Mr. David approaches, and together they help me sit down. I survey the damage done to the factory, taking in the mess. Everything is trashed; there's hordes of breads thrown carelessly on the floor. This factory has been in Mr. David's family forever.Sure, they don't have many customers these days, and the place is barely holding up, but why can't they at least let the poor man keep it until he passes it down to his grandchildren? They just want to force it out of his hands because he seems easy to bully.
“Where are your workers?” I ask noting that the place was awfully quiet save for us.
“I asked them not to come in today, I can’t afford to pay them for today’s work so I decided to handle things myself. I’ll get you some water,”
I nod absently, looking around at the fresh bread scattered everywhere. Tessa notices my expression and tries to comfort me.
"Don't worry," she says fiercely. "We'll get those bastards back."
I shake my head at her, "don't do anything impulsive," she grins at me in response.
Tessa is incredibly beautiful, but she's also more impulsive than I am. She always dresses like she's headed to a farm, wearing a hat tilted casually toward the back of her head. Her eyes a warm brown framed by perfect lashes. Her button nose and full lips make her sparkle when she smiles. She's not short like me, maybe around 5'7, but her petite frame makes her seem smaller than she is.
I shake my head and tell her, "Don't worry, I have a plan. This is the senator's doing, and I'm going to get him for it. I already know how I'm going to make him compensate us. He's paying for my therapy, your therapy, and Mr. David's therapy. He's also paying for the damages today. And I'm adding an attempted murder charge."
Tessa blinks. "Wait, wait. Attempted murder? They could try to make a case against you, you know, you used an iron bat."
"It's self-defense, obviously. They have no case against me," I say, shaking my head.
She points out, "Well, that police officer did warn you not to use it."
I shrug. "I made my argument. He said in certain circumstances. I already have enough against this senator."
She grins. "Don't worry. If anything happens, me and my NGO are backing you up."
Tessa runs an NGO or, honestly, it's more like a troublemaking agency. She does it for a good cause and doesn't make much since she and three other girls started it from scratch. Their main mission is to help young women who face injustice and have no voice, and expose what politicians are really up to. Half the time, they stand in front of government buildings, staging protests even if it's just the three of them, and they always seem to have inside information about politicians and their scams. Most politicians and even some people in the underworld are scared of her. She has deep connections, so I'm not too worried.
Still, with the way I take politicians to court, I know that one day I might end up in a dumpster, my body found months later if anyone even bothers to look. Tessa has risked so much that they might never find her if something goes wrong. People say birds of a feather flock together. In our case, maybe birds of a feather also die together or however the fuck that saying goes. I only get poetic when I'm drunk, but yeah.
After Mr. David hands me water and a drink, he says, "Here, drink this. You're going to need your energy."
I take a sip of water when he asks quietly, "Are you sure we should be suing him?"
I put my hands on the documents Tessa had gone to retrieve earlier from the door and look at him. "What, are you trying to back out now? We're in too deep. They already harassed you. They harassed me too. Somebody punched me in the gut. Obviously, I'm getting compensated for that. We're not backing out. I'm not letting them bully you."
He gives me a small smile that looks like it might turn into tears. "I just... I don't know if I can handle all this."
I shake my head. "Don't cry. I'm handling everything. You just need to give me until tomorrow for results."
He nods and takes another sip of water. I watch him, trying not to feel much sympathy for him. When you get attached to clients, the judge starts thinking you're too emotional and your case looks shaky. That's what I want to avoid.
Chapter 2
?
IRIS
I walk into the senator’s building, bag in hand holding every single charge the senator currently owes me for. Tessa is behind me and with that knowledge I confidently move.
My heels clinking on the tiled floor as we approach the wooden receptionist station. She positions herself just behind me, with her arms folded across her chest, wearing her most menacing face, looking every bit like my personal bodyguard.
The middle-aged woman with grey eyes and brown hair whom I assume to be the receptionist visibly tenses the moment she sees us.
Clearly disturbed, she reaches for her office phone, probably to alert security. Before she can lift it though, I place my hand on the receiver, stopping her gently but firmly.
"Look," I say, keeping my voice calm but serious. "I don't have time for this, okay? I just want to know if the Senator is in his office right now."
The receptionist, Alina Petrov according to her nameplate, hesitates and shakes her head slightly. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't disclose that information, unless you have a reservation meeting with him."
