Chapter 200 Rescuing Lila
After saying goodbye to Edward and Anne, I took off in a hurry too.
Even though most folks online were on my side about the divorce, it didn't stop Stellar Legal Advisors from taking a hit.
Running a law firm wasn't like live streaming. Without the Howard Group backing us, Stellar Legal Advisors' resources took a nosedive. The cases I got from my live streams just weren't enough to keep the firm afloat.
Lila and I saw this coming. We tried to prepare, but business still took a dive.
To keep Stellar Legal Advisors from going under like David predicted, Lila and I started paying more attention to the business. Lila, who used to hate socializing, had to swallow her pride and hustle for every collaboration. I hadn't seen her since we split up in the parking lot that day.
The client I was meeting today was one Lila couldn't get to. Luckily, they didn't mind that I was the lawyer she sent. The meeting went off without a hitch.
Afterwards, I sent the case files to Lila's email, but it was like they vanished into thin air. No response. A few nights later, just as I was about to start my evening livestream, Lila called.
For some reason, my heart sank. I had a bad feeling. I picked up quickly. Lila's voice was drowned out by noise, and she sounded drunk and slurred.
I asked, "Lila, what's going on? Where are you?"
She slurred, "I think someone drugged me... my head's all fuzzy..."
I snapped, "What? Where are you? I'll come get you."
Just as I was about to ask her location, the call dropped. When I called back, all I got was a busy signal. Panic set in. I needed to find Lila. I tracked her phone to a high-end club in the suburbs, owned by the Howard family.
I was torn. Should I ask Edward for help? But with our current situation, I really didn't want to. Then it hit me. Joshua. He worked in the police department. I dialed his number without wasting a second.
"Diana, what's up? You sound stressed," Joshua answered.
"Lila's been drugged at a club, and I can't reach her. I'm really worried," I blurted out.
Joshua was shocked. "That's awful. Send me the address. I'll bring a team over."
I insisted, "No, I can't leave her alone. I'm coming too."
Joshua sighed, "Alright. But stay outside and let us handle it. It's safer that way."
I was worried about getting in the way of the police, so I also gave David a heads-up, hoping he could lend a hand. Even though Lila and David weren't super close, he didn't hesitate to show up at the club when he heard she was in trouble.
By the time we got there, police lights were flashing outside, and several squad cars were parked quietly. At Joshua's signal, the officers moved in like a pack of leopards. The doorman tried to stop them but backed off when he saw their serious faces. The officers slipped through the lobby crowd, their steps drowned out by the loud music and chatter.
At the target room, two officers kicked the door open. The chaotic scene inside came into view: drinks spilled everywhere, and a bunch of panicked suspects on the sofa.
Joshua led the charge, quickly rounding up the suspects, while David and I waited at the door, anxious about Lila.
The operation went smoothly. Joshua and another officer helped a barely conscious Lila out of the room. She was out of it.
Joshua handed me a small plastic bag with colorful pills and said, "This is what they drugged her with. Get her to the hospital and give this to the doctor."
David and I didn't waste any time. We rushed Lila to the hospital, where she got her stomach pumped and a bunch of other treatments.
We waited in the cold hospital corridor. I paced back and forth in front of the operating room, while David sat on a bench, lost in thought.
Out of nowhere, he said, "Diana, you shouldn't have called Joshua. We could've handled it ourselves."
I was taken aback. "What are you talking about? It was an emergency, and they were committing a crime. How could I not call the police?"
David got a bit heated. "Why can't you talk to me before making decisions? Do you think you can handle everything alone?"
I didn't get why he was so mad. Watching him rant, I felt like he was a stranger.
David had been so gentle lately, I almost forgot he had a temper. I tried to calm him down. With a curious smile, I softly said, "Are you upset because I didn't ask for your help first?"
David shook his head, frowning slightly, and sighed. His tone was calm but tinged with frustration. "Calling the police wasn't wrong, and I'm not mad about that. But think about it. That was the Howard Group's club. You brought the cops there to arrest people. How do you think the Howard family feels about that?"
I frowned, confused. "Even if it was their club, the people who drugged Lila weren't from the Howard family. What does it have to do with them?"
David gave a bitter smile, his eyes showing a hint of pity. "Your parents have sheltered you too much. Even if the Howard Group wasn't directly involved, it happened at their club. If investigated, the Howard Group would be implicated. And considering your relationship with the Howard family..."