Chapter 178
With Ethan putting it that way, Martin couldn’t just turn him down flat. He nodded and took the file Irene handed over.
“Mr. Drake, Ms. Perry, have a seat. Thanks for coming all the way here. As your host, I’ve got to treat you right,” Martin said.
With that, he led them over to the lounge area, had the butler bring in a pot of premium coffee, and only then did he open the file Irene had brought, reading it carefully.
Honestly, when Martin first heard Ethan was putting his case in the hands of a woman lawyer, he didn’t trust her one bit.
For starters, Irene looked way too young. And besides, she was a woman; Martin seriously doubted a woman could truly be on his side in a messy divorce.
Given his own less–than–stellar reputation, he was even more worried Irene might let her empathy get the better of her and end up helping his wife instead.
This was a risk he couldn’t take, and he sure as hell couldn’t afford to lose.
But after reading through Irene’s case history, Martin actually started to see her in a different light.
For one thing, her win rate was seriously impressive. And for another, she’d represented both men and women, didn’t seem to care about gender at all. That made him think maybe he should give her a shot.
After all, Ethan’s reputation was solid. As he said, he wouldn’t risk tarnishing the Drake Law Firm’s name. With Ethan vouching for Irene, her credibility went up a few notches.
With those thoughts swirling in his mind, Martin’s gaze finally landed on Irene, really seeing her for the first time.
He was surprised to find she was far more refined and strikingly beautiful than he’d expected.
He’d met plenty of female lawyers before; most were stiff and by–the–book. But even in her professional suit, Irene had an alluring charm.
Her softly curled hair framed her fair cheeks just right, and her smart, tailored outfit accentuated her perfect figure.
Martin only meant to glance at her, but for a moment, he found himself unable to look away.
Those restless thoughts kept nagging at Martin, and he finally made up his mind. “Since you’re backing her, Mr. Drake, I’ll trust you this time. I’m putting this case in the hands of the Drake Law Firm.”
Martin still didn’t say he was giving the case straight to Irene; he made it sound like he was handing it over to the whole Drake Law Firm. He wanted Irene to fight for him, but also wanted the firm to have his back.
Ethan knew exactly what Martin was up to. Guys who could build an empire like this were always sly old foxes, he’d dealt with plenty of them before.
But Ethan trusted Irene completely, so he was confident they could handle it.
So once Martin finished, Ethan chimed in, “Don’t worry, Mr. Campbell. You won’t regret this.”
“Alright then, let’s head out for dinner. You guys pretty much know what’s going on with the case. She’s been working with that guy, trying to move company assets; there’s hard evidence. I want her to leave with nothing to her name,” Martin said.
“It’s a simple case, and you’re up to speed. If there’s anything else you want to know, just ask. Let’s discuss the rest while we eat,” he added.
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Chapter 178
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Irene hadn’t originally planned on going out to eat, but since Martin had finally agreed to let her take over the case, she didn’t refuse and nodded in agreement.
Martin was your typical business shark; he kept the drinks coming all through dinner, never missing a chance to push another round.
Irene had been in this line of work for years and could handle her liquor, but Martin’s persistence was something else. It didn’t take long before she was feeling a little tipsy.
She was used to running interference for Ethan at these kinds of gatherings, so she didn’t expect him to step in for her now.
As Martin stood up to toast her again, Irene quickly got to her feet. “Mr. Campbell, you’re too kind, really; it should be me toasting you, not the other way around.”
But as she spoke, a wave of dizziness washed over her, her legs felt wobbly, and she nearly stumbled.
Ethan was right beside her. Seeing her like that, his right hand moved on reflex, almost reaching out to support her.
But at the last second, Ethan stopped himself. He shot Martin a look and said, “Ms. Perry can handle her drinks, sure, but she’s still a lady. Mr. Campbell, don’t you think it’s a bit much to keep pushing her like this?”
Ethan added, “She’s with me tonight, so I’ve got to make sure she gets back in one piece, right?”
“If you’re really in the mood to drink, I’ll go a few rounds with you,” Ethan said.
With that, Ethan filled his glass to the brim, stood up, and raised it to Martin. “Come on, Mr. Campbell, let me toast you.”
Irene’s mind was swimming from the alcohol, but Ethan’s words cut right through the haze; she heard him loud and clear.
When she realized he was actually covering for her, stepping in to take the drinks instead, Irene’s heart skipped a beat, completely out of her control, pounding in her chest.
She knew exactly what kind of guy Ethan was.
She’d been at the firm for five years, and for more than two of those, she’d been with him, no official status, no recognition.
During all that time, Ethan had never once stood up for her or shown her any affection whenever there was someone else around.
If anything, Ethan was always the one who was more paranoid than she was about anyone finding out about their relationship.
Irene had never expected anything from Ethan, and she’d always thought it was just the way things were between them. But seeing him pour himself a full glass to shield her from another round, she couldn’t help it, despite herself, her heart skipped a beat.
Ethan was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and with the kind of name he’s made for himself, people sought him out for what he could do; he almost never had to bother drinking with clients.
He’d long stopped bothering with that stuff, honestly, he actually thought drinking with clients was kind of low–class
It was only the up–and–comers, the ones without a big name yet, who had to hustle and schinooze over drinks just to get noticed.
Back when Ethan saw Irene drinking with clients, he never stopped her, but he never saw her willingness to go all out for work as something admirable.
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Irene figured his high–and–mighty attitude was just because he’d never had to struggle; he had no idea what it was like for regular folks clawing their way up from the bottom.
They came from totally different backgrounds, and honestly, their outlooks on life didn’t really match up. Still, somehow, they’d ended up together for two years for no reason.
Maybe the reason they lasted was that neither of them was thinking about the future. All those little things that bugged them about each other? They just let it slide, as long as they could find some comfort in each other, that was all they needed.
That was the most honest way Irene saw their relationship. So when Ethan disapproved of the way she did things, sure, it hurt, but she’d learned not to care too much.
But seeing Ethan, who never liked drinking, still stepping up to take the hit for her, Irene’s eyes suddenly reddened as she looked down.
Meanwhile, Martin watched Ethan step in to block the drinks for Irene and laughed. “Well, I never thought I’d see the day. Mr. Drake, turns out you’ve got a gentlemanly side after all.”
“Word on the street is you’re cold as ice, Mr. Drake. I always thought you were basically a robot with zero feelings. But looks like you do have a heart, at least when it comes to taking care of your team,” Martin joked.
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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.
