"SIGN IT AND GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE!" Calvin threw the divorce agreement in her face, his voice seething with fury. Adriana Clarke Walker, a well-known heiress and the wife of the richest man in the country and CEO of the Grand Empire Corporation, Calvin Walker, had always believed in the possibility of love. Despite knowing that Calvin didn't love her, she married him with the hope that her patience and devotion would eventually win his heart. But all she received in return was endless pain. Their marriage became a black hole that devoured everything: her happiness, her family's honor, and her security. In an instant, she lost everything—her family shamed, torn apart, and forced into exile. Adriana tried to leave the past behind and build a new life, only to find that Calvin refused to let her go. His pursuit was relentless, and he wasn't willing to set her free...
View MoreAdriana sat in her office chair with her eyes closed.
She seemed to be having a nightmare. Her snow-white face was creased with frowns, and cold sweat trickled down her temples.
"No... Don't take my brother away... He's not guilty..."
"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry, it was my fault... Please forgive me..."
Adriana mumbled, her voice barely audible.
"Mom..."
Suddenly, she cried out, jerking awake. Her breathing was uneven as she opened her eyes.
'That nightmare again... No matter how much I try to run from my past, it seems the past isn't going to leave me alone!' she thought.
Adriana poured herself a glass of water when suddenly, someone knocked at the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Come in!" she called out.
The door to her office opened, and Mona, Adriana's assistant, walked in holding some files. Mona looked at Adriana's pale face and asked with concern, "Ma'am, are you alright? You look pale!"
Adriana took a sip of water to calm herself and replied, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. Why are you here?"
Mona nodded but hesitated before speaking. "Oh, yes, I've prepared all the materials against the Smith family, as you requested," she said.
Seeing Mona's hesitation, Adriana took the file from her hand and asked, "Is there something else you want to say?"
"It's…, are you sure you want to take over this case?" Mona asked, her voice uncertain.
"Yes, what's wrong?" Adriana responded, her brow furrowing.
"When I was preparing the materials for the case, I realized that the Smith family is not easy to deal with. The last lawyer who fought against them died in a car accident just before the hearing."
"Even though the police closed the case as an accident, everyone knows who was behind it."
Hearing Mona's words, Adriana smiled. "Mona, we are lawyers. Our duty is to help the innocent and fight for justice. If lawyers start refusing cases because they're afraid of criminals, where will victims like White family go?"
The reason Adriana studied law was to help people in need. That was also why, despite what happened three years ago, she hadn't given up.
"Is there anything else?" Seeing Mona still standing there, Adriana smiled and asked.
"Oh, yes! The boss asked you to come to his office. He tried calling you, but you didn't pick up!" Mona said.
Adriana glanced at her phone and saw a missed call from Aidan. She hadn't heard it ring earlier.
"Okay," Adriana nodded.
After delivering the files, Mona left the office.
Adriana put down her work and headed to Aidan's office.
Aidan Baker was one of the founders of the Justice Law Firm and also one of Adriana's seniors from law school.
Adriana knocked on the door and entered.
Aidan was making coffee, and when he saw her, he asked, "Would you like some coffee?"
Adriana walked in and nodded. "Of course!"
After she sat on the sofa, Aidan handed her the coffee and sat opposite her.
Adriana took a sip and said, "Why did you ask me to come here?"
Aidan pulled a folder from his desk and handed it to her. "We've received a big case. The other party is from Sky Group. They have some patent issues with another company. I want you to take this case."
Adriana nodded and glanced over the file. But as soon as she saw the column about liquidity damages they had to pay, Adriana's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Twenty million dollars?" she looked up at Aidan, stunned.
"Aidan, haven't you read the contract before signing it? How could you sign something that unreasonable?" she asked.
"I have seen it," Aidan replied.
"Then why did you sign it? What if the other party is planning some kind of trap for us?" she asked, still in shock.
"To be honest, I also found that amount a bit unreasonable. However, I've read all the documents, and there's nothing wrong with them. What's more, the other party is a well-known company. If we win this case, not only will we gain the litigation fees, but our reputation will rise!"
"Aidan, people say that lawyers take money and do things indiscriminately. Don't tell me you also want to be that kind of lawyer?" Adriana said.
"Adriana, don't you know me? How could I do something like that? You know I value my principles. However, I didn't find any issues with the case," he replied.
Aidan had always been a rational person, and Adriana respected him deeply. That was why she decided to work with him. He had also helped her a lot in the past, so she owed him a great deal. She thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay, I'll go over the documents."
"Very good! You read them carefully. I've already made an appointment to meet with the client at Heart Coffee Shop the day after tomorrow," Aidan said with a smile.
Adriana took the file and returned to her office.
However, as Adriana sat down at her desk and looked at the contract, she had a very bad feeling in her heart, as if something bad was about to happen.
****
At Heart Coffee Shop.
The appointment was set for around ten o'clock in the morning. However, Adriana arrived ten minutes early, as she preferred being punctual in her professional life.
This was one of the high-end coffee shops in New York City, very famous and exclusive. There weren't many people who could afford to come here, and those who did were all from the upper class. It was the perfect place for meetings and appointments.
