CHAPTER 12: CHAPTER 12: HE RESPECTS HIS TEACHER LIKE A FATHER

Jean Ellison was afraid he would say something he shouldn’t, like Jesse’s case, or mention that she just got out of jail.

These matters were irrelevant to others and shouldn’t involve anyone else.

She tugged at Simon Sterling’s pristine sleeve, almost pleading, and whispered, "I should get back to the company. Doctor, you should leave too."

"Alright."

Simon Sterling looked at her gently, his gaze sweeping over to Justin Holden, where his expression suddenly turned cold, and he quickly left the hospital room.

He felt some hostility from Aunt Kingston’s son-in-law towards him.

Jean Ellison grabbed her handbag from the table, walked out of the hospital room without looking back.

As she passed by Justin Holden, she suddenly stopped.

"Don’t forget what you promised me."

She reminded him to be careful; Jesse was her daughter, and she couldn’t accept losing the case.

"Hmm, you too."

Justin Holden’s tone was flat, which slightly confused Jean Ellison.

"Me too, what?"

"At this crucial point, don’t find a stepfather for your daughter, not even a potential one."

Justin Holden’s handsome face was calm, his eyes behind the rimless glasses were steady, showing a trace of determination.

As if this matter was very important, affecting the outcome of the case.

"I understand."

Just as Jean Ellison left, Justin Holden also departed.

Back at the law firm, he was accustomed to working late into the night.

Samual Pryce returned to the office looking tired after being out, initially intending to get his keys, but was surprised to see the lights still on.

"Hey, isn’t this about that previous case?"

"You weren’t going to take it; I saw finance drafting a compensation contract."

Justin Holden sat at his desk, piles of case files stacked high, the computer screen filled with dense English text.

He took off his rimless glasses with one hand, wiping the lenses, and said, "I’ve changed my mind."

Samual Pryce pulled up a chair to sit opposite him, the smell of alcohol strong on him.

"Locked out again? The blanket’s on the sofa."

Justin Holden put his glasses back on, kept his head down, flipping through the old case files, his tone indifferent.

"Never mind my issues, let’s talk about this case first."

"Do you know about Jesse’s adoptive family, they’re Hong Kong-based wealthy merchants, rich for eight generations. Taking this case, aren’t you making enemies for yourself?"

Samual Pryce gestured with eight fingers; he had learned that the Jennings family wasn’t just any affluent business family, they had both money and influence.

Tackling this case, isn’t it career suicide?

"What you mentioned has nothing to do with the case."

Justin Holden looked up, his deep eyes calm, but there was a slight bluish tinge under his eyelids.

"Yes, their wealth doesn’t relate to the case itself, but it does affect you."

Justin Holden turned a deaf ear, as Samual Pryce shuffled his chair closer and continued.

"Did you know the Jennings family hired a legal team from the United States?"

"Hmm."

"All are from prestigious schools, and they even hired three professors from Harvard Law School."

"Hmm."

Justin Holden’s brief responses seemed dismissive, his attention focused on the files.

"One of them is your mentor, Professor Zachary Thorne."

Upon hearing this, his hand, flipping through the files, paused midway, the furrow on his brow deepened.

"Previously...the Caldwell family’s case, wasn’t it him who tasked you with handling it?"

"He’s your teacher, you being his pupil, he knows all your tactics, he won’t let you win."

"Don’t try if you can’t win."

"For an insignificant case, involving a woman you barely know, it’s not worth opposing your mentor."

Justin Holden looked down at the case files in his hands, his expression calm, but his eyes behind the glasses were chaotic.

"Think carefully about my words."

"Go home and rest early; you’re so invested in that female inmate’s case, others might assume the child is yours."

Samual Pryce, feeling a bit parched, got up to get a glass of water outside.

Upon returning, he found the door locked, the house key he came back for was tossed on the floor.

Only a single floor lamp was lit inside the office.

Justin Holden leaned back in his chair, his posture straight, eyes closed, with shallow creases on his eyelids and a frown on his brow.

The dim light cast on his striking profile, his defined features seemed shrouded in worry, appearing somewhat fatigued.

"Anyone would think that child is yours..."

Samual Pryce walked away, but his words lingered in Justin Holden’s ears.

If Claire Caldwell hadn’t been taken by the police, would their child be as old as Jesse, four years old?

Probably a girl too.

His instinct.

He reopened his eyes, pulled open the top drawer beside him, and took out a laminated photo placed inside.

It was Jesse.

This photo was passed on to him by Lawyer Warner.

Initially, he had refused the case.

Winning wasn’t necessarily good for the child; there was too much difference between the adoptive parents’ and the biological mother’s conditions.

But when he saw Jesse’s photo, he froze.

This child resembled someone.

He had seen photos of Claire Caldwell as a child, shown to him at the Caldwell household by Susan Kingston.

A round face with big eyes, very fair skin, rosy cheeks, and soft hair tied into two small pigtails.

Just the right amount of chubby, extremely cute, with two small dimples at the corners of her smile.

He declined a few cases, stayed in the country instead of traveling with his team, and finally met this child’s mother.

However, she wasn’t the person he thought she was.

There are so many similar-looking people in the world.

It was late at night, the phone casually placed beside him started vibrating.

"Hello, who is this?"

His voice was low, with a hint of hoarseness.

"It’s me, Jean Ellison."

A pleasant female voice, gentle and soft.

"Is there something you need?"

Hearing her voice on the phone, Justin Holden paused for a moment, he didn’t know why he had been thinking about Jean Ellison lately, and just as he was contemplating, she called.

He sat up straight, glanced at the time on the wall, 1 a.m.

Jean Ellison: "I...I’ve changed lawyers, recommended by a friend."

Justin Holden said nothing, nor did he hang up the phone.

Jean Ellison waited quietly, and after a moment, the man’s voice came through again, with a flat tone.

"Alright, understood."

"Sorry to bother you, Lawyer Holden."

Jean Ellison quickly hung up the phone, her palms sweaty.

She glanced at the news on her computer, a photo of Ian Jennings and Zachary Thorne, just their backs.

The headline was about a Hong Kong-based businessman meeting with a renowned lawyer privately, suggesting a possible legal dispute involving the Jennings Group.

There was no commercial dispute, it was just an attempt to fight for custody against her.

She happened to know both of them well, one was her cousin’s husband, the other her ex-boyfriend’s teacher.

Even from just their backs, she immediately recognized them.

Ian Jennings had brought in Justin Holden’s mentor for her case, she didn’t feel at ease leaving it to Justin Holden anymore.

Justin Holden revered his teacher like a father, he wouldn’t argue against his mentor in court.

He heeded Teacher Thorne’s words almost completely.

Teacher Thorne had stated that Claire Caldwell’s fraud case deserved a six-year sentence.

Justin Holden collected evidence and had the judge sentence her to six years.

He didn’t listen to a word of her explanation.

Rather than risk Justin Holden deliberately losing in front of his mentor, she might as well change lawyers now and take a gamble.