Chapter 3
Chapter 3
“The company’s legal department called with an emergency, Sebastian and I were planning to finish up and then pick you
up…”
Claire walked over, looking guilty as she took Mia’s hand.
“Besides, I got your blood transfusion and haven’t even thanked you yet.”
Claire’s manicured nails pressed down on the needle mark on Mia’s hand.
Her voice sounded pitiful, but her fingertips dug in harder.
Sharp pain shot from the blood vessel through Mia’s entire body. She jerked her hand back.
She hadn’t used any force, but Claire suddenly stumbled backward.
Sebastian stepped forward and caught Claire from behind.
His cold stare landed on Mia, radiating hostility.
“Mia, what the hell are you doing? Claire’s still injured!”
Mia bit her pale lips, looking at Sebastian with exhausted eyes.
He hadn’t even let her explain before taking Claire’s side.
Sure, Claire was hurt, but Mia was obviously way worse off…
“Sorry.”
Her voice was barely a whisper. “It’s my fault.”
The angry words stuck in Sebastian’s throat.
He opened his mouth several times but couldn’t get them out.
Claire shook her head, pretending to be gracious.
“It’s fine. Why don’t you come to court with us later, Miss Brooks?”
“I heard you never got to go to law school,” she said earnestly, like she was doing Mia a favor.
“Think of this as making your dream come true.”
Mia glanced at Sebastian.
He was staring at Claire with obvious admiration and affection.
She gave a bitter laugh and said “fine.”
Before leaving, she didn’t want to cause any more drama.
The courtroom was solemn and tense.
iter
Sebastian and Claire sat side by side, her pale fingers marking notes on the legal documents while he leaned over, listening intently to her analysis.
They were sitting so close together-like perfect partners, or lovers whispering sweet nothings.
“Sebastian, should we let Miss Brooks help out?”
Claire suggested, putting on a caring act.
“No need.” Sebastian frowned. “She doesn’t get this stuff. She’d just slow you down.”
Claire pretended to look disappointed, but when he wasn’t looking, she shot Mia a smug smile.
Mia sat in the corner, crumpling the legal brief in her hands until the sharp edges cut her fingertips.
She was just an eyesore who didn’t belong.
To him, she was just some fish market girl who never went to college.
Those years when they’d struggled to make ends meet were probably his most embarrassing memories.
But… he didn’t need to worry.
She’d be gone soon and wouldn’t mess up his love story anymore.
From her corner seat, Mia watched Sebastian’s approving looks, watched them smile at each other, watched their fingers intertwined under the table.
Until Claire got cornered by the opposing lawyer.
“Ms. Whitmore, you claim our company stole Pierce Corp’s core framework, but K-learn aggregation algorithms are industry standard. How is that theft?”
Claire stumbled, her face turning red. “This… it’s…”
Mia’s lashes fluttered as she looked sharply at Sebastian.
That was his life’s work!
The algorithm he’d worked out five years ago in that damp basement, using scratch paper she’d bought with her fish market wages, testing it over and over.
And now someone was trying to destroy everything he’d worked for.
Mia’s fingers curled as the words burst out almost involuntarily:
“The core isn’t the framework-your client completely copied Pierce Corp’s weight calculation logic and feedback mechanisms!”
The opposing lawyer went dead silent.
Claire whipped around to stare at Mia in disbelief, her face going white as paper.
“Miss Brooks, this is a court proceeding. Please don’t interrupt.”
Seeing Claire’s tearful eyes, Sebastian frowned, then looked at Mia with nothing but weary resignation.
pter
Finally, he stood up and requested a recess.
He walked out holding Claire’s hand.
Mia’s chest ached as she quietly followed them out.
Just around the corner, she heard him gently kissing Claire:
“How could some fish market girl compare to a brilliant law school graduate like you?”
Every word felt like broken glass stabbing into Mia’s chest, making her eyes burn with tears.
She suddenly remembered when Sebastian first cracked that algorithm-he’d held her so tight.
Under the flickering light bulb, he’d leaned down and kissed her lips softly, then deeper.
That had been Mia’s first kiss.
Clatter.
bell
An old watch suddenly hit the ground, shattering into pieces.
Mia’s eyes went wide.
It was the gift she’d bought him by selling her blood after his first successful business pitch.
He’d worn it every day like it was priceless: “I’m never taking this off.”
But now, just because Claire said “it’s so ugly,” he’d tossed it aside like trash.
Mia clutched her chest, every breath feeling like knives, and ran away.
In the bathroom, staring at her haggard reflection, tears fell again despite her best efforts.
Suddenly, high heels clicked across the tile floor, and a poisonous voice came from behind her.
“Mia, who the hell do you think you are?”
