Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Eliana was still a bit worried and asked a few more questions, but Irene just brushed them off with offhand replies.
When she saw that Irene really looked okay, Eliana finally felt at ease.
After dropping Irene off at the entrance of the Drake Law Firm, Eliana watched her walk in, looking totally unfazed. Still, Eliana couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy, so she called out softly, “Irene…”
Irene turned back, her expression as calm as ever. “Yeah? What’s up?”
“Are you free tonight? I was thinking we could go see a movie,” Eliana said with a smile, taking in how relaxed Irene looked.
Irene’s lips immediately curled into a playful grin. “Well, that depends. Gotta see if anyone else has booked me for tonight.”
Seeing her act all smug and cúte, Eliana thought to herself, ‘She really seems fine. Guess I can stop worrying. Then she said, “Alright, I’ll wait for your message, okay?”
You got it. I’ll text you tonight. Ms. Lyons, you’re free to go!” Irene stood at the building entrance and gave Eliana a mock salute, looking all serious.
Eliana finally laughed out loud. Watching Irene head inside, she got in her car and drove away.
As soon as Irene turned away, she couldn’t help it, and her grin finally broke free.
Back when she was hanging out with Ethan, it was really just for fun, nothing serious. Honestly, part of her was hoping it might help her get her foot in the door at the Drake Law Firm.
Ethan was the real deal, crazy talented and powerful. And the Drake Law Firm? It was the place every lawyer dreamed of joining.
So of course, fresh out of law school, Irene did everything she could to get in.
She was just a rookie with zero connections or background, so landing a spot at Drake Law Firm was nearly impossible.
But she was stubborn as hell, going head–to–head with a bunch of already well–known lawyers for the job. Against all odds, she actually pulled it off.
People told her back then that Ethan had noticed her determination and made an exception just to hire her.
At first, Irene couldn’t believe it. ‘Ethan’s such a big shot. Why would someone like him ever pay attention to someone as insignificant as me? she thought.
But after she joined the firm and Ethan personally asked her to be his assistant attorney, Irene slowly started to believe it was
true.
People are naturally drawn to strength, and for someone like Irene, who had been through a lot growing up, someone like Ethan, privileged, talented, and always in the spotlight, was someone she couldn’t help but admire. She always saw him through rose–colored glasses.
After teaming up with him on a few cases, she was seriously impressed by his legal expertise.
So after one night of drinking too much with a client, one thing led to another, and it… just happened, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
From that night on, she and Ethan kept up that kind of relationship.
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Chapter 168
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But Irene was always realistic about things. She knew from the very beginning that a guy like Ethan would never settle down with someone like her.
She knew how the world worked, and that a man like Ethan would never marry someone who didn’t match his status.
So Irene just kept waiting, just waiting for the day he’d say it’s over, or announce he’s getting married and call it quits between them.
But as time went by, before she knew it, they’d been together for over two years.
During those two years, Ethan had treated her so well that, for a split second every now and then, she almost felt like he was really her boyfriend.
But whenever she snapped back to reality, she reminded herself not to get carried away.
But what happened yesterday shattered Irene’s dream completely.
She could accept being with him without any official status, but she couldn’t stomach unknowingly becoming the other
woman.
That was her professional boundary, something she couldn’t cross.
Thinking about it, a subtle, lingering ache still throbbed in her chest.
No matter how a relationship begins, it always seems like the girl catches feelings first and falls the hardest.
But Irene was different. After handling countless divorce cases and running into every type of man imaginable, she’d learned to keep her cool far better than most.
By the time the elevator doors slid open, she’d already pulled herself together.
She walked into the Drake Law Firm, nodded coolly at the receptionist’s greeting, and made her way back to her desk as if nothing had happened.
Just as she sat down, someone approached and said, “Ms. Perry, Mr. Drake wants to see you.”
“Alright, got it,” Irene replied casually, though her heart skipped a beat in that instant. ‘Why am I so nervous?‘ she thought.
She had sent that impulsive message yesterday, and he still hadn’t replied. By now, she had convinced herself that this was his way of ending their affair.
So, that was it. Their relationship was over.
If that was really the case, at least she could hold onto her job.
But she hadn’t expected Ethan to call for her as soon as she arrived.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Irene stood and made her way toward Ethan’s office.
‘Maybe it’s better to just talk things out face–to–face, she thought. ‘Let’s keep work and personal life separate. Ejust hope he won’t make my job harder because of what happened between us. I just want to work in peace.
Thinking that, Irene found a bit of courage welling up inside her.
When she got to Ethan’s office, Irene knocked gently. After he called out from inside, she opened the door and stepped in.
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Chapter 168
As soon as she walked in, Ethan handed her a file before she could say a word, saying, “Check out this case.”
Irene froze for a moment, her brows furrowing. “Mr. Drake…” she said without thinking.
“Focus on the case,” Ethan interrupted, cutting her off.
Irene bit back all the words she wanted to say, took the file, and started reading it carefully.
He was the boss, after all, and he called the shots.
No matter how wronged or upset she felt, work always came first.
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‘Guess that’s just how it is,‘ Irene thought, a little self–mockingly. But when her eyes landed on the file, she gave it her full
attention.
At first, she didn’t notice anything unusual about the case and treated it like any other.
But the moment she saw the client’s info and glanced at the photo, her mind instantly flashed back to what she had witnessed yesterday.
Once Irene reached that page and looked up at him, Ethan finally set his own file aside and said in a neutral tone, “Did you see it?”
“Irene, you’ve been in this field for years. How come you still jump to conclusions over a couple of snapshots?” Ethan questioned.
As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and handed it to her.
On the screen was the photo Irene had sent him yesterday. He enlarged the image and passed the phone to her.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
