Chapter 3 - Andy

“You don't have to worry about me, Aaron. I know how to take care of myself.” Andy sighed, massaging one of her temples as she spoke to her brother on the phone, although Aaron didn't seem at all willing to let the subject of her meeting with Gabriel Ferrars the day before go so easily.

“I don’t care if you know how to take care of yourself or not. I want to know what that son of a bitch said to you yesterday.” Her older brother grunted, a little grumpier than usual, with frustration.

“Grandma will be very angry if she hears you calling one of her best friends a bitch...” Andy tried to joke, not wanting to lie to her brother about what had happened, although that seemed to be becoming inevitable.

“Andrea...” Aaron gritted his teeth loud enough so she could hear on the other end of the line “Either you tell me right now what happened yesterday or I'm going to go to your office right now and I'm going to...”

"Everything went well. He apologized for what happened in the past and said he will give me all the proof I need to show me that he has changed.” she said that lie with all the naturalness that years of experience in courts had forced her to develop, because of her work “It’s as simple as that. So, relax. Focus your energies on what really matters: how we put an end to Alphonse and Hazel's plan to make it appear that we are not his children and therefore do not have full rights to the Vamcap inheritance.”

"I know." Her brother sighed heavily “Well, at least that idiot had the decency to admit the seriousness of everything he did to you in the past. But... If everything went as smoothly as you say, why didn't you talk about it with me when you got home yesterday?” Even though they were miles apart, Andy knew her brother well enough to know that he was narrowing his eyes at that moment, filled with suspicion.

“How could I do that, after seeing how you and Rose were looking at each other like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time?” Andy laughed, making Aaron choke on the other part of the line “After a whole year of so much trouble, you guys deserve some time alone to... Enjoy each other's company, if you know what I mean...” she joked, knowing that at that moment her brother was probably writhing with embarrassment knowing that she had realized how radically the atmosphere between him and his wife had changed since the previous night.

Everything between Aaron and Rose Springs had been extremely complicated, from the fact that her parents had forced her to get married in search of money, and the rude way in which Aaron had treated her in the first months of their marriage, without knowing that Rose was as much a victim of the Springs' blackmail as he was. But even so, Andy couldn't understand how they had been blind enough to take almost an entire year to realize they were in love with each other. Or worse, too slow for their own good, so that she and the entire family had to conspire to give them romantic moments alone, in the hopes that these two would finally take the next step and Rose would have a reason to give up on that idea. of divorce. And finally, it had worked.

“That...” Aaron cleared his throat, sounding like he was trying to hide how embarrassed he was “I confess I was a little distracted yesterday, but... If you had gone up to my room when I didn't go down to the breakfast, I would have...”

“And disturb your love nest?” Andy laughed, interrupting him “Of course not. Especially that there was no need to do something like that when nothing extraordinary happened. I managed to resolve this and everything is fine now. More than ever, Gabriel Ferrars is in my past.” The smile on her face became sad as she told that lie, as there was no way she could let Aaron know what Gabriel's condition was to help her...

Unless she wanted the reason for her brother to stay away from his wife this time was an assassination attempt.

“If you say so…” Aaron said, although he still didn’t sound convinced “Anyway, you still sound like you’re worried.”

“I couldn’t be any other way. I have to work on Alphonse's case and take care of all the other clients I had already closed with, before all this happened. Which reminds me that I've spent enough time on this call. I need to go, I have a lot to do.” She said goodbye to her brother, eager to take advantage of that opportunity to end the conversation, before he thought of more arguments to continue questioning her “I’ll see you at home, yes?”

"Okay..." he sighed, making Andy's heart feel a little lighter when she heard the concern in his voice “Just... remember that we're here for you, okay? You don’t have to deal with all this alone, like you tried to do when you were a teenager.”

"I know." she murmured, looking at her hands for a moment as a flash of the memory of seeing them covered in blood flashed through her mind “I will never let what happened back then happen again, don't worry. Now...” Andy took a deep breath, softening her tone “Go. Return to Rose. You two have already wasted enough time.”

“Take care of yourself.” Aaron grumbled, making it sound much more like a warning, before hanging up, giving her an opportunity to finally be alone with her thoughts...

