was down.Now that Adriana’s career was suffering and her emotions were exposed, it looked like she had hit rock bottom and would never recover. How could she still act arrogant and high-minded? In a few days, she might have to pack up her store and leave.Selena straightened her back and laughed coldly. “Lawyer Clarke, you’re not afraid of eating what’s in the bowl while eyeing what’s in the pot? Aren’t you afraid of choking to death? You’re not just secretly hooking up with your boss in the office because your boyfriend can’t see you—you’re also shamelessly digging your claws into Lawyer Carson even though you know he already has a girlfriend! Lawyer Jessica and Deputy Director Carso
Unfortunately, Adriana couldn’t see Calvin’s dazzling smile—like a beautiful oil painting—and so the revulsion in her heart didn’t deepen. “Sorry, I’m not as idle as you are.”Calvin pressed his fingers to the tip of his nose, trying to hide the flicker of embarrassment no one could see. “Tell me, what are you planning to do? It’s not easy to set aside an unsolved case—especially one with no proof of death.”Yet deep down, he knew—if she just opened her mouth and asked, even with the softest of words—he would stir up all of New York, uncover the truth, and kneel before her in gratitude.But Adriana no longer pinned her hopes on her ex-husband. She knew full well how powerful Calvin was, but that didn’t matter now. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you. And thanks to you disrupting the rhythm, I’m afraid I can’t solve it in the timeframe I promised.”“You mean... you’re breaking the agreement?”Adriana paused for two seconds before answering. “I’ll speed up the pace.”Calvin’s lips parted sligh
Aidan asked, “How about the specifics? What’s the first step?”Adriana had a rough idea. The detailed operational steps weren’t perfect yet, but the first step was clear.“Of course—it’s complaining, playing the victim, and creating the image of someone being bullied without the power to fight back.”Carson’s mouth twitched, and he shook his shoulders as if trying to shake off goosebumps. “Can you act it out?”Adriana replied, “I don’t have to show my face. Just post on Twitter—write something pathetic—then watch who engages the most and track the IP addresses.”Sebastian didn’t take a side, but he opened Twitter to see what was trending. Normally, he wouldn’t get involved in this kind of thing. But Tony was his client, and he couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.The moment he saw Twitter, his usually blank expression cracked wide open.“I suggest you take a look first.”One by one, the others checked—and saw Calvin’s news dominating the top five trending topics. Adriana’s small inc
Each of Adriana’s words was like a needle, piercing Calvin one by one.He recalled the moments he'd spent with her and realized that Adriana had always resisted, rejected, and pushed him away. There had been too many misunderstandings between them, too many obstacles that couldn’t be resolved in a moment. But if her heart had been with him, all of it could have been overcome. Even mountains and seas could be crossed.What truly broke Calvin’s heart was the utter indifference in her eyes.Suddenly, he couldn’t feel the warmth of love anymore.That night, Calvin smoked two packs of cigarettes by the window, the dim, secretive glow in his eyes flickering like embers.“Wow!”With a swipe of his arm, he knocked a bottle of pills off the table.What’s the point of taking these anymore?His insomnia had worsened over the past three years, and his mood was deteriorating.As the eastern sky brightened, Calvin changed clothes and went for a ten-kilometer run. After returning and showering, his
Aidan hadn’t contacted Adriana since partying the night before. He was worried she’d feel embarrassed, or that his reaching out might come across as reproach.To be honest, he’d tossed and turned for half the night, just wanting to confirm that her boss—Calvin—had gotten her home safely.After struggling with it all night, Aidan figured he’d call her first thing in the morning under the pretense of work. But before he could even dial, he got hit with unexpected news.Sebastian told him that Tony was dead—and that he was holding a will in which Adriana’s name was mentioned.Tony’s case had already drawn media attention, but his death caused an outright uproar. The will got leaked, and netizens seized on it, amplifying every word.The two words Adriana Clarke quickly became a trending topic—and a heavy one at that.Aidan started calling Adriana like mad, terrified that she’d see the news and spiral. But her phone rang and rang, unanswered. Same with Snow’s.He was nearly scared to death
Why not?Because of love. Because of faith. Because of the dilemma of being caught between the two. Because reason was festering and emotions were spiraling out of control. Because there was too much he couldn’t manage.But these things, Calvin would never say. He didn’t care to reveal the soft underbelly of his heart to anyone.He simply looked at her firmly, repeating over and over in his mind that this woman—he would never let go of her again.“Whether you hate it or love it, you will never part from me.”And you think you can be happy with someone else?Dream on.Adriana didn’t take Calvin’s car after all. He started the engine alone, the screeching tires kicking up dust and sending her long hair flying.Watching the car disappear into the depths of the night, Adriana felt her heart turn cold.The goodbye had long been overdue. Hesitation and procrastination had only deepened the wounds. It was she who hadn’t handled the relationship well—but not anymore. Not in the future.“Snow,
Empty. Private. Slanderous.A few simple words, but strung together, they exploded with meaning.A huge wave crashed through Rene’s mind.Aidan’s expression shifted immediately. “Did Calvin and Miss Blake…”The supposed informant—Adriana—said nothing. She pinched her fork and got ready to savor the new dish that had just been served as if none of it concerned her.Calvin spoke calmly, “Private matter. No comment.”See? Trying to get Calvin to say something he didn’t want to was harder than going to the moon.Adriana took small, measured bites of her food. This was just how things were. Panicking and stressing wouldn’t change anything—better to handle it with composure.Rene, meanwhile, was reminded of his recent dealings with the Blakes. Not long ago, he had run into Karl at a cocktail party. The man had been glowing—red-faced, all smiles, clearly treating Calvin as a son-in-law already. It felt like Phantom was one step away from soaring to new heights on the back of that marriage al