“Deputy Director Carson, you can be bold in choosing your rivals, but there’s no need to drag me into the vanguard.” Adriana wrenched her wrist, trying to push the man away.Carson overpowered her effortlessly, not budging. “What’s your relationship with Calvin? Judging by your reaction, it doesn’t seem like you’re in love. What is it? Does he have his eyes on you and want to possess you?”From his words, Adriana could at least be certain that he didn’t know about her past with Calvin. That was a relief.She forced a stubborn smile. “In what capacity is Deputy Director Carson inquiring about my private life?”Carson’s smile widened as if he had just received a long-awaited gift. “What identity would you like me to use? Or maybe you’d rather assign me a new one? Boyfriend would be nice.”People were all different from one another.Adriana clutched her bag in front of her, and for some reason, the image of sleeping in the car with Calvin last night surfaced in her mind. Her cheeks flush
Frequent in and out of Grand Empire, Adriana is considered a familiar face. The front desk does not repeatedly confirm her visit time—just a simple inquiry, and then they let her through.Adriana took the lift to the Legal Department and went straight to the conference room.Marshal Cooper, the head of the Legal Department, was the first to stand up and greet her. “Lawyer Clarke, this way, please.”Adriana recognized some of the people from the Grand Empire Legal Department. After all, they were the ones who had drafted the divorce agreement between her and Calvin back then.Take Marshal, for example—the legendary pickpocket. If he was involved in a case, the opposing party would either lose layers of skin or pay a hefty fine.She had personally experienced it.But nowadays, everyone pretended not to know each other.Adriana nodded and sat down in the seat marked with her name tag, thinking to herself that Grand Empire was indeed a rigorous and sophisticated corporation. Even for a sm
The deeper meaning was self-evident—she had been discarded in the divorce, yet now she was being specially invited to participate in an important case for the company.Marshal could see this implication, and the others weren’t foolish either. Sensing the situation, they quickly followed suit, laughing and saying:“Thanks to the president’s appreciation, today’s hardest-working person is Lawyer Clarke. She wrote the entire draft, and it took a great deal of effort.”“Lawyer Clarke is meticulous in her work—a role model for us all.”“Despite her age, Lawyer Clarke considers issues with remarkable depth and a fresh perspective.”Adriana didn’t feel pleased. Instead, she felt immense pressure.These people were experts at reading the room. The moment they sensed Calvin’s attitude toward her, they immediately started singing her praises.She kept her expression neutral and replied modestly, “Compared to all of you, I’m still a novice. I’m grateful that you seniors are willing to guide me d
Adriana knocked on the door and entered after receiving Calvin’s permission. “This is—”Before she could finish, Calvin’s landline rang. He gestured for her to come forward while answering the call.“Cancel tomorrow’s appointment with General Manager Park. Is he waiting for my time, or am I waiting for his? Let him think carefully before reaching out again."It seemed like things weren’t going his way over there, and Calvin’s tone was strong.Adriana placed the two documents on her left and right and waited with her head lowered.Calvin answered three calls in a row. Ten minutes passed before he finally freed himself. “What’s this?”“This one is paperwork, and this one is a document the secretary asked me to bring in,” Adriana replied.Calvin wasn’t sure he had heard her correctly. “The secretary told you to bring it in?”“She had an emergency and had to meet someone in the parlor. I just happened to be delivering something to you, so she asked me to bring this along.”Calvin leaned b
Carson wasn’t blind, nor was he stupid. The lingering redness at the corner of Adriana’s mouth wasn’t from accidentally scraping it while drinking water.“You left too quickly at lunch. I hadn’t finished what I was saying. Busy now?” he asked.Adriana replied calmly, “Just finished work. I was about to head down.”Carson nodded, finally turning his attention to Calvin, who was practically radiating hostility. “Calvin, I’ll be taking my person with me. I wouldn’t want to disturb your office. See you later.”Calvin’s fingers casually brushed over the corner of his mouth. Then, as if savoring the moment, he deliberately glanced at the faint traces left on Adriana’s lips—his traces.“Miss Clarke, seven o’clock—don’t be late.”Adriana’s head buzzed for a moment. Can’t you phrase it more clearly? Now it sounded like they had some private rendezvous.She quickly corrected him. “Of course, Mr. Calvin. The Grand Empire Legal Department is full of industry elites. I’ll be sure to learn from the
In the evening, the Grand Empire lawyers dined at Savory Spice Heaven.Adriana kept her thoughts to herself—after all, her last traumatic experience had taken place here, and revisiting the same place felt like an emotional wipeout.As they entered the private dining room, Marshal smiled and said, “Lawyer Clarke, this way, please.”Marshal, holding the highest position, rightfully should have taken the seat across from the door. However, he reached out to invite Adriana instead, even offering her the most honorable chair.Wasn’t that cynicism?Adriana politely declined, took a seat on the left side, and pulled out a chair. “Minister Marshal, you are too polite. You are the host, and I am the guest. Where is the reasoning in competing with the host for a seat?”Lawyer Miller smiled. “Lawyer Clarke, with your relationship with the president, why be so modest? Not to mention just a single seat—this entire restaurant must look up to you!”Adriana didn’t show even a hint of anger. She simp
