Iris was now able to handle cases independently as an official lawyer. She did not have to do so in secret anymore.Brad could also be her legitimate assistant now since official lawyers could mentor interns.Her first instinct upon receiving her official lawyer badge was to share the good news with Jason. However, when she pulled up their chat history, she realized the last message was sent a month ago. They hadn't contacted each other for a month.Her enthusiasm waned. Self-deprecation tugged at the corner of her lips. Why would she think of him?She set her phone down.Brad suddenly leaned on her desk, staring at her intently. "We've wrapped up the case, and I've worked hard to help you. Don't I deserve a treat?"Iris was startled by his sudden appearance and shot him a look. "I will — after we finish the second case."Brad pouted. "You're heartless, Iris. Please buy me a drink. It won't cost you much.""I can't hold my liquor. If you want a drink, I'll transfer the money to
A girl went up to Brad to flirt with him. While he was distracted, Iris went to the restroom.When she came out of the cubicle, she saw Fiora applying makeup in front of the mirror.When Fiora saw Iris from the reflection in the mirror, her hand that was applying lipstick paused. She put away the lipstick and turned to face Iris.Now that Iris knew Fiora was Jason's sister, and given her brother's support in her work, Iris was keen to avoid any conflict with her.While Iris washed her hands at the sink, Fiora continued to stare at her with crossed arms. Just as Iris was about to leave, Fiora spoke up, "Stanley and I have canceled our engagement. Will you remarry him?"Iris replied, "No.""I don't believe you," Fiora said, grabbing her arm. "You persuaded him to cancel the engagement, didn't you?"Iris turned to face her. "A woman of your status can have any man you want. Why would you choose him? He's not worthy of your love. You deserve someone better...""I can't control who
Fiora settled down at a nearby table and ordered a drink, choosing to drink alone.Brad remarked, "That girl has no brain."Iris asked, "Who are you talking about?""Not you, don't get me wrong. I mean that wealthy young lady over there. She's alone in a place like this, yet she's drinking so much," Brad said.Iris discreetly glanced in Fiora's direction. She silently retracted her gaze. Tilting her chin, she said to Brad, "Dance for me again. I want to watch."Brad asked, "Is there a reward?"Iris replied, "Who's mentoring you at the law firm...""Stop," Brad interrupted. "You win."He had to admit that if it weren't for Iris mentoring him, he wouldn't have lasted long in the law firm.With a chuckle, he asked, "Do you want to see a sexy dance or a powerful dance?"Iris thought for a moment and said, "Sexy."As Brad walked onto the dance floor, so did Fiora. She swayed unsteadily, clearly having had too much to drink. Brad shook his head. He pulled her aside and told her,
Jessica was stunned by the revelation. "What did you say? Iris is Stanley Stein's ex-wife?"Jason confirmed, "Yes.""Wh-what? How?" Jessica leaned back on the couch holding her forehead as she processed the information. She remained in that pose for a long time.After a while, she finally said, "If you've decided to break up with her, then so be it. If not, things could get really messy." She actually quite liked Iris.But not only was she a divorcee, she was also Stanley Stein's ex-wife?Fiora had been feeling really down lately after her engagement was called off. If Iris joined their family, it would send their family into chaos."If only you had met her first. If only she was unrelated to Stanley Stein," Jessica sighed, though she knew these "what ifs" were pointless."You..." Jessica thought about a lot of things, but she came to realize that the most important thing was how Jason felt. She looked at Jason and asked, her voice slightly hoarse, "Is she really the girl in t
So what if her engagement was called off? It was a blessing for her. Yet, she chose to wallow in misery and self-pity.After exiting the house, Jason walked to his car.Iris was waiting in the car for Brad. When she caught sight of Jason, she paused. It had been a month since she last saw him. He looked tired.She opened the car door and stepped out. "Mr. Just," she greeted him.He walked over when he saw her."I've been promoted," she shared the good news with him."Congratulations," Jason said, although he already knew.He stood before her, within arm's reach. They fell into a moment of silence, neither knowing what to say. Iris racked her brain for a topic, but Jason spoke first."As you know by now, being a lawyer isn't my main job. A lot of matters have piled up over the past year that need my attention, so I'll probably be leaving the law firm," he informed her with a smile.Iris was taken aback; she hadn't expected him to leave. Even after knowing that being a lawyer wa
Iris' gaze was unfocused, her surroundings blurring as the sound of the departing car faded into the distance. She never looked towards where the car disappeared."Iris," Brad jogged over, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Aunt Jessica insisted I take a rest and have a tea break. I couldn't refuse, but I came out as soon as I could."Iris didn't fully register his words; they were just a faint buzz in her ears. She opened the car door and slid inside, followed by Brad, who took the passenger seat. He glanced at her cautiously. "What's wrong?” he asked.Did he do something wrong? She looked upset.Iris started the car. Brad grabbed the steering wheel and asked, "Iris, are you mad at me?""No," she replied."Then why do you look upset?"She gently removed his hand from the wheel. "There's nothing to be happy about."Brad thought about it and realized there was indeed not much to be happy about.The car drove off, and neither of them spoke during the journey.Brad was tactful. He c
