Chapter 31

"A taxi is too slow!" Vida grabbed a set of car keys from the entryway table and pressed them into her hand. "Every second you delay is another second your brother suffers. Now go!"

A taxi would be inconvenient.

Thinking of Hale's situation, Liliana ignored the throbbing in her arm, took the keys, and hurried down the steps.

An hour later, at Chase & Associates, Liliana had just stepped out of her car when she saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance of the law firm.

Cedric, who had left in such a rush he hadn't even grabbed his coat, stood with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up to his forearms, revealing the taut muscles beneath. The picture of casual power. At his side, Sylvia clung to his arm, her face pale.

Across from them stood lan Chase, the firm's founder and a legal titan. He and Cedric were old friends, a friendship that often gave lan a headache.

"Cedric, don't do this to me. I've already reviewed the case for Miss Preston's brother."

"You reviewed it, you haven't signed a retainer," Cedric said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're handling Sylvia's case personally."

lan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "What did I do in a past life to deserve a friend like you?"

"Cedric, maybe we shouldn't trouble Attorney Chase," Sylvia said, her voice soft and sweet. "Any lawyer will do. It's not a major case, and we don't even know if we can win."

"He's the only one who can guarantee a win," Cedric said, clapping lan on the shoulder. "I appreciate it."

Those three words shut down any further protest from lan. Cedric then turned, his arm around Sylvia, and started to leave.

Liliana stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at them. She had heard every word. She was too late.

Cedric paused and glanced back at lan.

lan understood. He started down the steps toward Liliana. "I'll handle this," he said to Cedric.

Handle what? It was obvious. He was going to handle Liliana.

Her gaze followed Cedric's retreating figure. He opened the passenger door of his car and held it for Sylvia, leaning in to fasten her seatbelt before walking aroundto the drivers side. He got in and drove away without a single backward glance.

"Miss Preston, I will assign one of the firm's most experienced lawyers to your brother's case," lan said, gesturing for her to come inside.

Only after Cedric's car had disappeared did Liliana pull her eyes away. She took a shaky breath and looked at lan. "Attorney Chase, can't you handle my brother's case personally?"

"As you just saw, I have another case," lan said, holding up a retainer agreement. The client's name was Sylvia. Ian hadn't signed it yet, but after Cedric's command, it was a foregone conclusion.

The document clearly stated the nature of the case: Sylvia's pet dog had suffered broken ribs after being kicked by a neighbor. She was suing. Apparently, the dog was a rare and valuable breed.

So valuable, in fact, that in Cedric's eyes, it was more important than her brother's life.

He knew she was waiting for lan to take Hale's case, yet he had brought Sylvia here and handed this trivial matter to him instead.

Liliana didn't know what to feel

anymore. She was furious, but her

anger was impotent. She couldn't

fight Cedric. Besides, the firm had never explicitly promised that land Chase himself would take the case.

A wave of despair washed over her. "Attorney Chase, my brother's case is incredibly

complex. You're the only one who can save him." She looked at him pleadingly, clinging to one last sliver of hope.

lan sighed. "I've reviewed Young

Master Preston's case file. From a

legal standpoint, the other party does appear to have staged the incident. But these cases are notoriously difficult to win. It's already all over the news, which has drawn a lot of public attention. The fact that he was driving a luxury car puts us at a significant disadvantage. Rest assured, the lawyer I'm assigning has extensive experience with this type of case..."