"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...
Lihat lebih banyakAdriana 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.
Carson didn’t dare make another sound. Instead, like a wooden statue, he sat silently, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her sleep.How can anyone look so beautiful?Even sick and fragile, she looked stunning.She slept peacefully—no arguments, no defiance, no stabbing remarks—gentle as a delicate canary.Carson selfishly wished he could hide her away, keep her to himself, and never let anyone else see her.But he wasn’t like that heartless man who just stood and watched things fall apart.He would love her. He would cherish her for the rest of his life.The most frustrating thing was that Adriana, a woman who seemed so smart and capable, turned into a complete schoolgirl when it came to Calvin—naïvely counting the money even while being cheated.Carson couldn’t give Calvin another chance to deceive her.Thinking this, a fierce determination lit up inside him.That
Carson’s second surgery lasted longer and was more complicated.When Alice heard that Carson was injured again, she immediately removed her IV and ran to his ward. The nurses couldn’t stop her.“Carson, why are you hurt again? What happened?”Carson, who was lying on the bed with pale, bloodless lips, turned his head to look at Alice, who was still dressed in a hospital gown.“What is Miss Hamper doing here with me instead of getting well? I’m not a doctor—I don’t know how to cure people.”Alice felt stung by his words, but instead of turning around and leaving, she said in a distressed tone, “You look terrible. Did you lose too much blood? How did this happen? The doctors said your last surgery was a success.”Carson’s thoughts were still stuck on Adriana’s tears. The night had passed without rest, and the more he thought about it, the more pleased he became. Then
After she asked, she quietly waited for Calvin’s answer.But Calvin didn’t say a word.Time stretched endlessly, a vicious pause between them.The silence was like a chasm, completely decimating the rickety trestle between them.Adriana inhaled feebly, gently, worried she might die if she didn’t breathe.“That day, I was with my brother. We had just arrived abroad and were unfamiliar with the country. My brother was trying to find a job, but he was always rejected. He was in a bad mood, so I suggested we go for a drive to blow off some steam.”Adriana didn’t mention that the car was a rental.“We turned around and prepared to go back to the place where we were staying. Just as we were about to get in the car, a group of people suddenly rushed over, shouting my brother’s name and demanding that he go with them. They looked dangerous. Of course, my brother refused, and they started hitting people. I was terrified. It was nighttime in a foreign country—there was no one on the road, no wa
Calvin was still the same Calvin. At times, he could show gentleness and softness like a milkshake, but once someone touched his bottom line, his fierceness would erupt at full force.In truth, against a half-crippled man, he didn’t even need to try.Adriana’s mind screamed in panic. “Calvin, don’t!”But her cry couldn’t stop him. Calvin gripped Carson’s broken leg by the ankle with one hand and, with brutal force, folded it.Carson let out a scream even more tragic than Adriana’s—a sound like a beast trapped in the depths of a midnight forest, engaged in a desperate duel. The heavens and earth seemed to shake, and the entire hospital building trembled with the force of his agony.“AHHH!”His wailing was mournful and heart-wrenching.The broken bone hadn’t even begun to heal. The surgery hadn’t had time to take effect, and the anesthesia had worn off. The pain Calvin caused was doubled, like his skin was being flayed and his bones shattered all over again. It was as if a dam had burst
“I don’t want it!”Adriana’s reaction was like an electric shock—or rather, it didn’t even make it past her brain. She instinctively and firmly refused.Regardless of Calvin’s reasons for giving her equity, once they became entangled in long-term interests, disentangling themselves completely would be extremely difficult. She had long seen through Calvin’s cleverness. If he wanted to achieve something, even if it took going around in a hundred circles, he would do it. Xavier was proof of that—and she could be next.Calvin seemed to have anticipated her refusal. His reaction was calm.“That island is very suitable for people suffering from illnesses caused by chronic mental stress. It can be a good way to regulate both body and mind. Grand Empire will hire the best psychiatrists from home and abroad to create the first royal physical therapy center there. Anyone wishing to convalesce on the island must be carefully screened by the team—from identity to financial ability. Anyone who doe
Hanging up the phone, Adriana quickly replaced the flash of embarrassment on her face. “Are you going to see Calvin?”Kevin acted as if he hadn’t heard anything and simply nodded. “The president is recuperating and won’t allow outsiders to disturb him. He’s not very busy at the moment. Does you have a message you’d like me to pass along?”His words were clear—Calvin was idle, so if Adriana had something to say, now was the time. It wouldn't be considered a bother.Adriana, however, hesitated. What could she say? He was surrounded by top-tier doctors, first-class security, state-of-the-art equipment, and impeccable service. Everyone around him would treat him like royalty.“There’s nothing. Go ahead,” she said calmly.“Alright. Lawyer Clarke, if you need anything, feel free to reach out. I’ll be here for the next few days.”Kevin gently closed the door behind him, still thinking about the “who” mentioned by that strange girl over the phone.If he guessed correctly, that code name refer
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