Brad was still holding onto the two tissues.He climbed into the car. He wanted to ask Iris what had upset her, but seeing her face, he found himself unable to bring it up.Iris restarted the car and merged into the flow of traffic. Suddenly, the phone she placed on the center console rang. Because Iris was driving, she connected the call to the car's Bluetooth system. She heard Cassie's excited voice say, "Iris, I took your father to the hospital for a follow-up today. Guess who I saw there?""Who?" Iris asked, her tone calm."Renee Stein," Cassie pronounced each syllable slowly before bursting into laughter.Even through the phone, Iris could sense the schadenfreude in her tone, and so could Brad."Why didn't you ask me what she was doing at the hospital?" Cassie asked, disappointed in Iris' lack of enthusiasm."I'm driving," Iris replied flatly."Oh, okay. Let me tell you, your ex-father-in-law is keeping a mistress. The mistress even had a baby! Renee Stein and the mistre
Iris surveyed the firm. Everyone seemed to be absorbed in their own tasks.However, she refused to let things slide. If she backed down now, people would just mess with her again.From now on, she could only rely on herself. To establish herself at the law firm, she had to be assertive; she couldn't be soft.She headed straight to the surveillance room and reviewed footage from that morning.Someone had indeed moved all that stuff to her desk. It was Astra Yorrick, a lawyer at the firm who often gossiped about Iris behind her back.Iris had worked at Golden Path for a year now, so she was familiar with the personnel there.Astra's abilities as a lawyer were lackluster, so she wasn't an important personnel at the firm. However, she loved to talk behind others' backs.Astra was already messing with Iris right after Jason's departure.Iris found it laughable.If she had so much free time, she should have used it to brush up her skills and knowledge as a lawyer. Instead, she chose
Brad arrived at Iris' house precisely at ten past seven. Holding the lunchbox, he rang the doorbell. Iris had just woken up, still in her pajamas, and wondered who could possibly be at the door this early. Sometimes, if she weren't driving, Brad would pick her up at around ten to eight. He wouldn't come this early.When she opened the door, she found him dressed in smart casual attire — a suit jacket, trousers, and white sneakers. In the past, he would wear cool attires like casual pants with a hoodie or a leather jacket, but after accompanying Iris to court on formal occasions, he had adapted his wardrobe considerably. Although he still felt uncomfortable in formal wear, he looked much more mature than before."You're here so early?" Iris asked, surprised."When you're busy, you never eat properly," Brad replied, entering without hesitation. He knew the passcode to her house anyway, so he made himself at home. He walked directly to the dining table. "Go freshen up and change yo
"Are you really going to take on that case, by the way?" Brad asked Iris.Iris asked him back, "Why shouldn't I?""This kind of case could go viral online and attract public scrutiny. I'm worried you'll face backlash. Many people these days lack critical thinking and just follow the crowd," Brad expressed.Iris responded firmly, "I'm a lawyer. I just need to fulfill my duties and do my job well. If I have to weigh the pros and cons before taking on every case..." she turned to him, adding, "What would be the point of doing this job?"Brad fell silent for a moment, then conceded, "Yes, you're right. Don't worry, I'll be at your side."Iris poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "I don't need you to be at my side. You need to go independent.""I don't want to," Brad said, sticking close to her, as if afraid of being left behind."What? Are you just going to cling to me?" she asked."Yes, I am," he chuckled."By the way, I need some fruits but I don't have time to go to the superma
Brad was right, Fiora knew that now. Yet her personality made it difficult for her to apologize and admit her mistakes. When Brad tried to take a sip of water, she snatched the glass from him.Brad looked at her, speechless. Fiora lifted her chin defiantly. "Whether he cares about me or not is none of your business."Brad wanted to ask her if her head had been kicked by a donkey. Instead, he said, "Alright, think what you want. I'm not your brother; I'm not gonna worry about you."Unintentionally, his words elicited a silent reaction from Iris, who lowered her gaze."My brother is overseas dealing with his heartbreak; he doesn't have time to worry about me," Fiora lamented. "I wonder if all the luck in our family has gone to the financial side. Is that why we're so unlucky in everything else? Half a year ago, my brother announced that he had a girlfriend. My mom had even met her and apparently really liked her, but then it all fell apart. My love life is rocky, and my brother's is
