Legally Bound

“Counsel, you seem a bit offshore. This is the third time I’ve had to call your attention back. I’m forced to adjourn this case until a later date.” The judge’s words thundered in Alex’s head as the gavel struck the bench, the sharp crack echoing through the silent courtroom. His eyes followed the judge until he disappeared through the door. Then, as if every ounce of strength had been drained from him, Alex sank into his seat. His vision blurred as tears welled up and slid down his cheeks. He knew the judge would’ve dismissed the case and ruled in his opponent’s favor if not for who he was. From across the room, his father, Mr. Cromwell, managing partner of one of New York’s most powerful law firms, strode toward him. He stopped beside Alex, leaned in, and whispered firmly, “Get your game together, son.” This was one of the biggest cases they’d had and with the sudden spiral in the firm he couldn’t afford to mess things up but he just couldn’t help it. Without another glance, h

Alex walked straight to Eileen’s office as his custom was whenever he was in a fix. Her office was right beside his, a space that always smelled faintly of vanilla and paper just like her. It was almost therapeutic. He needed that calm right now. As he walked in, the first thing he noticed was a bouquet of fresh white roses on her desk, paired with an unopened box of chocolates wrapped neatly in gold foil. “Someone’s got a new suitor?” he teased lightly as he made his way to the chair in front of hers. Eileen chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, maybe… maybe not,” she said with a faint smile the kind that didn’t quite reach her eyes. For all her beauty and brilliance, Eileen had never had the best of luck with relationships. She often joked that men found her too independent, too sharp, too much. But Alex knew it wasn’t her; it was them. She leaned forward, folding her hands on the desk. “Anyway, what was all that about? As soon as I saw your mum w

In the quiet of a crisp Chicago morning, an alarm went off in one beautifully decorated apartment overlooking the lake. Lily groaned softly, blinking her eyes open as the soft sunlight streamed through her white curtains. She said a prayer as she lay on her bed; something her late mother always made her do which had stuck with her. It was her first day at work at Barton & Myers LLP, one of Illinois’ largest and most respected law firms. Her first day as a junior associate three simple words that meant the world to her. She sat up, stretched lazily, and her gaze fell on the small plaque on her bedside table. “Lily Smith, Esq.” A smile curved her lips as she whispered under her breath, “You did this, Lily.” After all those sleepless nights and all the tears that had soaked her pillow, she’d done it. She got dressed; a fitted cream blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted pencil skirt that hugged her curves with effortless grace. Her dark hair, straightened to a glossy sheen

“Beep, beep.”Alex’s alarm went off. It was 4 a.m., and he had barely slept a wink. He could’ve as well turned it into his bedtime alarm.He had spent the past few weeks visiting firms, law schools, and legal networks, anywhere she might be. He’d even checked universities, thinking maybe Lily had taken a teaching job or become a research assistant. But everywhere he turned, he hit a wall.When he visited her alma mater, they told him nothing. He understood schools and hospitals were bound by strict confidentiality.Wilson, his best friend, had joked that he should bribe someone at the school’s secretariat for information, but Alex’s moral code was too high for that. Wilson knew it.He had attended at least three legal networking events in the past week. Because of who he was, access was never a problem; it was the answers that were. None of the managing partners he met had heard of a Lily Smith in their firm.Alex thought he was close to breaking point when he met a state attorney who

Alex' ringtone sliced through the quiet morning.Alex groaned, rubbing his eyes. The soft hum of the city echoed faintly below his apartment; cars, sirens, distant chatter. He rolled over and glanced at the screen.Dad.He sat up, cleared his throat, and answered.“Morning, Dad.”“Morning, son,” came the deep voice on the other end measured, commanding as always. “There’s a major lawyers’ conference happening in Chicago today. The Illinois State Bar Association. Every partner and firm head worth their salt will be there including Richard Barton.”Alex rubbed the back of his neck, his voice still groggy. “Eileen already told me about it. I wasn’t planning to go.”“Then change your mind,” his father said flatly. “It’s an opportunity to build bridges and possibly get closer to what you’re there for.”Alex leaned against the headboard. “You could’ve called Barton yourself, you know. Would’ve made this whole search easier.”“I could have,” his father admitted, “but it’s been over ten years