She walked to a seat by the window and ordered a cup of coffee. As she settled in, she took out some papers and began reviewing them again. Suddenly, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in front of her.
Looking up, Adriana's gaze met the owner of the shoes, and in that moment, she was stunned.
It felt as though she had been struck by lightning.
The man standing before her was none other than her ex-husband, the man she had once loved with all her heart—and the man who had turned her life upside down three years ago: Calvin Walker.
Unlike her awkward methods, Calvin stripped her naked as easily as peeling an egg.Adriana was both embarrassed and annoyed. She grabbed a piece of clothing to cover herself. “I don’t need your help. I’ve been dressing myself since I was three or four years old.”Calvin looked her up and down, then handed her the smallest strapless dress. “Are you going to put it on inside, or here?”He hadn’t even acknowledged what she’d just said.Adriana nearly crumpled the silk nightgown in her hands, forcing a smile. “Since you want to see, how could I spoil the fun?”With that, she confidently slipped the nightgown over her head in front of him.The smooth fabric slid effortlessly over her shoulders and fell to her knees, hugging her curves and showing off her perfect S-shaped figure.Some clothes, when worn, seem as if they’re not there at all—yet they highlight the curves
Adriana had never been to the third floor before and had no idea that even casual wear and pajamas were so abundantly stocked here. Though not custom-made, compared to high-end brands outside, the color palette and designs here were clearly several tiers above.Before she could finish her quick inspection, she realized Calvin had dismissed the staff.“Send them away? Then who will serve the guests?” she asked under her breath.Calvin walked over to a dark green leather sofa, sat down with effortless elegance, crossed his legs, and leaned against the armrest. Propping up his left arm, his long fingers traced the sharp line of his jaw as his eyes roamed over her from head to toe, like precise measuring tapes.“There are only two of us,” he said smoothly. “We can serve each other.”Adriana squirmed under his gaze. Pulling her shawl tighter, she wrapped her arms around herself in a defensive gesture. “Although
“Can the Deputy Director walk again?”“Yes, just like before. He walks with such confidence and dignity, as if he doesn’t recognize anyone.”That made sense. They had hired top-notch doctors—of course, they might have ways to speed up recovery.Adriana followed Lisa’s instructions and stopped meddling in that case, thinking it was already closed. But when she heard about it again today, she couldn’t help asking, “Did they mention any key points about the Blue Star Technology case?”“I didn’t get to hear it before. I was caught and scolded. Judging from the Deputy Director’s expression, it doesn’t seem like good news.”Adriana didn’t have a license now and couldn’t get too involved, so she could only call Aidan to ask.“Don’t worry about it for now. We don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.”“Master, where are you? There’s no case right now, so you’re not busy. Want to go out for dinner tonight? A friend just opened a hot pot restaurant, let’s go support them.”“Tonight probably wo
The computer screen displayed a typical French face—a middle-aged man in his fifties, clearly a corporate executive.Adriana instinctively covered her face, afraid the other person might see her appearance.Calvin caught her hand, covering her lips and pinching her fingers. Her fingers were slender and delicate, fitting perfectly in his palm like a piece of art. The corner of his eyes held a faint warmth as he gently pried each of her fingers open.Despite Adriana’s resistance, she couldn’t match his strength. Eventually, her face was exposed, and she helplessly burrowed into his embrace.Because of the meeting, he was dressed in a neat suit—a deep black jacket, an elegant gray shirt, and a silver tie. The soft, smooth fabric felt warm against her skin, and she caught a faint whiff of his masculine cologne.Too preoccupied with avoiding the camera, Adriana had neglected her posture. She was sitting on Calvin’s lap, hidden so easily because of the way his legs spread naturally apart. S
Last night, he had planned to go to Adriana’s house, but on the way he spotted her car and followed it all the way to the bar. Before he could even get out, he saw Adriana with Mark. In that moment, rage surged through him—he nearly smashed his own car in fury.And then, by coincidence, Rose knocked on his car window.So everything fell into place.Adriana shrugged indifferently and laughed. Are you explaining this to me? There’s no such thing as a coincidence. If you’re going to make excuses, at least make them decent. she thought.“You don’t believe me?”“Whether I believe it or not doesn’t seem that important.”The phone rang, and Calvin left it on speaker.On the other end, Henry laughed mockingly. “Hmm, hmm, hmm. Looks like Anna didn’t check the almanac before going out. This time, she really messed up. Multiple facial injuries, a broken nose, cuts on her che
Adriana carried her luggage upstairs, entered the password, and hesitated, lacking the courage to open the door.Once she stepped through, it would mean tactically upsetting the rules of the game. Was she really going to spend a month of her life just to obtain a professional qualification certificate?But if she didn’t seek an outlet through Calvin, who else could she turn to?Those connections were too complicated, and the high walls of those elite circles weren’t something she—a commoner—could ever hope to breach.A month should pass quickly.She would keep a low profile, avoid being noticed, grit her teeth, and it would be over soon.She exhaled deeply and clenched her fists.The first floor was quiet. The room was tidy and orderly. The floor is spotless. Adriana even wondered if it was meant more for display than for living.Looking up toward the study on the second floor, Adriana’s heart skip
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