Seeing Lena’s expression, Adrian asked in confusion, “Is that really so strange?” “How is that not strange?” Lena was completely baffled.
After studying law for years, this was the first time in her life she had ever heard someone put the words steal and legal together so naturally.
Seriously, how had he even managed to connect those two ideas in the same sentence?
“Attorney Quinn, as a fellow legal professional, I can’t believe you actually think I would break the law.” Adrian sounded genuinely displeased as he looked at her, almost as though she had offended his professional integrity.
“This is blatant prejudice.” Lena paused, and for some reason actually felt a flicker of guilt.
“I’m sorry—” But a second later, she came back to her senses.
Her eyelid twitched.
“Wait, why am I apologizing?
You’re literally planning to steal a child!” “Who told you that stealing a child is necessarily illegal?” Adrian corrected her once again before glancing past her shoulder.
Two thin figures had appeared from around the corner of the hallway and were walking toward them.
Seeing that Clara and Evelyn were returning, Adrian spoke a little faster.
“I won’t brag about much else, but I would never knowingly do anything illegal.
I guarantee that everything I’m planning is completely legal and compliant.” He paused.
“Of course, I’ll need your cooperation as the attorney handling the custody side of the matter, and we’ll also need someone physically capable to help us.
If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to wrap this whole matter up before the end of the year.” Lena wanted to ask several more questions, but Clara and Evelyn had already reached them.
“Ms.
Hayes.
Mrs.
Hayes.” Adrian stood and gave them a polite smile.
“Did the police raise any unexpected issues?” When they had arrived from the courthouse, Adrian had first asked Clara and Evelyn to complete the paperwork related to the custody judgment.
By now, they should have finished speaking with the relevant officers.
Clara’s face was still terribly gaunt, her features almost skeletal from everything she had endured.
After hearing Adrian’s question, she remained silent for a moment before shaking her head.
“No.” She had only just learned that winning custody did not mean she would immediately be reunited with her son.
“Attorney Cole…
right now, I just want to spend a little time with my child before my father goes to trial.” Her voice was bitter and exhausted.
In Clara’s mind, the day Martin stood trial was also the day she would ultimately be forced to give up her son.
At this point, she was no longer even asking to keep everything.
She simply wanted to see her child for a little while before that happened.
A week.
A day.
Even a few hours would have been enough.
But after speaking with the police, she had discovered that even this small wish was difficult to fulfill.
Compulsory enforcement would only come later, after Walter and Martha had refused to comply with the judgment for long enough and the proper enforcement procedures had been completed.
Until then, if the Pikes simply refused to hand the child over, there was very little Clara could immediately do.
Powerlessness seemed to drain what little strength she had left.
“Spend a little time with him?” Adrian crossed his arms and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Actually, I don’t think you need to give up your son for your father’s sake.” Clara’s expression tightened.
“Attorney Cole, that’s my father.
He ended up in detention because he was trying to protect me.
I can’t possibly abandon him.” Adrian paused.
Then he understood.
She had misunderstood what he meant.
“You think I’m telling you to choose your son over Martin.” Clara looked at him uncertainly.
Adrian shook his head.
“That’s not what I mean.” He looked directly at her.
“Your son and your father…” A faint smile appeared.
“We’re keeping both.” Clara froze.
Both?
She could keep both?
Her hollow eyes suddenly showed the faintest trace of hope.
Evelyn reacted the same way.
The mother and daughter looked at Adrian as though they were people drowning in darkness who had suddenly seen the smallest flicker of light in the distance.
Clara’s voice trembled.
“Really?” Being forced to choose between her father and her child was a decision almost no one could bear.
Clara had already been driven close to the edge by it.
At this point, even if Adrian had been lying, some part of her would have desperately wanted to believe him.
Adrian nodded.
“I have a preliminary solution.” He did not explain it immediately.
“Go home and get some proper rest today.
Once I return to the firm, I’ll work out the details and put together a concrete plan.
I’ll send it to Attorney Quinn in the next few days.” In truth, calling it a formal “plan” was mostly for Lena’s benefit.
Adrian had already realized that simply telling her, Trust me, stealing the child is legal, was not going to be enough.
Words alone proved nothing.
No sensible lawyer would risk their career and freedom based entirely on the assurances of someone they had only recently met.
If Adrian was wrong, Lena would be risking far more than professional embarrassment.
And someone with Lena’s background and future had even more reason to be cautious.
Adrian understood that perfectly well.
“Okay…
okay.” Clara suddenly reached out and gripped his hand with both of hers, her dry fingers trembling as though she were afraid he might disappear the moment she let go.
Adrian looked into her eyes.
There were too many things in them to put into words.
“I…
I believe you.” Adrian nodded, held her hand for a moment, and gently patted the back of it before letting go.
He then borrowed a pen and a sheet of paper from one of the officers, wrote down his phone number, and handed it to Clara.
“This is my contact information.
If anything happens, or if you have any questions, call me.” He glanced toward the windows.
“It’s getting late, so I’ll head back to the firm.” Then he looked at Clara again.
“As for Martin’s case, don’t worry.
Since I’ve accepted it, I’ll do everything I can to give you a result you’ll be satisfied with.” After saying goodbye, Adrian left the police station.
Clara continued staring in the direction he had gone until even his silhouette had disappeared.
Only then did she slowly come back to herself.
Everything still felt unreal.
For more than half a month, she had been living in constant torment.
Sometimes she would come out of a daze only to realize that tears had already been running down her face for some time.
Even Lena, despite genuinely wanting to help her, could only explain the harsh reality of the situation.
Every explanation had felt like another blade cutting into an already wounded heart.
Until now.
Adrian had suddenly appeared and told her there was no need to choose.
Those few words were like a drowning person grabbing hold of the only thing floating within reach.
It might have been fragile.
It might not have been enough to save her.
But instinct made her cling to it anyway.
“Attorney Quinn…
Attorney Cole, he…” Clara turned toward Lena, still looking dazed.
She wanted to ask whether Adrian could really do what he had promised, but she did not even know how to phrase the question.
Lena’s expression became complicated.
To be fair, she had never met another lawyer who casually discussed stealing children and threatening opposing parties while repeatedly insisting that everything was “legal and compliant.” And Adrian had said all of it with such confidence.
Could it really be legal?
The more Lena thought about it, the more curious she became.
It felt as though a cat were scratching at the inside of her chest, and now she desperately wanted to see the “implementation plan” Adrian had promised her.
In the end, she suppressed her curiosity and turned back to Clara.
“Don’t worry.
He probably isn’t lying.” Lena paused.
“After all, according to him, he’s the moral paragon of the legal profession.” …
At 4:30 that afternoon, a taxi stopped outside Blackwood & Reed Law Firm in Greenwood City.
The door opened, and Adrian stepped out.
He entered the building and had barely crossed the lobby when he ran directly into Marcus Hale, who was dressed as sharply as ever.
Marcus appeared to be looking for someone.
When he heard the door open and saw Adrian walking in, his eyes immediately lit up and a warm smile appeared on his face.
“Adrian.” Adrian glanced at him.
Marcus continued, “The team has a few longtime clients coming in tomorrow for consultations.
Come in a little early so you can—” Adrian did not stop walking.
He passed Marcus without the slightest change in expression and left only two casual words behind.
“No time.” Marcus froze.
The smile remained fixed on his face as Adrian walked away.