Chapter 118 Atter sharing her piece, Clara was about to turn and leave when Anders suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Clara, the clients weâre meeting itâs them. My momâs caught up in a plagiarism lawsuit, and it wouldnât be right for me to represent her in court since Iâm family. Thatâs why I recommended you,â he said earnestly.
Clara was well aware that Andersâ mother was a renowned designer for a topâtier fashion label. Such disputes over intellectual property were not uncommon in the fashion industry. Her guard dropped at once, and she approached Alicia with a cordial air.
âIâm grateful for your trust, Alicia. Iâll pull out all the stops to win this case for you.â
Alicia tugged Clara to sit down and even poured her a cup of herbal tea. Alicia was all smiles as she spoke, âBack in our school days, Iâve heard nothing but praise for you from Ninety. Knowing youâre on the case gives me peace of mind.â
âYouâre too kind, Alicia. Iâm just thankful for the opportunity, and Iâll give it my all,â Clara responded with genuine enthusiasm.
The group hit it off instantly, segueing from work to family life in their conversation.
Alicia was a great conversationalist, sharing with Clara the myriad of challenges that came with being an independent woman in society. These were issues Clara had grappled with herself, and she listened intently, nodding along with enthusiastic agreement.
lan, who had just walked in, caught this scene through a crack in the door. He saw Andersâ parentsâ admiration for her and the love in Andersâ eyes as he looked at her. Ianâs hands balled into fists without him even realizing.
They had just broken up, and she was already meeting the parents?
His face grew dark as he retreated to his own private booth.
Chase, noticed his mood, and pretended to be concerned, âCome on, itâs just lunch. Why the long face? Itâs not like youâre picking up the tab.â
Dawson, ever the helpful assistant, chose that moment to twist the knife a bit more, âDr. Chase, Mr. Hicks, donât take it personally. Mr. Hayes just saw Attorney Clara. Thatâs why heâs upset, not because of you guys.â
After saying this, Dawson glanced at lan, expecting some sort of commendation. Instead, lan shot back, âEver heard of playing dumb? Or would that kill you?â
Startled, Dawson quickly stepped back.
Roger, always the peacemaker, laughed it off, âWhich booth is Clara in? We donât have many people; why donât we join tables?â
1/2 11:03 Mentioning Clara seemed to make Dawson forget his bossâ âkindâ warning, and he blurted out, âAfraid thatâs not possible. Sheâs having a meetâtheâparents moment with Mr. Anders.â
The remark dropped like a pebble in a still pond, sending ripples everywhere. Chase latched onto the news, his eyes wide as he gazed at lanâs stony countenance. âWow, Anders is moving fast. Claraâs already meeting the parents. Doesnât seem too reserved, does he?
You gotta be more like lan here. After three years of dating, he did not acknowledge Clara as his girlfriend in public, and he didnât even admit it in private! How cool is that? Iâm in awe, really.â
Roger chimed in with his own jab, âExactly. I shouldâve taken a leaf out of lanâs book. Instead, I got married early, had kids, and now Iâm tied down. My wifeâs like a hawk, watching every move I make, worried Iâll get a girl on the side. But lan? Free as a bird.
When he gets bored, he just moves on, no strings attached, right?â
lan, with a cup of tea in hand and brows furrowed, sat in silence as his friends mocked him. Had it been any other day, he would have lashed out by now. But today, he remained seated, calm and collected, letting their ridicule wash over him.
After a long silence that saw no reaction from him, his two friends and Dawson were all perplexed. Their eyes were wide as they stared at him. âThatâs your response?â
2/2