I couldn't help but smile.
"You'll always be my baby," I said softly.
He didn't answer again. His breathing gradually evened out. I listened to him breathe, not hanging up for a long time.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Julian
"Julian. Win this case, and you'll be the firm's rising star."
I looked up. Blake was leaning against my doorframe, coffee in hand, watching me with that smug grin that made my skin crawl. His words sounded supportive, but that smirk said he was enjoying the show.
"More than a rising star." Jenkins sidled up, lowering his voice. "I saw your client's file. She's a real beauty. Win the case, get the girl. Julian, you're going for the whole package."
"Damn right." A balding middle-aged colleague grinned, his face creasing. "Voss, when you pull this off, you're buying us dinner. I've had my eye on that three-Michelin-star place downstairs."
"Count me in." A young lawyer in thick-rimmed glasses poked his head from the next cubicle. "Julian, if you can take down Thorne Group, you'll be a legend around here."
I adjusted my glasses, forcing my smile into something modest and professional. "Trial hasn't even started. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
But honestly? My heart was pounding.
I'd spent two solid weeks preparing the complaint against Silas.Unlawful imprisonment, money laundering—I'd gathered every shred of evidence I could find, working day and night, cross-checking everything. The law was my battlefield, the only place I could beat that bastard.
Truth was, I wasn't exactly high on the firm's ladder. Plenty of lawyers had more seniority. But if I could successfully prosecute Silas, a high-powered CEO, my career would skyrocket. Partner track, bigger cases, more exposure...
And I'd have Anthea. Anthea. Just thinking her name made my throat tight. Since we were kids, she'd followed me around, those amber eyes bright and shining, saying she'd marry me when she grew up. Years later, she'd only gotten more beautiful. More irresistible.
I'd be lying if I said the thought of raising another man's kid didn't bother me. The baby was Silas's, and every time I'd see him, I'd remember Anthea had belonged to someone else. But it was a minor problem. Once we were together, she could give me a child of our own.
"Careful, Julian." Blake's voice cut through my thoughts. He walked in, casually flipping through files on my desk. "Don't get yourself buried. Thorne Group's legal team doesn't mess around. Last guy who sued them? Their lawyers crushed him so hard he withdrew within twenty-four hours and apologized."
"This is different." My voice came out firmer than I expected. "The evidence is solid. He can't run."
Blake's expression shifted. Now he was looking at me like I was about to jump off a cliff. He clapped my shoulder. "Good luck, Voss. You're gonna need it."
His words didn't shake me. I filed the lawsuit with complete confidence.
That night, I even had champagne. I imagined the courtroom scene—Silas Thorne's cold face finally cracking, and Anthea standing beside me, looking at me with gratitude.
But three days later, reality hit like ice water.
"Opposing counsel has filed a motion." My assistant handed me thedocuments, her voice careful. "They're challenging the admissibility of the evidence."
I skimmed through it fast. Every page felt like a blade across my face. Insufficient evidence. Procedural defects. My imprisonment claim? Anthea had "voluntarily resided" at Thorne Manor, backed by surveillance footage. My money laundering charges? Every dollar Thorne Group moved had a legal explanation.
"That's impossible..." My voice came out hoarse and desperate. "I verified all of this..."
My hands started shaking. Silas's legal team had taken three days to shred my carefully prepared complaint.
"Voss!" Someone called my name.
I looked up. Blake was leading several clients out of the conference room. His voice carried across the entire floor.
"Didn't you say you were suing Thorne Group the other day?" He stopped deliberately at my door, his face painted with concern. "How'd that go?"
The clients looked at me curiously. My face burned. My throat felt blocked. I couldn't get a word out.