Calvin said, “Whether we are falling out or not, Chairman Blake, there’s no need for you to know too much. I didn’t see Albert.”No one could force a word out of him if he didn’t want to speak.Karl, understanding Calvin’s style, knew better than to press the matter. Truth be told, there was no need to ask—Carson had likely crossed a line that Calvin, who couldn’t tolerate even a speck of sand in his eyes, found unforgivable. Perhaps even Albert himself was not worth seeing in Calvin’s view.This is tricky.Karl kept a smile on his face and said, “Carson—that boy lacks determination. Albert has mentioned many times that… well, never mind. Even raising his own son hasn’t been easy for him. It’s clear that mistakes are inevitable in other areas as well. But let’s not dwell on it.”Despite his lighthearted tone, Karl was struggling internally.With his current cash flow issues, he had planned for Albert to meet Calvin tonight, hoping to reinforce his confidence and secure financial suppo
Adriana ignored the message alert and pretended not to see it.At the dinner table, Anderson both explicitly and implicitly mentioned that Calvin’s plan for the night was to attend Karl’s birthday party. He even emphasized, “Our president—when has he ever given anyone such an honor? He rarely attends private parties in a year.”The implication was clear: the relationship between the Walker family and the Blake family was extraordinary.His remark was directed at Adriana, who simply smiled.Anderson might have intended to provoke her, but her lack of response left him disinterested, and he didn’t bring it up again.A house call and a banquet—it seemed that things between Anna and Calvin were progressing well.Pretty good.Drip!The sound of a car horn suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Adriana turned toward the road, and her expression darkened instantly.Carson rolled down the window and leaned out, his elbow resting on the window frame as he smiled at her. “What a coincidence!”At tw
Having lived among New York’s high society for a few years and come into contact with quite a few celebrities and aristocrats, Maria immediately asked, “Global Entertainment’s Ray William? Eastern William’s only son?”“That’s him.”Maria wasn’t sure what Adriana was up to this time, but her instincts told her it would be even more difficult than the last task. She couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have a personal grudge against him?”She remembered Ray was Calvin’s friend. Shouldn’t he be on good terms with Adriana? Then why did Adriana’s expression show such obvious dislike?Adriana never suspected others lightly, never used people carelessly, and never hid the truth from Maria. “He used despicable means to hurt my friend. But the real target… is me. It’s not that I hold a grudge—it’s that he’s prejudiced against me. And if I don’t strike first, he’s going to make his move soon.”Maria nodded instinctively as she listened. She was starting to believe Adriana’s words. Deep down, she felt
Calvin stood alone in the smoking area, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the parapet.He drew in a deep mouthful of smoke, letting it burn through his lungs.(The young madam even asked me to teach her how to make a fish cake... but it was hard for her. She was a true lady — ten fingers never touching spring water. She burned her fingers, blistered them, but never said a word about the pain.)Fish cakes — such a distant memory.If Emily hadn’t pried open that forgotten gate of memory, perhaps Calvin would never have remembered it again in his life.It had been late — well after 1:00 a.m. — when he returned to New York after a long inspection trip at the England branch.The living room was dimly lit by a single floor lamp.As he put down his luggage, he noticed Adriana curled up on the sofa, asleep.On the table beside her, a plate of fish cakes sat quietly, waiting for him.The next morning, as he passed the dining room, he spotted the plate again and frowned."Why didn’t you
There was no need for Calvin to explicitly say anything; certain unspoken rules were already understood — Adriana knew them all.There was no point in going through the usual formalities again, not against someone like Darren, who couldn’t rise to the occasion.Calvin examined the clear light in her eyes and once again understood what Henry had meant when he said Adriana had changed.In the past, she wouldn't have shown such calmness; her gaze would not have carried the wisdom it held now."Keep your co-worker in check and don’t let her do anything reckless. But of course, if you want to use this chance to get rid of an inconvenient opponent, you can just let it slide."Adriana nodded. "I know what to do."The ambiguous tension between them slowly faded as the conversation unfolded. Calvin glanced around the room. "Rest early."He’s letting me off that easily? Adriana thought."Good night," she said, getting up to see him off, without the slightest intention of trying to make anything
