Chapter 320 Anticipation
Hannah clutched her briefcase, rolled her eyes, and shot a glance at Brown's back. "Ashley, the evidence you got can totally destroy him, right?"
Ashley grinned. If Damian's evidence didn't do the trick, the whole legal system needed a reboot. "Tell your brother to pop the champagne. Oh, and there's a bonus for you this time. Pick out any bag you want."
Hannah's eyes lit up. "Wow! Ashley, you're really spoiling me!"
Ashley gave her a playful tap on the head. "There's more where that came from."
The courtroom was still empty. Ashley and Brown exchanged nods.
The gavel banged, and the trial kicked off.
Half an hour later, the gavel banged again, and it was over.
While waiting for the verdict, Ashley sipped her coffee in the lounge. Even after reviewing the evidence multiple times, seeing it on the big screen was still a shocker.
How did Damian pull it off? He actually got a video of Robert going at it with someone else.
From the hotel lobby to the room, from the bathroom to the bedroom.
Did he rent out the whole hotel?
Thanks to his clear-cut evidence, Brown's mountain of documents was useless. Ashley won the case quickly and decisively, delivering a knockout blow to the opposition.
Thinking about the looks on everyone's faces in the courtroom, Ashley couldn't help but smirk.
Not far away, she heard Brown yelling, his voice echoing through the hallway and coffee bar. "Stop talking nonsense and get out!"
Robert hung his head, not daring to say a word.
Ashley took another sip of her coffee, the bitter taste lingering.
She thought of Damian's words, "In this game, if you don't strike first, you'll get torn apart. Whether you're prey or a hunter is just a matter of choice. You can stick to your kindness, but I can't."
Sometimes, competition didn't follow the rules; otherwise, even basic justice was hard to keep.
Maybe Damian's ruthless tactics weren't so bad after all.There was no clue if his deal with Emperial Avenue Group went smoothly.
The wait for the verdict wasn't long. As Ashley predicted, the court sided with the woman. Robert took a massive hit, signing the divorce papers on the spot. Tina got custody of the kids, half the marital property, and the house. Robert had to pay child support until the kids turned eighteen.
After signing, Robert glared at Ashley with bloodshot eyes, spitting out, "I knew it was you!"
Ashley checked the signatures and handed the document to Tina, giving Robert a cold stare. "Mr. Walker, congrats on your freedom."
Robert clenched his fists. If Brown hadn't been quick, he might've punched Ashley right there. He snarled, "Just you wait!"
Ashley chuckled. "Wait for what? For your buddies to kidnap me? By the way, are they still alive?"
Robert's face darkened, a murderous look in his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Ashley's smile vanished, replaced by a sharp retort. "Mr. Walker, with no hope left, you're still acting tough?"
Robert tried to throw a punch, but Brown stopped him with a stern look. "What are you doing? Sit down!"
Hopefully, Robert would end up in prison soon. Otherwise, with that murderous look in his eyes, he might do another major operation.
How did she make the legal profession so high-risk?
Holding the agreement, Tina cried tears of joy and hugged Ashley, thanking her over and over. "Ashley, thank you. If it weren't for you getting such crucial evidence, I don't know how long he would have dragged this out. I'm finally free, finally liberated."
Ashley patted her on the shoulder. "Congrats, Tina. Take good care of yourself and your kids. You're still young; you can live any life you want."
Tina nodded, wiping away her tears. "Ashley, do you have family in Sylvania? Maybe I could visit them."
Family?
With a woman who had just escaped the chains of marriage, Ashley kept it brief, just advising, "Get yourself settled first. We'll stay in touch."
Later, thanks to Tina's help, the Astor family narrowly dodged a crisis, repaying Ashley's kindness.
But that was a story for another time.
This huge win made Ashley famous.
For a while, the legal community couldn't stop talking about Ashley's courtroom skills. Some marveled at her extraordinary methods of getting evidence, speculating she must have a powerful backer. "Ashley is amazing. Just a few months in the field, and she's already won several big cases. She's unstoppable! A legend in the making!"
"Not only that, I heard she got her PhD in Sylvania and was already somewhat famous abroad. Plus, she has close ties with KM. Think about it: what kind of place is KM? Would they hire an unknown nobody?"
"So she's a hidden big shot. You can't judge a book by its cover."
"Impressive indeed, but the evidence in Robert's case seems fishy. They say the evidence was quite explicit. How could she get it without bribing the hotel? In the end, female lawyers have it easier, especially if they're pretty."
"The three partners at Sky Balance Law Firm are all men. Who knows..." This person left it at that, letting the listeners' imaginations run wild, followed by laughter.
Rumors were like weeds; they could spring up anywhere and spread like wildfire in just a few days.
When Ashley heard these discussions, she was in her office reviewing new case files. The materials Hendrix gave her were extensive, piling up thicker than the papers she had during her student days, making her eyes hurt.
Hannah slapped the table loudly, deliberately shouting, "Why are there so many mosquitoes in the office? Buzzing around and annoying me to death!"
After her outburst, the murmuring outside finally stopped, and everyone pretended nothing had happened, going back to their work.
Ashley rubbed her eyes to relax. "They keep saying things that sting, but I built my own fortress around my heart. Why bother getting angry?"
Hannah, not as easygoing, huffed angrily. "That's not right! We all earn our living through our skills. Why let them make us a laughingstock? These people are just jealous of your abilities and beauty. Jealousy makes people ugly! A bunch of ugly people!"
Ashley laughed. "Jealousy is an admission of their inadequacy. When you reach a certain level, their jealousy will turn into admiration, and they'll only be able to look up to you. Believe it?"
Hannah switched from anger to curiosity. "Ashley, do you have a big plan?"
Ashley patted the stack of materials that was almost collapsing on the desk. "This."
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