جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 260

Adriana calmly stepped out of the car and said, “Hard work.” to Lewis before walking into the hotel lobby.Lewis wasn’t sure what was wrong with her.She had been silent and withdrawn ever since watching the man they had been following. On the way back, she hadn’t said a single word.Having never been in love, Lewis didn’t understand a woman’s heart and wasn’t sure if Adriana’s reaction counted as heartbreak.Adriana moved like a ghost through the elevator exit, pulled out her room card, and swiped it.“Lawyer Clarke…”Miley had been waiting for her for a long time. The moment she heard movement next door, she called out just in time.Adriana’s expression remained unreadable, but the red in her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. “What’s wrong?”Miley had been about to say something, but upon seeing Adriana’s face, she swallowed her words

Adriana wanted to laugh, but the corner of her mouth barely moved. How could she smile naturally? “The funds he transferred were quite substantial. According to British law, not only would he have to return them, but he could also face jail time. You’re a financial officer—you know the relevant laws. Didn’t you remind him?”Bruce saw her circling around the main topic, avoiding it. So, he cut straight to the point. “Grand Empire has investigated me, haven’t they?”Adriana’s eyes burned as she looked at her uncle’s weathered face. “We suspect that you’re the one orchestrating all of this behind the scenes.”Bruce replied, “Cases rely on evidence, not guesses.”Adriana stared into his eyes and asked, enunciating each word carefully, “Uncle, did you do it?”Instead of answering directly, Bruce smiled at her with affection. “Do you remember what

Seeing the name on the screen clearly, an indescribable sense of loss took over his heart.Calvin picked up the phone. “Dad.”Damian said, “I heard the news from the UK side. It seems your choice of Adriana to charge into battle was a good one. Hmph! However, whether she can maintain that pathetic sense of justice in critical moments is hard to say.”The irony and disdain in his father’s words made Calvin’s brow furrow. In a cold voice, he replied, “Adriana’s adherence to the principles of the law proves that she is a qualified lawyer who does what is right.”Damian scoffed. “Don’t underestimate a woman’s mind. Unless I see Bruce go to prison with my own eyes, everything is still up in the air.”Calvin pinched the bridge of his nose between his long fingers. “Dad, is there anything else you wanted to say?”“You think I contacted you just because of Adriana? She’s not important enough to trouble me. Dinner at your grandfather’s place tonight. Be there early.”Calvin’s expression darken

Calvin couldn’t help but tug at his tie. Standing under the crystal chandelier, his mood remained heavy and oppressive. “Why didn’t you contact me?”On the other end, a clear female voice responded, carrying even a hint of an offhand smile. “Is Mr. President dissatisfied with our work, or do you have additional requirements?”“You know what I mean.”Adriana replied coolly, “How would I know what’s on your mind? I wouldn’t dare to speculate on the thoughts of those in high positions.”Every word pushed him further away, her distant and polite tone thoroughly unsettling him.“The money wasn’t enough for me to cause a scene in court.”Adriana’s cold smile vanished. “Then what exactly do you want to do? If you didn’t want to go to court, why did you sign a contract with a proxy lawyer? And why insist on sending the defendant to jail while also adding a clause banning him from setting foot in New York? Did I misunderstand your intentions, or do your words and actions contradict each other—

The team’s scheduled return was the day after the trial verdict, and everyone except Adriana had already boarded the flight back to New York.There was no longer the pressure of war-like preparation, no longer the torment of choosing sides—yet Adriana felt no relief. Guilt and anger haunted her constantly. Persistent neurasthenia left her sleepless through the night. And even when she did manage to fall asleep, she was shaken awake by nightmares.In her dreams, her uncle stretched out his arm to accuse her: “I loved you in vain all these years. You turned against me. Ungrateful girl!”Other times, her cousins would take turns yelling at her, strangling her, forcing her to apologize to her uncle.The hardest dream of all was the one with her mother.Her mother stood before her, eyes brimming with tears, her voice breaking: “Adria, I’m so disappointed in you. For Calvin, you betrayed your uncle.You don’t deserve to be my daughter. I have no daughter like you!”Then her mother would beg