The son of the city's wealthiest man was framed in a high-profile case. To let his little mistress shine, my husband deliberately lied to me about the court date. I arrived late, only to be blocked by the tycoon's bodyguards and berated for my irresponsibility. Seeing through my husband's scheme, I simply handed the role of lead defense counsel over to the other woman. "Since you're so eager," I said, "you'd better put on a good show." My colleagues warned me not to be impulsive. This was a golden opportunity to impress the city's most powerful man. But no one knew that I was the only lawyer in the entire country who could win this case. Even if the little mistress managed to argue her way through the first hearing, without me, her defense was doomed to fail. The tycoon's son would still face prison. And my husband's blind protection of her would only lead to his own ruin. 1 The son of our city’s top billionaire, Mr. Wallace, was ensnared in a meticulously planned frame-up, a major financial fraud case. One wrong move, and he could face the death penalty. But the day before the hearing, my husband, a partner at our law firm, told me the court time had been pushed back an hour, claiming the case files needed a final review. I had pulled a week of all-nighters for this case. But when I rushed to the courthouse, I was informed that a junior associate, Jenna, had already taken my place. Mr. Wallace, flanked by his bodyguards, cornered me, ready to tear me apart. “I trusted you! I hired you to defend my son, and you can’t even show up to the hearing on time! Do you have any idea what you almost did? You almost destroyed him!” I stood there, stunned. Just then, my husband, Mark, stormed out of the courthouse and laid into me as well. “Where have you been, Sierra?” “The hearing started, we were looking for you everywhere! Did you just forget about a case this important?” I stared at him in disbelief. What did he mean, forget? Wasn’t he the one who told me yesterday that the hearing had been postponed? Seeing Mr. Wallace seething with rage, I was about to explain when Mark cut me off. “It’s one thing to be absent-minded at home, but to get the time wrong for a court hearing? How did you even pass the bar?” he sneered. “Luckily, Jenna was available and stepped in at the last minute. This case can’t afford any mistakes. Did you stand us up because you wanted to drag the entire firm down with you?” In that instant, everything clicked into place. This whole elaborate charade… it was all for Jenna. Mr. Wallace was a titan of industry, his influence unmatched. Every lawyer, from junior associates to senior partners, was desperate for a piece of this case, a chance to get in his good graces and make a name for themselves. But Mr. Wallace had chosen me. I remember the day we signed the retainer agreement. Mark had been dripping with sarcasm. “Well done, Sierra. You act so high and mighty, so above it all, but you managed to talk Mr. Wallace into picking you personally.” “What a hypocrite. Always pulling strings behind the scenes, never giving the younger lawyers a chance.” At the time, I didn’t understand what he meant. Now, I did. Mark had deliberately made me miss the hearing so Jenna could have her moment in the spotlight. Just then, Jenna walked out of the courtroom. This case was far too complex for a single hearing, but from the look on her face, you’d think she’d already won. She put on a show of sweet concern. “Sierra, are you feeling unwell? Is that why you couldn’t make it? But for a case this important, you really should have given us a heads-up if you needed to take time off.” I watched her saccharine performance with cold eyes. As if she didn’t know exactly why I was late. Jenna then turned to Mark, her face a mask of apology. “Mark, I only stepped in because I was afraid the hearing would be delayed. I know as a junior associate I’m not qualified for a case like this. It was against the firm’s rules. You can punish me.” Mark smiled, completely ignoring my presence. “You did great. When it comes to a case, there’s no junior or senior. A dedicated and responsible person is what makes a truly good lawyer.” Watching the two of them, so wrapped up in their own little world, I could only laugh. Jenna was our junior from law school. I was the one who recommended her for a job at the firm. I had hoped she would bring some fresh energy, but instead, she spent her days flirting with the wealthy clients from our divorce cases. And at some point, she had gotten closer and closer to my husband. She was always calling him by his first name, her tone cloyingly intimate. During her probationary period, her mistakes nearly tanked our entire team on multiple occasions. But Mark always covered for her, saying, “Jenna’s still young. We should give her more support.” He and I had fought about it several times. “Were you perfect when you first started out? Can’t you give a newcomer a chance to make mistakes?” Even back then, I felt something in Mark slowly changing. Today, I finally saw him for who he truly was. I smiled at the two of them, a pair of scheming snakes. “In that case,” I said nonchalantly, “let her continue with the case.” Jenna immediately waved her hands in mock protest. “I’m just a junior associate! How could I possibly handle a VIP client’s case?” “Why not? Rules are made to be