Chapter 69 I Want Both Ability and Fame
Back at the villa, I dumped a big bag of medicine in the kitchen and told Melissa, "Just toss these after you brew them. No need to bring them to me. Even if you do, I'll just throw them out." Melissa gave me a look, hesitated, but didn't say anything.
I didn't talk to Edward for the rest of the night. After an early wash-up, I headed back to the guest room. Anne kept Edward chatting for ages, and it was pretty late when I saw Edward carrying Anne back to their room. I had a hunch Edward would come to my room tonight, but I had no plans to see him. I had to work at Stellar Legal Advisors the next day, so I hit the sack early.
But I was wrong; Edward didn't show.
The next morning, Edward and Anne were still upstairs when I went to the dining room for breakfast. Melissa had whipped up a big batch of spaghetti. I served myself a bowl, sprinkled some celery leaves on top, and started eating.
Out of nowhere, I felt like messing with Edward, so I ran to the kitchen and mixed a bowl of celery juice into his spaghetti.
Sure enough, Edward took one bite and spat it out. "Melissa, you know I don't eat celery!"
A noodle dramatically landed on his white shirt. I chuckled and reached out to hand him a napkin, only to find Anne's hand with a napkin meeting mine.
Her sharp nails scratched the back of my hand, leaving a mark. I awkwardly pulled my hand back and watched her try to clean the stain on Edward's shirt.
Of course, a napkin couldn't clean spaghetti stains, and detail-oriented Edward was naturally annoyed with Anne's efforts. He put down his utensils and went to change his clothes.
As Edward turned to go upstairs, Anne coldly said to me, "Why did you do that to Edward? He was supposed to take me to school, and now I'm going to be late."
I smiled and said, "I can take you. I have to go out today anyway, and it's on my way." I put down my utensils, wiped my mouth with a napkin, and stood up as if to leave.
"You did this on purpose!" Anne, somewhat exasperated, raised her hand to hit me.
"Anne, are you done eating?" Edward came downstairs just in time to see Anne raising her fist at me.
"Honey, Anne is trying to hit me!" I pretended to be scared and hid behind Edward. When it came to acting, I was no less skilled than Anne. After all, back in the day, I had meticulously planned to 'accidentally' fall into Edward's arms to create a chance encounter. Anne's tricks to get Edward's attention were just old games to me.
Edward was momentarily stunned by my actions. He probably never expected me to act like a jealous little girl. He took my hand and looked at the scratch on the back. "Let Melissa disinfect and bandage this for you," he said.
I was the one stunned this time. Such a small wound would have healed by the time Edward saw it. Still, his concern touched me a little.
"Edward, I'm going to be late. Let's go!" Anne squeezed between us, speaking in a sweet voice.
The two walked out of the dining room one after the other, and Anne didn't forget to give me a triumphant smile.
After they left, I returned to the table to continue enjoying my spaghetti.
Melissa brought a bowl of medicinal soup from the kitchen and placed it in front of me. "Mrs. Howard, you should drink this before you go."
I pinched my nose and waved my hand. "Melissa, you really don't need to make this soup for me anymore. I can't drink it."
Melissa shook her head. "But this is Mr. Howard's way of showing his love for you."
I dodged around Melissa, saying as I ran, "Whoever wants this love can have it. I don't want it."
When I arrived at Stellar Legal Advisors, many lawyers were already busy at their desks.
I checked the time. Phew, I wasn't late. I walked into Nolan's office, where Nolan and Lila were already waiting for me. As soon as she saw me, Lila rushed over and grabbed my arm. "Diana, you're finally here. Welcome to Stellar Legal Advisors! It's all thanks to you that we're back together here."
Before Mia got sick, David had shut down the firm. But while I was abroad with Mia for her treatment, the firm reopened. I had no clue what deal Edward and David struck, but the reopened firm wasn't under David's name anymore. Now, Stellar Legal Advisors belonged to Edward.
"What did you promise Edward to get him to reinvest in Stellar Legal Advisors?" Lila asked, looking worried.
I shook my head. "Nothing. I only found out the firm had reopened after I took my mom abroad."
Talking about Mia's illness made Lila sad. She felt for me and said, "Diana, are you okay? Your mom just passed away. You should take more time to rest."
I wasn't very sad. Mia had suffered for a long time before she passed, and maybe it was a relief for her, as it was for me. I briefly explained and tried to change the topic.
"But you don't seem truly happy," Nolan suddenly interrupted.
I was momentarily embarrassed at being called out and tried to defend myself. "Nolan, you don't really know me."
Nolan awkwardly touched his nose. I smiled. "It's okay. Tell me about the upcoming work."
Nolan quickly adjusted and handed me a stack of files. "There's a case involving a popular influencer couple going through a divorce. You might find it interesting."
I flipped through the files, thinking. I knew this influencer couple; their whole persona was about showing off their love. I never expected them to end up divorcing.
Nolan continued, "Take a good look at this case. I'll be doing a handover this month and mentoring you."
I looked up in surprise. "What?"
Nolan stood up. "I'm planning to resign."
I was the only one surprised in the office. Clearly, this news was no secret at the firm.
Lila smiled. "Once he brings you up to speed, Nolan can resign in peace."
I didn't ask Nolan why he was resigning. It probably had something to do with David. After all, they were good friends, and now the firm belonged to Edward, who was David's competitor. I wasn't worried about Nolan's future. A lawyer of his caliber could easily become a freelance lawyer, join a new firm, or become a corporate legal advisor.
Driving away from the firm, I planned to return to my small apartment to review the case files. A quiet work environment would help me get into the zone quickly. I needed to grow fast; I wanted both capability and reputation. I wanted to take control of my future.
In this case, I was to be the personal lawyer for the female influencer.
This couple had originally gained attention online by showcasing their love, quickly amassing millions of followers. They were still active online, showing no signs of a broken relationship.
However, the divorce case was initiated by the woman, who accused herself of infidelity, leading to the breakdown of their relationship. Indeed, everything online was just an act. The files only recorded the general situation. For many details, I would need to speak with the client in person. I took out my phone to check the latest updates from the client.
Edward's message popped up, just a short sentence: [Where are you?] He hadn't shown this kind of interest in my whereabouts for a long time.
I quickly replied: [I'm at the small apartment.]
Edward's response was still brief: [Okay.]
The cold text did not hint at his emotions, so I didn't know what he was planning. I could only continue with my work.
Edward: [Come down, I'm waiting for you.]
Another message popped up. I didn't understand what Edward wanted. I looked out the window but didn't see his car. I had no choice but to gather the files and head downstairs with a stack of documents.
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