Chapter 129 Ms. Cooper's New Case
Hayden laughed heartily, his laughter strong and powerful, not at all like a seriously ill old man. The laughter echoed in the hospital room, seemingly dispelling the oppressive atmosphere. "Diana, you worry too much! I know Edward well. He won't develop feelings for Aria; otherwise, why would he refuse to do in vitro fertilization with Aria?"
Edward said no? That really threw me for a loop.
Seeing my shocked face, Hayden gave a slight nod and said slowly, "I talked to Edward about this before calling Aria back. He wasn't on board, but he's a good son and agreed to let Aria come back first."
A wave of guilt hit me. I had totally misjudged Edward. Turned out, this whole thing was Hayden's idea, not Edward's. But why didn't he clear things up with me? The thought of all the misunderstandings I had harbored left me feeling uneasy, a sudden urge to apologize to Edward surging within me. At the same time, I was relieved Daisy's meddling didn't spill the beans about my chat with Anne regarding Aria and Edward doing IVF. That would've been a nightmare to deal with.
I was thinking about making a quick exit when Hayden continued, "If it weren't for my hospitalization, he probably still wouldn't agree."
So, Edward had agreed? Just as I felt a bit better, my mood tanked again. With Hayden pulling the strings, both Edward and Aria were in on it, and I was left in the dark, even though I was Edward's wife. It seemed like Hayden wasn't looking for my input but just giving me a heads-up. What choice did I have to agree or refuse?
After saying goodbye to Hayden, I planned to head back to the apartment. I needed to sort out the past couple of days and seriously think about my next steps.
The midday sun was blinding, and a gentle breeze messed up my hair, just like my jumbled thoughts. I sat alone in the taxi, replaying Hayden's words over and over.
As the taxi passed the last intersection, I got a call from Lila. She sounded urgent, "Diana, can you talk right now?"
Her tone made me think something was up. "What's wrong?" I asked, my voice matching her urgency.
"I've got a case, and the client specifically wants you to defend him. Do you have time?" she said. Hearing about a case, I perked up. "Of course, I'll take it. Fill me in when I get to the firm tomorrow."
"If you can, come over now. The client is here, and you can talk directly." Lila's tone lightened a bit.
Not wanting to miss a good opportunity, I quickly agreed. After hanging up, I told the driver, "Take me to Stellar Legal Advisors."
The driver seemed a bit annoyed and loudly reminded me, "Taking a detour will cost extra, you know!"
I pulled out two hundred dollars and waved it in front of him. "Is this enough?"
His eyes widened, and he quickly said, "Yes, ma'am."
"Get me there in 10 minutes, and the rest is your tip." I let the money flutter to his feet.
Drivers usually didn't make much, so he immediately sped towards Stellar Legal Advisors.
Lila and the client were already waiting downstairs. Seeing me get out of the taxi, Lila pulled me aside and whispered, "Diana, this is Mr. Parker. He saw the case you handled for Alice and specifically asked for you. Diana, you're famous!"
The legal world was like that. People didn't care if the cases you handled were morally right; they just cared if you could get the best outcome for the client. With a professional smile, I walked up to the client, Lawrence Parker. "Mr. Parker, hello. I'm Diana Cooper."
"Ms. Cooper, it's great to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you," Lawrence said, shaking my hand enthusiastically, like he was at a grand wedding instead of dealing with a divorce case.
"This café has a nice vibe. Why don't we chat about the case inside? It's less formal and stuffy than the reception room," I suggested.
"Sure, I'll follow your lead." Lawrence didn't seem to mind the change of scenery.
As we were about to head into the café, Lila handed me her laptop and said to Lawrence, "Mr. Parker, you can talk to Ms. Cooper. If you have any requests, just let her know. I won't disturb you two." With Lawrence's nod, Lila walked briskly back to Stellar Legal Advisors.
As soon as we sat down in the café, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and saw a message from Lila: [Good luck, I believe in you.] Her words warmed my heart.
"Mr. Parker, can you tell me about your situation?" I opened my laptop, ready to take notes.
"Ms. Cooper, I want to divorce my wife, but she doesn't agree." Lawrence rubbed his hands on his knees and said, "I saw the divorce case you handled for Alice and thought you were perfect for my situation."
"Okay, please tell me more." I listened attentively.
"I've been married to my wife for many years, but I've always been busy with work, inevitably neglecting her, and we don't have any children." Lawrence spread his hands, looking helpless.
The situation Lawrence described had few similarities with Alice's case. If there was any similarity, it was that they were both divorce cases. But his situation was more similar to mine and Edward's—both busy with work, both emotionally distant, and both without children. I couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Lawrence, and my thoughts began to drift. Thinking about my own marriage with Edward, I realized we were the same, a wave of bitterness and helplessness washing over me.
Seeing no reaction from me, Lawrence tentatively called out, "Ms. Cooper, are you listening?"
My thoughts snapped back, and I quickly smiled apologetically, feeling a bit ashamed of my unprofessionalism. "Sorry, Mr. Parker, I was just thinking of a situation similar to yours. So, is this why you want to divorce your wife?" I tried to keep my tone professional and calm, but the turmoil in my heart hadn't subsided.
Lawrence shook his head helplessly and said, "The case you're thinking of can't be as dramatic as mine because I recently found out my wife is pregnant, but I've been tested, and I can't have children." He said this with a bitter smile, mixed with helplessness, pain, and a bit of confusion.
His words hit me like a hammer to my soul. Could there really be such astonishing coincidences in the world? I felt incredibly shocked and incredulous, my emotions growing more complex.
"Do you think your wife cheated on you? Does she also want a divorce?" I forced myself to suppress the turmoil inside and continued to ask.
Lawrence shook his head again. He said, "No, I know she loves me very much. She said she wanted to give me a child, so..."
His words shocked me deeply once again. I never expected that the case Lila arranged for me would be so highly similar to my own experience. A strange excitement surged in my heart, and I made up my mind to fight this case well. If I could successfully handle this case, it might provide a good approach for my divorce with Edward. My heart was filled with surprise, excitement, and anticipation, as if I saw a glimmer of hope to escape my predicament.
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