broken. Mr. Wallace was just praising your outstanding performance to me. You have a bright future ahead of you!” Mark looked at Jenna with pride shining in his eyes. “You’re going to be the star lawyer of our firm. I believe in you!” I let out a cold laugh and shoved my defense counsel ID badge into Jenna’s hand. She verbally refused, but her hand shot out and snatched it, as if afraid I’d change my mind. “Jenna must be exhausted. I’ll call a car to take you back to the office! I’ll order some barbecue later to celebrate!” Mark walked away with Jenna, not sparing me a single glance. Watching them walk away side-by-side, a bitter taste filled my mouth. A few minutes later, a post from Jenna popped up on my social media feed. “The luckiest thing in the world is when a dark horse meets a patron who believes in them. Thank you to my dearest mentor for giving me this chance. I’ll do my best!” The accompanying photo was of the two of them, giving a thumbs-up to the camera. A long string of likes followed. I glanced at it and silently locked my phone. A superficial victory in court meant nothing. I had studied this case inside and out. Mr. Wallace’s son was a classic scapegoat. These financial cases looked simple on the surface, but they involved a complex web of interdisciplinary financial knowledge, including niche topics like blockchain technology. If the defense lawyer lacked experience in these areas, the real culprits would exploit those loopholes, and we would lose. Combined with the high-profile nature of the defendant, it would be easy for the other side to use public opinion against us. But there were very few lawyers in the country who understood blockchain. I could say with confidence that I was the only one who could completely clear my client's name. As for Jenna’s supposed victory? It was an illusion. The moment the other side made their next move and forced a second hearing, she would be crushed. She was desperate to make a name for herself in the legal world, but she didn’t understand that winning a case was about more than just reciting legal precedents from a textbook. After sending Jenna off, Mark came back to wrap things up. Seeing me still standing there, his face was a mask of impatience, all traces of his earlier gentleness gone. “I told you you couldn’t handle it, but you had to be so stubborn.” “Making a mistake like this in front of the court… you can forget about a promotion now.” “But you’re getting old anyway. It’s about time you took a step back and focused on taking care of our home.” He was always like this. He hated that I was strong, that I overshadowed him. But he never understood. I was just doing my job, fighting for every single one of my clients. Back at the firm, I found Jenna sitting in my office. “Sierra, a client of Mr. Wallace’s status probably shouldn’t be seen waiting in the main lobby. How about we switch offices? Oh, and by the way, could you please give me all the case files? It’ll help me prepare for the next steps.” The other lawyers in the office were openly staring, their ears perked for gossip. A junior associate being promoted to lead counsel was unheard of. And for the firm to tacitly approve it? Even more so. I could feel the pity in their eyes, as if they were all wondering how I would survive in the legal world now that I had offended a client as powerful as Mr. Wallace. I didn’t get angry. I simply gestured for her to take the seat. Just as Jenna was about to sit down, looking triumphant, I yanked the chair out from under her. She landed on the floor with a painful thud, her face contorting in pain. The office erupted in laughter. Mark saw what happened and rushed over, his voice booming. “What do you think you’re doing, Sierra? Are you trying to bully your colleagues now?” I just smiled coldly. Bullying? I wouldn't dare. “I thought you had already familiarized yourself with the case. I didn’t realize you hadn’t even looked at the files before you went into court. Did you think this was a game?” “And another thing, this is a law firm. You earn your place in this office with skill, not by pulling strings.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it sent a ripple of chatter through the office. Everyone finally realized that Jenna’s sudden promotion wasn’t earned; it was a favor. I turned and walked away, not wanting to deal with them any longer. Mark, furious, chased after me, yelling about how irresponsible I was. “Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be a lawyer!” I ignored him, my face a blank mask as I left the firm. But honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hurting. A large part of the reason I chose to study law was because of Mark. His father was an alcoholic who would come home drunk and beat him and his mother. I remember him telling me when we were in high school that he wanted to be a lawyer, to open his own firm. He wanted to bring his father to justice, to save his mother from that hell. So, I chose law too. I specialized in family and criminal law, hoping I could be his support. When I told him my plans, Mark was moved to tears. He held me tight and swore he would never marry anyone else, that he would build a different kind of law firm with me, and that we would become a legendary legal duo. Then Jenna appeared.
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