Chapter 1 Betrayal
1086 Words
In the well-lit living room, a tall, striking man sat opposite a pale-faced woman.
"Mr. Morgan," Emma said, her voice strained with an effort to remain composed, though a shiver betrayed her inner turmoil. "My husband is cheating on me, and it seems he might even want me dead."
Lucas Morgan took another look at the woman. Such minor cases weren't really his beat, but since she demanded the best lawyer and could foot the bill, he was here listening to her story.
The woman seemed outwardly calm, but her eyes disclosed her desperation and repression.
Lucas rose and poured her a hot coffee.
Emma took it and said in a soft tone, "Thanks."
"Mrs. Everhart, relax and tell me everything you know." Lucas’s voice, deep and soothing, broke the silence.
The handsome man across from her seemed relaxed, as though everything was under his control.
To Emma’s surprise, his casual demeanor calmed her jangled nerves.
She took a deep breath and began recounting her plight to Lucas.
Emma, 33 years old, was the sales director at Summit Ventures.
She and her husband Jake Everhart met in high school and fell in love in college. They had been married for ten years and had a lovely daughter.
But just two days ago, she caught her husband being intimate with a young and attractive woman!
Emma was dumbfounded—how could the man who professed to love her cheat on her? And for how long? She had no clue at all!
To make matters worse, she stumbled upon a life insurance policy with her as the insurant!
Good Lord! Had she not uncovered all this, she might very well have ended up six feet under at the hands of her own husband!
With these haunting thoughts in mind, Emma fished a cigarette from her purse, lit it awkwardly, and took several deep puffs. Her shaking then gradually subsided.
Facing the woman who was barely holding herself together, Lucas bluntly stated without the slightest sympathy, "Mrs. Everhart, an insurance policy alone doesn't cut it."
He then added, "As for the affair... if you're thinking of pulling the plug on your marriage, we'll need solid evidence that works in your favor. But look, if your husband has cheated, are you sure you're ready to call it quits?" Lucas leaned back, sprawling on the comfy sofa, seemingly indifferent.
"What are you getting at?" Emma’s gaze was sharp as knives on Lucas. Her voice was low, even a bit raspy, but the fury was crystal clear.
"No offense, but you seem to love your husband." Lucas’s laid-back demeanor persisted.
"You see, I've had plenty of clients who started as determined as you are, but then, for the sake of family or some other damned reasons, they changed their mind. So, think it over, Mrs. Everhart," Lucas explained with a shrug.
He didn't have time for indecision and didn't want to gear up for her case only to have her waiver at the last minute.
Emma glared at the lackadaisical man before her, anger simmering within. She thought about storming out, but instead, she remained firmly in her seat.
The law firm had put her in touch with this guy, but Emma wasn't born yesterday. While waiting for him to show up, she did a quick Google on Lucas Morgan—a lawyer on the rise, who had never lost a case.
What she hadn't expected was that this big-shot lawyer would look like a total rogue.
But no matter what, she needed his expertise.
And love? Emma took another long drag of her nearly finished cigarette.
Did she love Jake? Maybe there had been love once. Jake had treated her so well, or at least faked it so convincingly that she believed she was the luckiest woman alive.
But the memory of Jake cozying up to that woman and walking into a restaurant with his arm around her froze her to the core. Then, a raging fire named "anger" engulfed her.
Emma stubbed out her cigarette in a paper cup, her gaze hardening as she looked up again.
With a smile carrying rage, she said, "Mr. Morgan, no worries. If he's cheated, I'm ditching him for sure!"
She had no idea how charismatic she appeared, speaking with such unwavering certainty.
Lucas was struck by the transformation in the woman before him, and she seemed like a whole new person.
He was used to clients who could do nothing but weep, unable to even explain what was happening.
His first impression of Emma was a rose on the verge of wilting, more pitiful than intriguing.
He had pegged her as another heartbroken wife, devastated by her husband's infidelity.
But he was mistaken!
Before him was clearly a sharp dagger, ready to make anyone who hurt her pay the price.
With a smirk, Lucas watched her, his interest piqued. "Just a divorce?"
Emma eyed Lucas, who looked totally unfazed, as if this were just a walk in the park.
She arched his eyebrows and tilted her chin up. "I'm crueler than you thought. I want to clean him out!"
She reached across the table to him. "Mr. Morgan, can I count on you?"
It had been a while since Lucas felt the thrill of a challenging case.
He replied with a grin, "Emma, just so you know, my services don't come cheap." He shifted to a more personal way of addressing her.
Before Emma could respond, he grasped her soft hand. "But I'm sure you can come up with a price that'll satisfy me."
Emma admitted with a confident smile, "You bet, the price I'm willing to pay will definitely keep you satisfied."
Lucas savored the soft touch of her hand, his smirk deepening. "Oh, you sure?"
Just as Emma felt like a deer in the headlights, Lucas let go of her hand and said, "Well then, let's get the ball rolling with a deposit. My time is money."
Emma looked at his cunning smile and paid up with complaints inside.
"Please, don't give me that look, Emma. In our line of work, the golden rule is to never trust what people say," Lucas said cheerily as he accepted the money.
He then pulled out another business card. "If you need, I also offer private detective services. I'll knock 20% off the detective fees, considering the legal fees."
Emma couldn't help but shoot a sharp glance at the sly guy, who just flashed a knowing smile. "Trust me, it'll be worth every penny."
- Writer
