Adriana stared at him for a long time, but no words came out. It had been three years since she last saw him, yet he hadn't changed a bit. He was still as handsome as ever.
"Adriana, don't tell me you've fallen in love with me again?" Calvin's low, deep voice broke the silence.
Adriana snapped out of her daze. As her eyes met his, she saw traces of disgust and mockery in them.
She clenched her fists and replied, "I'm not blind anymore."
With that, she turned to leave. But before she could take a step, Calvin spoke again.
"Where are you going?"
Adriana paused but didn't turn around. "I don't think it has anything to do with you, Sir," she said coldly.
"Of course, it has everything to do with me," he replied, a smug smile forming on his lips.
Adriana's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?" she asked, a bad feeling creeping over her.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm the client you're waiting for, Calvin Walker," Calvin said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Adriana froze. "What...?"
She thought, 'How could…? I hadn't heard of any connection between Sky Group and Calvin's Grand Empire.'
Seeing the confusion on her face, Calvin smiled. "Don't tell me you didn't know that Sky Group was taken over by Grand Empire?"
"You are so clueless about such a big piece of news. Looks like you are really not fit to be a lawyer. Losing your license is exactly what you deserve," he added, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Adriana's mind reeled. 'He dared to bring it up! God only knew why my Bar License was revoked three years ago!'
However, Calvin seemed oblivious to the fire in her eyes he continued, "Adriana," as if were the most natural thing in the world, "Why are you just standing there? Have a seat."
Adriana took a deep breath to regain her composure. "There's no need for me to sit down. I don't think I can take this case."
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," she replied firmly.
Adriana had no intention of having anything to do with him anymore. She wanted to stay as far away from this man as possible.
"Okay, I hope my finance department will receive twenty million liquidation amounts before the afternoon… If not…" Calvin paused, sipping his coffee.
"You can choose between your getting your license revoked again, or going to jail!" Calvin added.
"You…" Adriana was so angry her blood boiled at his words.
Adriana then realized why she had such a bad feeling about this case.
Their law firm had been experiencing a slowdown in business over the past few months, and all the cases they had been offered were pro bono.
But suddenly, they received such a big case, and as soon as the contract was signed, the company was taken over by Grand Empire.
This couldn't all be just a coincidence.
Looking at the man's evil smile, Adriana wanted to curse him and walk out of there, but her professionalism held her back.
Besides, neither she nor their law firm had the resources to cover the potential liquidity loss.
Adriana had no choice but to sit opposite him.
Calvin's cold eyes narrowed slightly. The woman in front of him, whom he once knew well, seemed to have changed a lot. She had transformed from the youthful young madam of the Walker family into a mature, professional woman.
She looked sexy and beautiful in a black business suit.
As he took a sip of his coffee, he said, "I didn't expect you to get your license back."
"Oh, I'm sorry to disappoint you!" Adriana replied coldly.
"By the way, how much do you charge for consultations? Enough to fund your luxury shopping?" he asked.
"Thanks for your concern, Sir. Of course, if you're feeling generous, you can always give more! After all, who would say no to money? Lawyers like me, aren't we born for money?" Adriana retorted coldly.
Three years had passed, yet he still refused to let her live in peace-even after pushing her off a cliff once before.
"It seems you have sharpened your edges over the past three years," Calvin remarked with a mocking smile. "But if you're really that strapped for cash, I can offer you a faster way to earn money. Interested?"
Adriana knew his only intent was to humiliate her, so she refused swiftly, "Thank you for your generous offer, but as someone who spent three years by your side, I know all too well that road leads straight to hell. I am still young, I will pass."
With that, Adriana turned to leave. She knew she had to take the case, she couldn't let Aidan suffer because by her.
But just as she was about to walk away, a whirlwind seemed to tear through the room. Before she could react, she was slammed against the table by Calvin.
His powerful frame loomed over her table, and his right hand gripped her chin, forcing her to look up. "Did you really think I was negotiating with you, MY DEAR LAWYER?"
Before she could respond, his lips crushed on her lips in a rough kiss. He leaned down, his hot breath fanning her flushed face. Adriana felt a sudden heat rising, and tried to turn her head away.
Calvin, unrelenting, grabbed her face again, pulling her back.
"Sir, watch your behavior! I can-and-will-SUE YOU!" Adriana snapped angrily. "And for your information, I am a lawyer, not a prostitute you can summon at will!"
"Yes, now you are a lawyer again. But three years ago, you are no different from a prostitute! Have you forgotten?" Calvin sneered.
Adriana bit her lips, her fists trembling in frustration. "Yes, but whatever I am, it has nothing to do with you anymore! We are divorced!"
Hearing her words, rage flickered in Calvin's eyes. He grabbed her wrist tightly. "You think everything is over?"
Adriana didn't want hear any more of his cold, cutting sarcasm and struggled to break free, but how could she match his strength?
After a few futile attempts, she gave up, her eyes flashing with defiance. She would not let herself appear weak before him again.
"You have already ruined me and my family once! What more do you want?"
"Well! Listen, I never want to see you again. No, scratch that-I wish I had never met you in the first place!"
"You…" Calvin's voice was thick with anger.
Adriana closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself. She knew all too well what happened when Calvin was provoked. After all, she had experienced it firsthand.
Three years ago, because of him, the man she had once loved most, her life nearly plummeted into an abyss, with no way to rise again. Even he had killed her now, she wouldn't have been surprised.
Calvin raised his fist, swinging toward her, but instead of hitting her, it struck the glass table behind her, shattering it with a deafening crash.
"Adriana, those words should be coming from me. YOU ARE THE ONE who betrayed our marriage," Calvin said coldly, his voice like ice.
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
Kevin had once thought it was impossible to hear a kind word from Carson's mouth. Still, after all these years of following Calvin, his psychological resilience had improved—by at least three or five points, so to speak—and he wasn’t so fragile as to lose his composure after a bit of hardship.“It’s good that you aren't seriously injured, considering the circumstances,” Kevin said.Carson shot him a cold look. If his eyes were lasers, the room would have been filled with a swarm of sharp, poisonous spikes.“So, you came to see if I’m dead, for your master? Well, I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you.”Calvin smiled. “You’re overthinking it. The president didn’t even mention you.”Carson choked on air. “What about him? Is he dead?”Kevin was now absolutely certain—Carson wasn’t just unfriendly toward the president. He hated him. This couldn’t just be about business rivalry. If it wasn’t career-related, then it had to be... women.Miss Adriana?Thinking along those lines, Kevin replied, “The
People’s psychological defenses plummet in the face of death. In such a critical moment, even enemies who would never see eye to eye might shake hands and make peace.Adriana’s heart softened. She had decided to tell Calvin the secret she had sworn she would never reveal.“We actually have a—”Boom!She was only halfway through her sentence when the room’s partition, strained under intense pressure, began to warp. The wooden panels broke free from their rivets, suddenly tilting and flying forward, propelled by water pressure and wind.Adriana didn’t even have time to scream.She saw Calvin lunge toward her—but just before the board hit him, it twisted in mid-air and struck her instead, rebounding off her body at an awkward angle.The unexpected blow sent Adriana into total darkness. Her vision vanished, and her consciousness sank as if into the deep sea.****She woke the next afternoon.Adriana’s head throbbed with pain. Her body was sore and weak, and even opening her eyes to a narr