“I'm glad to hear you're finally done making your personal calls during work hours, Miss. Vamcap.” A voice, clearly hoarse from years of cigarette use, sounded, making Andy growl silently as she glanced toward her office door, finding Walter Campbell standing there, looking arrogant and childish as ever, in a way that always made her feel as if she was almost 50 and he was 25, rather than the other way around “I wonder if Mr. Whitlock knows that one of the lawyers he praises most at this firm is more concerned with taking care of her own matters than those of her clients. I don't know, that doesn't seem like the behavior of a lawyer who won the last seven cases for which she was responsible..." the old man looked her up and down, as if he really believed he could hit her with those words "I I wonder if it is because of behavior like this that rumors have emerged that we buy the judges who work on our cases....”

“No, Mr. Campbell. This sounds more like the kind of lie created by the kind of mediocre professionals who would rather try to destabilize their colleagues than try to win their own cases.” Andy smiled calmly at him, making Walter's smug expression instantly drop “Oh, and don't worry about the cases I have to solve today. I already handed over everything about them to Mr. Whitlock earlier, so I have some free time. You probably did the same, right? Since you came here to visit me, instead of being busy in your own room.”

“I don’t…” Walter started to growl, but a hand appeared on his shoulder, interrupting him.

“Still here, Walter? I thought I asked you to inform Andrea about our meeting half an hour ago.” Conrad Whitlock commented, in a mild tone, but still with such a clear complaint that it made Campbell immediately fall silent under the boss's gaze.

“Shall we have a meeting?” Andy stood up, walking to the door to see that every lawyer in the firm was standing behind Conrad, looking agitated in a positive way, with the exception of one person.

“The Ferrars called again.” Harriet, her best friend, commented almost regretfully, as she knew very well what that phrase would do to Andy.

“Don’t worry, Miss. Bloom. Negotiations with them may be taking a while, but I am sure we will be able to convince Mr. Ferrars that we are the best option to represent him in his business abroad.” Conrad commented confidently, clearly misunderstanding the reason for Harriet's discomfort “Especially since their main condition is also the easiest for us to fulfill. It would be my decision anyway, even if Mr. Ferrars hadn’t personally asked for it.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Mr. Whitlock?” Walter asked, so upset that he looked like he was about to explode “Perhaps a lawyer with more experience would be a more appropriate choice. Especially when it comes to a client of Gabriel Ferrars’ level...”

“You’re right, Mr. Campbell.” Conrad commented, making Walter's expression lighten for a moment, only for his day to be ruined once and for all “A client with Mr. Ferrars' level of importance cannot have his conditions contradicted. Furthermore, if he exclusively asked Andrea to be responsible for everything related to his company, it is because her performance in recent cases reached his ears and made one of the biggest businessmen in the country interested in our firm.”

“What did Mr. Ferrars ask for?” It took Andy a huge effort to speak normally, even though her teeth were clenched with hatred.

“I was planning to break this news during our meeting, Andrea, but it’s true.” Mr. Whitlock smiled proudly, placing his hand on her shoulder, exactly the same way he used to when he praised her performance during college, around the same time he became her mentor “We are about to close the most important contract in the history of this firm and our client personally asked you to become his lawyer.”

“It's... A great honor, Mr. Whitlock...” she prayed that her forced smile wasn't betraying what she was truly feeling at that moment “But... Maybe Mr. Campbell is right.” Andy commented, making everyone there freeze in surprise “Perhaps it would be better to hand this role over to a lawyer with more experience than me. I'm sure that if I explain to Mr. Ferrars that this is the best alternative for his company, he will certainly understand..."

“There’s no need to be so humble, Andrea.” Conrad suddenly laughed, interrupting her, as his hand squeezed her shoulder encouragingly “The Ferrars aren't on the list of the richest families in the world for nothing. He would never make a demand like this without having informed himself about who was the best option to be his personal lawyer. Therefore, trying to discuss this with him would be the same as wanting him to give up on hiring us.” her mentor looked at her seriously, making Andy feel the full weight of the importance of that contract for Conrad's business, even though he had already had that office for over 30 years “Also, think of this as an opportunity to prove your competence to everyone those who still dare to question her abilities and say that she is only becoming such a respected professional because of her family’s money.” He commented, making Walter cower nearby “This is not just a golden chance for our firm, Andrea, but, mainly, for you and your career. And that's why I was so relieved when Mr. Ferrars spoke on your behalf for himself. I know you won’t disappoint him or any of us, right?”

“Yes…” Andy forced another smile, even though inside she was cursing fate for being so sadistic with her lately “You can count on me, Mr. Whitlock. Please tell me more about the details of the contract.”