She had quite a bit of potential for uttering so many non-repetitive curse words in one night.Calvin caught her hand, not allowing her to leave.Then, right in front of her, he dialed a number.The call connected after just a few rings.“Mr. Walker? Wow, what an honor! What brings you to call me?” the voice on the other end said, half-joking.Calvin said coldly, “Contact Richard. Get him out of there — use whatever excuse you need.”The person on the other side didn’t dare to ask for details. “Yes, understood!”Calvin hung up and turned to look at Adriana, whose eyes were red with rage.“Aren’t you going to thank me?” he said lazily.Adriana tried to shake off his hand but couldn’t.“Calvin, you’re only making things more awkward between us. Please pay attention to boundaries…”Calvin leaned in and said lowly, “If I hadn’t watched my step tonight, you'd be lying on my bed right now, under me, crying for mercy.”Adriana’s face flared with anger.Without hesitation, she raised her foot
Last time, she had been half-proud of herself for bravely refusing to go home with Calvin — but she didn’t expect to be back here again, in the blink of an eye.Adriana scratched her hair in distress.“To be clear, I’m just borrowing the room,” she muttered.Calvin glanced at her miserable-looking face and said lazily, “I suggest you clean yourself up first. I won’t lay my hands on a female ghost — even if I’m horny.”Adriana rushed into the restroom, only then realizing how horrible she looked with half her makeup removed during the car ride.Come to think of it, Calvin had kept his cool the entire way — not even driving the car into the green belt.His psychological endurance was strong enough, she had to admit.The bathroom was fully stocked with toiletries.After showering, Adriana came out wrapped in a bathrobe, only to find Calvin on the balcony, making a call.He stood near the window, one hand in his pants pocket, his back straight and imposing.“Send someone to keep an eye on
On what grounds?Because he was Calvin — a character you couldn’t afford to mess with, couldn’t afford to offend.Adriana wanted to answer for him, believing, you don't have a second choice.But Calvin’s actual response was more official and impossible to refuse: “Believe it or not, it’s up to you!”His desire to catch him worked. After a brief moment weighing his options, Darren engaged in a more thorough conversation with Calvin, roughly covering how to help him clean up his act, as well as the cooperation that would follow.The matter was negotiated without Calvin needing to mobilize a single soldier.Darren cheerfully took the initiative to toast, saying, “Since we’re partners now, can you tell us your name?”Calvin didn’t touch his wine glass. “Next time, I’ll naturally let you know.”Kevin crossed over and spoke to Darren: “Mr. Darren, waiting for your good news in three days!”Richard and Liam looked at each other in dismay. Darren was normally a cautious man; otherwise, his bu
Darren was an unfamiliar name to Adriana.But Calvin wouldn't mention someone unrelated for no reason.After thinking for two seconds, Adriana understood: this man, Darren, who hadn't shown his face until now, was probably Scar’s big brother.Scar himself didn’t even know what his Big Brother’s real name was — so how did Calvin just point it out directly?Richard’s face shifted from green to white, little by little.He felt that the worst kind of situation was about to happen.This strange man seemed to know far more about them than he should.And the more this became apparent, the more Richard dared not be careless.He forced a smile and tried to stall: "Darren? Which Darren is Brother referring to?"Not only Richard — even Liam, who was nearly drunk, and Austin Mark, still dizzy from slamming into the wall, were staring at Calvin warily.With their connections in New York City, most powerful people at least had recognizable faces.But this man — no one had any information on him at
Mina’s eyes could see six ways at once; she thought tonight felt unusual. She didn’t know who he was, but she knew she had to serve people because of Liam. If anything went wrong, Darren’s business could be soaked, so she smiled carefully."Two brothers, if there's something to say, let’s say it properly. Roughness can scare people off, you know."Kevin’s skin practically crawled from her flattery, and he snapped, "None of your business."Mina smiled softly and picked up a glass of wine. "Handsome, don’t be angry. Why don’t I have a drink with you?"She drank it all in one go, tilting the glass upside down to show not a single drop remained. "Satisfied, handsome?"Kevin said coldly, "Not satisfied."Mina blushed profusely, tugging awkwardly at the corner of her mouth. "Then, what would satisfy the handsome man?"Kevin kept a stern face and said nothing.Mina circled around the table and half-squatted down, trying to tap Calvin’s leg, but he dodged her with a disgusted look, as if a sl
Calvin’s cold and clear presence stood out starkly in the room—like a noble eagle trapped among vultures. From the moment he sat down, the atmosphere shifted. It was as if this seedy box suddenly became a royal court, simply because he was in it.Adriana had to admit, deep down, that sometimes it wasn’t the place that mattered—it was the people who entered it.Calvin turned to the man and asked flatly, “Tell me, what kind of dog are you?”“Damn it! Did you just insult me?”Furious, the man raised the wine bottle and swung it toward Calvin’s face.Crash!With a smooth backhand, Calvin caught the bottle mid-air—and in the next second, red liquid flowed down the man’s head. It was a mixture of wine and blood, trailing from the broken shards that remained.The man stood frozen in place, stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected anyone would dare lay a hand on him.&l