CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25: YOU LIKE STEP-SIBLING ROMANCE

Jean Ellison stood next to Philip Paxton, inexplicably feeling as if she’d been caught red-handed by Justin Holden.

Philip, noticing her unease, gently tugged at her arm.

His broad hand wrapped around her slender arm for a moment, and she stepped slightly to the side, discreetly moving away.

She’s not Claire Caldwell; what is she afraid of?

Yes, Justin Holden had reminded her not to find Jesse a stepfather, not even a potential one.

Her relationships with other men were tied to whether she could reclaim custody of Jesse.

But Officer Paxton was Jesse’s uncle, her cousin in name.

"Lawyer Holden, is there something you need?"

She was the first to ask, while Philip looked at her with a touch of puzzlement.

"This is Justin Holden, Lawyer Holden."

She introduced quietly to him.

"Met before." Philip gave her a reassuring look, which settled her anxious heart.

Of course, they’d met before, five years ago when she was arrested and imprisoned.

Philip was the detective responsible for her arrest, and Justin was the prosecutor for the Caldwell family fraud case.

"Lawyer Holden, long time no see."

Philip extended his hand, standing straight, his police uniform complementing his commanding presence.

Justin kept his left hand with the watch in his pants pocket, his right arm naturally hanging by his side.

He glanced at Philip, then focused back on Jean’s face.

"Get in the car, I have something to say to you."

Jean moved slightly, out of habit; she used to listen to Justin too much, to her own detriment.

This time, she did not get in the car.

"Lawyer Holden, perhaps we could talk another day? Today’s a workday, and I’ve only taken a half-day leave."

She didn’t check the time, guessing it was around ten in the morning.

"You don’t look like you’re out of time."

Justin glanced at the narrow road leading to the villa entrance, his lips pressed into a straight line.

Such a busted road, only fifty or sixty meters long, yet two people took ten minutes to walk, like a red carpet walk.

He saw it all from the car.

Jean was unnerved by his unwavering gaze.

"Whether she has time or not doesn’t concern you much, does it, Lawyer Holden?"

Philip spoke coldly, his gaze toward Justin holding long-standing anger.

After Claire was taken into custody, he heard that this Lawyer Holden had been Claire’s classmate and neighbor for years.

Justin’s courtroom demeanor showed no acknowledgment of knowing Claire; instead, he might have thought they held animosity toward each other.

Picking on a destitute orphan girl, what kind of man does that make him?

"Fine, you two carry on."

Justin’s gaze was icy, with a smile that never reached his eyes, sending a shiver through Jean.

He turned to leave, his smile instantly vanishing.

"Wait."

"It is relevant; it definitely is."

Predictably, Jean called out to him.

He stopped, a darkness swirling in his eyes, turning back with a cold, stern face.

Philip furrowed his brows, perhaps mistaking the fleeting smug smile on Justin’s face.

"I’m currently in a lawsuit to regain custody of Jesse, and Lawyer Holden is my lawyer."

Jean explained to Philip, while Justin seemed to harden even more.

Does she have to tell him everything; is she that close to him?

"Having any trouble?"

Philip lovingly lowered his head to look at her, responding to her words.

He was the first to take Jesse from the nurse, only to hand him over to Isabel immediately.

The nurse had said his focus was solely on his wife, never sparing Jesse a glance.

When he heard those words, it felt like his heart was filled with something.

Jean shook her head.

Justin’s deep voice resonated between them, distant and cold, "Officer Paxton, she’s my client. Whether there’s trouble seems irrelevant to you."

This remark sounded familiar.

Jean closed her eyes helplessly, unable to watch. How old was he, still playing tit-for-tat?

But indeed, it worked.

Philip bit his cheek, forcing himself to remain silent. He was never good with words, settling matters with his fists even with criminals.

As a detective, how could he out-talk a lawyer?

He disdained verbal arguments, believing action to be more important.

"Jean, if you encounter any trouble, let me know. I’ll help resolve it. No need to ask others or put yourself in a difficult position."

He glanced at Justin, more like a side glance, casually withdrawing his gaze afterward.

Justin was notorious for his harshness and stubbornness; Jean dealing with him must have endured much snide remarks.

She must have been in a rush to get her daughter back to seek his help despite grievances.

Jean’s good.

Justin’s bad.

Jean nodded, "Don’t worry, I’m not troubled."

She didn’t want to trouble Philip either.

The Jennings family was powerful, making even top law firms like Keystone cautious, let alone a mere detective.

He’d just become a detective team leader at a critical point where many were likely watching him, ready to catch his mistakes.

Her matters could be resolved by herself.

Her daughter, she would find a way to get her back.

The house from her hometown was already entrusted to a broker to sell, expected to fetch seven to eight hundred thousand.

Adding the hundred thousand from selling photos to Justin previously, and earning some more by doing several interviews with bonuses, she should save enough for Jesse’s surgery before that.

Philip seemed about to say something when his phone rang from his police pants pocket.

He answered the call, his brow furrowing, face turning stern and severe, suggesting an emergency case.

"You should go, duty calls."

Justin closed his eyes momentarily, maintaining a stance with one hand in his pocket, waiting for them to finish their long-winded farewell before reopening his eyes.

Philip had already walked away.

He took a long stride forward, approaching Jean, coldly questioning.

"Have you forgotten what I said to you before?"

Jean raised her head, looking into his eyes, meeting his gaze.

"I haven’t forgotten."

"Don’t find Jesse a stepfather, or the Jennings family will seize it, affecting the judge’s decision."

Behind his glasses, Justin’s dark eyes were deep, his Adam’s apple moving up and down quickly.

"You remember clearly, yet your actions seem beyond the control of your brain."

Jean thought he was suggesting she wasn’t thinking straight.

After all these years, he still criticized without cursing, more sarcastic than ever.

Jean helplessly glared at him, saying, "Philip Paxton is not a stranger; he’s Jesse’s uncle."

"Can’t tell you have a thing for orthopedics?"

Justin adjusted his frameless glasses perched on his nose, eyes swirling with darkness.

He recalled his first visit to the Caldwell family with his parents to greet new neighbors.

Claire came downstairs, blushing, softly calling him brother, her voice sweet and soft like her.

Whatever background Philip had, he didn’t know, but Jean and he looked nothing alike, no way siblings from any angle.