Chapter 257 The Body's Instinctive Reaction
Saskia got the scoop from Nicholas and couldn't wait to dash over to Katniss's place.
She knew Sophia was Katniss's stepmom, but Katniss never mentioned her real mom. Saskia always thought Katniss's mom had passed away!
Katniss had just walked in the door and hadn't even made it upstairs when she got yanked into the car.
They didn't drive off anywhere; they just parked right there at the building's entrance and started chatting. Saskia blurted out, "Katniss, what's going on?"
Katniss sighed, "I never thought she'd come looking for me, so I didn't think it was worth bringing up." The car window was cracked open, letting in the cool night air. Katniss pursed her lips and asked, "How did you find out?"
Saskia took a moment and said, "Nicholas's mom heard it from someone else. Apparently, Mrs. Gomez is the one stirring the pot. You don't know her well; she's a high-society gossip who can't keep her mouth shut. Who knows where she got the info..."
If Katniss remembered right, Lila had called the woman next to her Mrs. Gomez at the education center that evening.
Saskia went on, "You could totally sue her for this; it’d be a slam dunk. She's spreading rumors everywhere, saying the Forbes family can accept a poor daughter-in-law but not poor in-laws, pushing people to cut ties."
Saskia found it ridiculous and said, "It's like she saw it all herself."
The upper-class circles thrived on gossip, especially when it involved the prestigious Forbes family.
Even without meeting face-to-face, just a few phone calls were enough for everyone to know within hours.
Saskia continued, "Nicholas's mom said Mrs. Gomez embarrassed Mrs. Forbes by loudly asking about it in front of a crowd. Mrs. Forbes's face went dark immediately."
She didn't believe the Forbes family would do something like that, but since the rumor was out, it had to be dealt with.
Hearing this, Katniss frowned, a mix of emotions washing over her. Her expression was complicated.
Seeing this, Saskia said, "Don't be upset; it's not your fault. Blame your biological mom. What was she thinking, saying such things in public? It's caused trouble for the Forbes family."
Noticing Katniss's bad mood, Saskia wasn't sure how to comfort her.
A cold glint flashed in Katniss's eyes. "This probably has something to do with Lila," she said.
She didn't believe it was a coincidence that Lila and Madeline happened to pass by.
"That's Tristan's car. He's back!" Saskia saw the G-Wagon approaching and instinctively wanted to open the car door and get out.But this time, Katniss instinctively pulled Saskia back, holding her down in the car. "Don't!"
The car's headlights dimmed, and they could just make out Tristan getting out and hurrying into the building.
"Why are you hiding from him?" Saskia asked, straightening up and looking at Katniss in confusion after he left.
Katniss let go of Saskia's hand, her gaze wavering as she slowly shook her head. She wasn't sure why she was hiding from Tristan either. It was just a reflex.
"You don't need to blame yourself for this. It's not your fault. Maybe Tristan will have a way to solve it?" Saskia said softly, trying to comfort her.
Katniss leaned back in her seat, her mind racing. "It's not my fault, but it is directly connected to me. I'm not blaming myself, but he can't get involved in this anymore. I have to handle it myself."
She couldn't pretend everything was fine in front of Tristan. If her emotions were laid bare, Tristan would definitely intervene, which would only confirm the rumors that the Forbes family couldn't tolerate Ember.
Just then, her phone rang. It was the bodyguard Tristan had arranged. "Miss Grey, those two were originally staying in a small motel. When we followed them to find an opportunity to approach them, they were picked up by a luxury car and taken to an apartment in the suburbs. We can't get in and don't know who picked them up."
"Got it. You guys come back. Don't worry about them anymore." Katniss hung up and smoothed her long hair.
She looked straight ahead, her emotions shifting and gradually solidifying. "Let's go. Drive me somewhere."
"Okay!" Saskia didn't even ask where they were going and started the engine.
Meanwhile, the dark, empty home made Tristan's heart sink. He saw Katniss's car parked downstairs, but she wasn't there.
He turned on the hallway light and went inside, his tall figure sinking into the sofa. He thought maybe Katniss was upstairs and would come down later.
He waited patiently for half an hour before finally calling Katniss directly.
The phone rang only a couple of times before it was answered. Katniss's voice sounded calm as ever. "Are you home? I'm outside."
"Where are you?" Tristan stood up abruptly, grabbing his coat and ready to leave.
On the other end, Saskia's voice came through. "Mr. Forbes, can I borrow Katniss for tonight? She's with me, so don't worry."
"Saskia?" Tristan frowned and asked, "Where are you taking her?"
"Don't worry about that; she's in good hands!" Saskia chuckled before hanging up.
