“We’ve had our best year ever since working with him. But it’s also because of him we’ve become highly selective with the cases we take on.”
“Does he think my case has the potential to attract the wrong attention?” Leonidas questioned.
“You need to keep in mind that your case and Lexy’s was supposed to be a simple referral. That’s it. But now that it’s come to this...”
While Leonidas had no trouble reading between the lines, he was rather surprised that a law firm would draw the line on divorce proceedings, which most legal counsels saw as the easiest way to make money.
“After the media coverage from the Cannizzaro situation—”
“Which didnotactually result in a divorce,” Leonidas pointed out.
“I know that. But the press? The public? They do not care, and since then, we’ve been inundated with requests. Celebrities. Politicians. Anyone who wants their separation handled with discretion.”
“And your investor disapproves of this because?”
“He believes marriage is sacred.” A pause. “So do Shayla and I, and that’s why—”
“You want me to seek legal representation elsewhere,” Leonidas surmised flatly.
“We would like to ask for you and Lexy to consider mediation,” Adriano said at the same time, and his lips twitched when he saw his friend’s subsequent reaction to his words.
“Amediation?” As a Greek, mediation called forth thoughts of the Trojan horse, and the whole world knew what happened after that.
“Ne,my friend. A mediation. A chance to make things right and go all in—but without sacrificing your pride. You can both simply think of it as your legal counsel wanting the best for their client, which is to keep all the assets under oneconjugalaccount...rather than go through the costly, not to mention unnecessary, mess of division of property.”
“And if either of us refuse?”
“Then I have no choice but to go with our investor’s directive, and that is to give youanotherreferral for your case.”
Chapter Four
New York was supposedto be a layover.
Three days, maybe four, and then back to Athens where everything was familiar and staff anticipated needs before they were spoken and Leonidas never had to wonder where his coffee came from or how it arrived at precisely the right temperature every morning.
But mediation, as it turned out, had requirements.
