Chapter 8

Roxanne rubbed her temples and sighed. What Vivian had said was a lot to process. She stayed up late reading through the files and ended up falling asleep at her desk. By the time she woke up in the morning, every muscle in her body was stiff and sore. Vivian, now sober, twirled the card Roxanne had handed her last night between her fingers. She smirked. "Thanks for this." Roxanne managed a faint smile. After Vivian left, Roxanne straightened herself up and headed to work. As soon as she arrived at the firm, Jenson summoned her to his office. "We're meeting a client," he said. "Do I need to prepare anything?" Roxanne asked cautiously. "Just listen," Jenson replied as he grabbed his coat and headed out the door. "Got it." She had to quicken her pace to keep up with him, his long legs making her feel like she was jogging. They rode the elevator down to the underground parking garage, where Jenson unlocked his car. Without hesitation, Roxanne slid into the back seat. The drive was long, taking them to a rather out-of-the-way part of town. She couldn't help but wonder why someone like Jenson, a highly sought-after attorney, would come to a place like this. When he parked in front of a small, unassuming restaurant, he turned to her. "This one's yours." It took her a moment to process. He was giving her the lead? Her lashes fluttered slightly as she stared at him in disbelief. While he may have seemed aloof, he was creating opportunities for her. It looked like Lawrence's connections were stronger than she had thought. She composed herself, pulled out a recording device from her bag, and followed Jenson into the restaurant. This was probably her first time listening to a client recount the details of their case. She was exceptionally attentive. The client, Nolan Reid, was a young man who laid out his situation nervously. His property was part of a redevelopment project, and compensation was being distributed based on household size. To increase his payout, he had entered into a sham marriage with a woman who was now in custody—and she had implicated him. "Which stage is the case at now?" Roxanne asked. "They're accusing me of fraud," Nolan said, his voice shaking. "The authorities want me to plead guilty." "Did you register the marriage?" Roxanne asked. Nolan answered, "Yes." "Where did you do it?" "At the city hall," he replied. "A legitimate government office?" "Yes, it's all official. Paperwork, legal processes—everything." Roxanne nodded, her confidence solidifying. "You can plead not guilty." Nolan looked at her in disbelief. "But they said the charges are solid. I could face five to ten years in prison!" "How much profit did you make?" "540,000 dollars." Roxanne quickly grasped the key point from the conversation and responded swiftly. "You can plead not guilty. For fraud charges to stand, the perpetrator must fabricate facts. "You and that woman got married with a legitimate marriage certificate issued through official channels recognized by the state. How can that be considered a sham marriage?" She said, "Find a lawyer and go meet that woman." "But they said we have no evidence of living together." Roxanne smiled. "Can't it be that you argued and live apart? Who told you it's a fake marriage? You have a legally recognized marriage certificate, and you need to understand that yourself. Stop saying it's a fake marriage. It's a real one." Nolan's eyes lit up with hope. "Can you represent me?" Roxanne hesitated for a moment before glancing at Jenson. She wasn't officially licensed to take on cases yet. Jenson gave a slight nod. "Time to practice." That was all she needed. She bit her lip, wanting to thank him. But she realized it wouldn't be enough to express her gratitude. "I'll take your case," she said confidently. Nolan immediately extended his hand, and she shook it politely. What she needed to do next was delve deeper into the case and develop a defense plan based on the actual circumstances. For someone like Jenson, cases like this were not worth mentioning. He had taken her here to let her get involved in cases, starting from small ones to bigger ones. Besides, he had wanted to see how she would deal with things. He was satisfied seeing how sharp she was. Roxanne exchanged numbers with Nolan. Back in the car, she turned to Jenson. After hesitating for a while, she said in a soft voice, "Thank you for this opportunity." Jenson kept his eyes on the road, offering no response. After a beat of silence, she added, "Was I too impulsive back there? What if I can't deliver on my promise to him?" "You were impulsive," Jenson said bluntly. She pressed her lips together. "I'll be more careful next time." "Remember," he said, his tone as even as ever. "No matter the situation, an excellent lawyer remains calm and collected. It's a skill you'll need to master." "Yes, I understand," she said earnestly. "Do you have a car?" he asked after a pause. "I do." "Good. You'll need to drive yourself to follow-ups on this case. Think you can handle that?" He looked at her bright eyes and small face briefly through the rearview mirror. "Yes, I can," she answered without hesitation. By the time they got back to the city, it was already midday. Wanting to show her gratitude, Roxanne hesitated before speaking up. "Can I treat you to lunch?" Even in a regular law firm, it would be impossible for someone to handle cases right after joining, let alone in a prestigious law firm like theirs. For a rookie lawyer like her, there was usually a one-year internship period, and it was only after that that she would be allowed to take on cases independently. Jenson said nothing, but his silence seemed like agreement. "I know a great place," she said, only to falter mid-sentence. She realized with a sinking feeling that the restaurant she was about to suggest was one she used to frequent with Sebastian. Just the thought of him dampened her mood. "Address?" Jenson prompted. Caught off guard, she blurted out the location. Minutes later, they arrived at a Western restaurant with a nice ambiance. As Roxanne stepped out of the car, she misjudged her footing and sprained her ankle. She wobbled, nearly falling, but Jenson reacted quickly, steadying her by the arm. "You okay?" he asked. "I'm fine," she mumbled, embarrassed. Unbeknownst to Roxanne, a pair of familiar eyes from across the room had already locked onto her.