Chapter 21 Welcome to Stellar Legal Advisors!
I bent down, cupping Anne's cheeks, and said, "Hey, I gotta head out. Wanna come with?"
I glanced at the clock; it was noon on the dot. After hitting up the law firm, I could grab lunch with Lila and the crew.
"Anne, if you don't feel like staying home, maybe you could head back to school and hit the books."
Before Anne could say anything, I left the bedroom and made my way to the walk-in closet to find something decent to wear. As soon as I stepped in, I couldn't help but remember Edward hiding in there, looking at Anne's photos and, well, you know.
Back then, it shocked and hurt me. Now, it just made me mad and disgusted.
"Edward, one day I'm outta here. I don't need you to survive."
While changing, my wedding ring got caught in my hair. It made me sad. When love fades, even a symbol as potent as a wedding ring becomes a burden. If I didn't love him anymore, the right thing to do was return it.
After getting dressed, I headed to Edward's study.
To my surprise, the wall where our wedding photo used to hang was bare; the picture had fallen, and there was a crack right between us in the photo.
How ironic. We weren't even divorced yet, but the photo had already split us apart.
I slipped off the five-carat wedding ring and gently placed it on Edward's desk. My finger felt lighter, and so did my heart.
As I left, I didn't see Anne anywhere. No clue where she went. She's an adult, so she should be fine on her own. Still feeling a bit woozy from last night's drinks, I decided to take a cab to the law firm.
When I got there, the place was empty. What the… ? I pulled out my phone and dialed Lila.
Just as the call connected, Nolan's office door swung open, and a bunch of young folks in uniforms poured out. "Surprise!"
Lila rushed over and hugged me tight.
"Diana, welcome to Stellar Legal Advisors!" Lila said, beaming and holding my hand.
"Welcome!" The others chimed in.
"Thanks, everyone."
I was genuinely touched. Knowing David, I didn't think he'd let me join so easily. I was ready for him to throw some obstacles my way.
Nolan was the last to come out. Unlike the others, he was more reserved, a stark contrast to his fierce courtroom demeanor.
"Thanks, Nolan. I'll do my best to meet everyone's expectations!"
"I can't afford your 'best effort'; just don't give me any headaches," David suddenly appeared from Nolan's office, his tone icy.
I didn't expect David to show up at a new employee's welcome party, or maybe he was just here to see me mess up. "Mr. Wilson, thanks for your support." I didn't expect David to be here, but I was genuinely grateful for the smooth entry into Stellar Legal Advisors. For me, joining this firm was the first step toward personal independence and a crucial move toward divorcing Edward.
David ignored me and waved his hand impatiently. "Alright, everyone, back to work." The crowd quickly dispersed, heading back to their desks.
I tugged on Lila's sleeve, and we shared a knowing smile. Lila was probably the only one who really got how happy I was.
"Nolan, where should I start?" I asked.
"No rush, just get to know the place first," Nolan replied.
"Letting me join but not giving me any work?" I couldn't figure out what David was up to.
Suddenly, my phone rang. It was a local number. Probably a spam call, but it kept ringing.
"Hello, this is Diana," I answered.
"Hello, this is the University Town Police Department. Are you Anne's legal guardian?"
My heart sank. "What happened to Anne?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
It wasn't that I really cared about Anne, but if something happened to her, Edward would definitely blame me.
"Anne got into a fight at a KTV and hit someone with a beer bottle. She's at the University Town Police Department right now."
Hearing that Anne was at the police station, my heart jumped into my throat.
"Is Anne hurt?" I asked quickly.
"No, but the other person is pretty injured. You should come down here and talk to the other party's parents," the officer said flatly.
"Nolan," I hesitated, unsure how to ask for time off, but David grabbed his keys and headed out. "I'll go with you. Anne's my sister too, after all."
A wave of bitterness hit me. The Howard and Wilson families were old friends, so Edward's sister was naturally David's sister too. Why did everyone care about her while I got bullied by David and ignored by Edward?
David honked the car horn, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Nolan said kindly, "Ms. Cooper, you can ride with Mr. Wilson."
I quickly walked out.
"Diana, call me if you need anything," Lila said. It was nice to have friends who genuinely cared.
David's car sped onto the ring road.
My phone lit up with a call from Edward. I didn't want to answer, but thinking it might be about Anne, I reluctantly picked up.
"Diana!" Edward's voice was full of suppressed anger. "What did you do to Anne?"
I was puzzled and tried to explain, "The police said Anne got into a fight at a KTV and is at the station for mediation."
"What did you say to her this morning? She's always so well-behaved. If it weren't for you, she wouldn't have gotten into a fight. If Anne is hurt, you'll pay for it!" Edward angrily hung up.
Tears welled up in my eyes. When it came to Anne, even the smallest thing was a big deal.
"Are they that close? Looks like you've had your share of grievances at home," David said, always knowing how to hit where it hurt.
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