At any other time, if Katniss and Saskia went out, Tristan wouldn't be too worried.But at this particular moment, he couldn't help but worry.
The empty room made him feel uneasy, so he called Nicholas. "Where did Saskia take Katniss? Can't you keep an eye on your own people?"
"Seriously?" Nicholas snapped, "You're blaming me? As soon as Saskia heard about what happened at your place, she ditched me at the hospital to find Katniss. It's Katniss who took my person! Saskia's more concerned about Katniss than she is about me!"
If Tristan hadn't called to question Nicholas, Nicholas might have been able to tolerate the grievance. This call made his anger flare up, but he had to hold it in!
He asked, "What's with the rumors about your family? Does Katniss really have such a terrible mom?"
"With all that free time, focus on getting better and stop gossiping so much." Tristan hung up the phone, not having time to go into detail with Nicholas.
His mind was on Katniss. Although he knew she wasn't in any danger, she was well aware that the Forbes family was under scrutiny, and her emotions would surely be affected.
Tristan quickly called Ryan, asking him to look into the whereabouts of Katniss and Saskia.
He then sent a message to Katniss, telling her he was waiting for her to come home.
Just as she got out of the car, Katniss received Tristan's message.
Saskia sneaked a glance and said, "I didn't know Mr. Forbes was such a devoted person."
"He came back from his grandmother's so quickly because he's worried about how I'm feeling," Katniss said, putting her phone down without responding to Tristan's message.
She wanted him to go to bed early, but she knew he wouldn't be able to sleep if she didn't go back.
Looking at the towering building in front of her, Katniss and Saskia went inside. She asked, "Which floor is the law firm on?"
"The top floor." They got into the elevator, and Saskia pressed the top button. She said, "Don't worry; he is the best lawyer in the industry."
"Isn't it a bit excessive to pull someone out at night just for a lawyer's letter?" Katniss replied, hands in her pockets as she watched the numbers rise.
"You're the one paying, aren't you?" Saskia joked. "Besides, you know him."
Katniss looked surprised and asked, "Who?"
Saskia nudged her shoulder and replied, "Don't ask too much. If your mom's issue is really related to Lila, this person can definitely get under Lila's skin."
Hearing this, Katniss became even more curious.
The elevator doors opened, and the green emergency exit lights barely illuminated the layout of the floor.
Saskia linked arms with Katniss and headed straight for the only lit area.
The sign for Pinnacle Law Firm came into view.The reception area had dim lighting, but one office was brightly lit, and through the window, they could vaguely see a man in a suit.
Saskia pulled her over and entered without knocking. "Benjamin, we're here!"
Benjamin, with his back to Katniss, turned around, his expression soft. The gold-rimmed glasses on his nose reflected the light in the room.
He wore a light gray vest over a white shirt, a typical outfit for a rich kid.
"Benjamin?" Katniss's voice was tentative.
Hearing this, Benjamin put down the document in his hand, adjusted his glasses, and smiled. "Katniss, I didn't expect you to recognize me."
Katniss was extremely surprised, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say.
He was a prominent figure in school at the time, a year ahead of Katniss, and a top student.
However, he had studied finance and management, and he was supposed to take over the family business after graduation.
How did he end up in law?
Switching careers mid-way required a lot of effort and courage.
"It's late today. Let's catch up another time. First, let's talk about you and your mother." Beneath the gold-rimmed glasses, Benjamin's gentle eyes sparkled with a hint of joy.
At that time, Katniss was nudged into a seat by Saskia, who whispered in her ear, "Surprised? I was even more surprised. When I reached out to him, he wasn't planning to take the case, but as soon as I mentioned your name, he instantly agreed and said you went to the same school."
Katniss and Benjamin had crossed paths in school because they were both in the student council.
But for Katniss, aside from knowing Benjamin was a prominent figure and having collected his photos, she didn't think they were close enough to still have a connection after seven years.
Benjamin was right; it was late, and they shouldn't waste time catching up.
Thinking of this, Katniss said, "My mom and dad divorced when I was very young. It was a messy divorce..."
Back then, Katniss lived with her parents in a small town on the outskirts of Velvet City, and the divorce was well-known in that small place.
Both of them fought for Rupert's custody, and the whole town pitied her.
After the divorce, Katniss never saw Ember again.
Now that Ember had come to Katniss, legally she only needed to provide Ember with some monthly support, and there were no other familial obligations.
Katniss explained her relationship with Ember in detail, and Benjamin sorted out the useful information to evaluate her relationship with Ember from a legal perspective.
Ember had another son, so Katniss was not required to provide housing or care for Ember; she only needed to offer some financial support to meet her minimal obligation.
At the end of the lawyer's letter, Benjamin issued a warning to Ember on Katniss's behalf.
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