Chapter 5

After returning from the kindergarten, Avery began contacting lawyers again.

To avoid Lucien, she deliberately steered clear of all divorce attorneys affiliated with Arclight.

But after making the rounds, she realized that none of the well-known firms in Harbor City were willing to take her case.

That made sense.

Henry’s father was the city’s mayor—powerful and well-connected. No lawyer would risk offending the Hunt family over the fees from a divorce case.

Avery spent the entire day on the phone.

It was only by evening that she finally reached a female lawyer named Linda Steward from Northstar Law Firm.

Linda said she was willing to take the case.

They agreed to meet that evening at Westcourt Lounge. The location was chosen by Linda, who said it was quiet there.

After entrusting Ivy to Sophie, Avery took a cab to the appointment.

By the time she arrived, Linda was already there.

“Miss Walters, that must have been a tiring trip. Have some tea to warm yourself up,” Linda said with a gentle smile, her manner warm and approachable.

She lifted a clay teapot and poured a stream of amber-clear tea into Avery’s cup.

“Thank you.”

Avery held the cup but didn’t drink right away. Only after she saw Linda finish her own tea in one go did she take a small sip.

They exchanged a few polite remarks before getting down to business.

After reviewing Avery and Henry’s marriage, Linda asked, “You said your husband was violent toward you. Do you have direct evidence like surveillance footage or eyewitnesses?”

Avery shook her head. “No.”

It was the first time Henry had assaulted her. She hadn’t known he would do it, so there had been no chance to record anything in advance.

“I don’t have direct evidence, but I called the police. There’s an official police report.”

Linda glanced over the report. “When the police arrived, your husband wasn’t there?”

“That’s right. He knew I was calling the police and ran off beforehand.”

“So the domestic violence report was made by you alone, without evidence.”

Linda raised an eyebrow. “Then how do you prove your husband actually assaulted you? Is it possible that he wasn’t even present, and that you staged this yourself?”

Avery froze, a chill instantly creeping up her spine. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that Mr. Hunt didn’t assault you at all. You accused him falsely so you could get a larger share of the assets in the divorce.”

“I didn’t!”

“Whether you did or not, you know it best yourself.”

“Miss Steward, if this is how you casually speculate about your clients, then I don’t think there’s anything left for us to discuss.”

Avery picked up her bag and stood up, but the moment she rose, dizziness washed over her.

Her vision blurred, and Linda’s smiling face wavered and doubled before her eyes.

“I… I feel so dizzy. You put something in the tea…”

“I didn’t. Miss Walters, don’t start making false accusations again.”

Linda came around and supported Avery by the arm. “You’re probably hypoglycemic. Rest for a bit and you’ll be fine.”

The world spun.

Avery went limp, the back of her head knocking against the hard armrest of the chair.

It didn’t hurt much—numbness was already spreading rapidly through her body.

Before she lost consciousness completely, she saw Linda standing over her, looking down from above.

There was no trace of warmth left on her face, only the cold indifference of a task completed.

“It’s been confirmed. She has no evidence of domestic abuse,” Linda said, her tone carrying a hint of self-satisfaction. “As instructed, she’s down…”

Avery finally understood.

This woman had been sent by Henry.