Iris said, "Just shut up and order."Brad obediently picked up the menu.Fiora watched the exchange, somewhat shocked at how readily Brad complied with Iris' command.Before this, she and Brad had looked down on each other, and their mutual disdain was evident. She had always thought Brad was too wild and could not be easily controlled, yet here he was, completely under Iris' command. She wondered how Iris had managed to subdue such a wilful young man, especially given Brad's less-than-ideal character.Having spent considerable time with Iris, Brad knew her preferences in food. He ordered the dishes he knew she liked, along with some of his own favorites, before turning to Fiora. "What would you like?""Anything," Fiora replied, prompting Brad to place a random order for her.While they waited for the food, Fiora broached the topic that lingered between them. "About what happened before...""Let's not dwell on the past," Iris interjected. To her, an apology from Fiora held littl
Iris didn't stop. She felt that they weren't acquainted so there was nothing to talk about.Fiora chased after her, tugging on Brad's arm as she ran past him. "Help me out."Brad thus followed behind her, saying, "If she doesn't want to talk to you, don't force her..."Fiora shot him an annoyed glare. Brad was speechless. Why did she glare at him? She was still the same spoiled brat."Wait, I'm not here to be your enemy," Fiora called as she caught up with Iris.Iris had to cross the street, but the continuous flow of traffic forced her to stop, giving Fiora a chance to catch up to her."I just want to apologize," Fiora said.Iris turned back in surprise. Those unexpected words caught her off guard. She did not expect it from Fiora at all.Why would Fiora suddenly apologize to her?"I know Stanley's married now. He married that evil woman," Fiora continued.Learning that Stanley had married Wendy had changed Fiora's opinion of Iris, but it wasn't until last night that she t
When Iris opened the door, she was shocked to see that it was Samuel. "What are you doing here?" she asked, puzzled.Samuel replied, "Mr. Just is not in the country. He asked me to check on you. Do you need anything?"Jason had seen Iris' message, but she had deleted it before he could listen to it. Concerned about her, had sent Samuel to check if everything was alright since he was abroad.Iris tightened her grip on the doorknob. Something stirred in the bottom of her heart. She tried to sound calm as she said, "I'm fine.""I'll be in the country all month. If you need anything, feel free to call me," Samuel said, handing her his business card. "Here's my contact."Iris hesitated for a moment before taking it."Are you sure you're fine?" Samuel asked, noticing her pale complexion.Though Iris had forgotten about her stomach pain because she was preoccupied with her thoughts, her complexion gave away her condition. She forced a nod. "I'm fine. Really."Samuel studied her for a
Iris walked out of the shop with the cake in hand. When she spotted Renee, she ignored her.Renee finally recognized the qualities Iris possessed when she compared Iris to Wendy — Iris was cultured, well-mannered, polite and respected her elders."Iris," Renee called out involuntarily.Iris merely looked back for a second before getting into her car.Renee stood frozen in a daze. If Iris were still her daughter-in-law, she mused, she wouldn't have to endure this humiliation. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of Wendy. She perceived Wendy as a devil. Wendy was the most evil person she had ever seen! She couldn't imagine how a person could be that evil.Yet, Renee never considered her own flaws while judging others.Renee's unexpected appearance did not make Iris feel anything. She entered a restaurant's private room with the cake. The private room was filled with Brad's friends. They were playfully teasing him, saying, "You don't race with us anymore. You barely even ha
Wendy stood up and gestured to the various luxury items she had purchased, sprawled across the couch. "Bring them up for me," she commanded, treating Renee like a servant."In your dreams!" Renee yelled back defiantly.Wendy leaned casually against the staircase railing, her expression filled with contempt. Cold and calculating, she resembled a predator, no trace of weakness remaining."Don't waste your breath with empty threats. You can't do anything to me. If anything happens to me, that video of you murdering someone will land in the police's hands. That boy will also receive a copy. When he learns who killed his mother after he grows up, there's no way he'll spare you. He'll send the Stein family into chaos. The video will also be leaked to the media, exposing your crime to the world. It'll become a scandal for the Stein family, and the family business' stocks will plummet as a result. And your dear husband, the person you care about the most? When he finds out that his lover di
Iris was in no mood to talk. Yvonne shook her gently, asking, "Do you want me to take you out to relax?""Not interested," Iris replied, looking visibly exhausted.When the takeout arrived, she only picked at her food, taking just a few bites before losing interest.It wasn't that the food wasn't tasty; she simply had no appetite.Yvonne received a phone call. She asked Iris if she wanted to join her. Iris declined."Then I'll see you next time," Yvonne said while getting up."Mmh," Iris responded absentmindedly.After Yvonne left, Iris packed up the food and decided to go to bed early.The day of the trial arrived as scheduled. Despite her best efforts, the trial proved challenging, and the outcome was not what she had hoped for. The client commented, "Honestly, it's better than what I expected. There's a big difference between five years and ten years. I'll reform well, show good behavior, and try to get released early."Iris remained silent. The outcome wasn't satisfactor