CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: TALIA BATTLES THE THUG

Angela Coleman saw the assailant’s knife approaching, and she instinctively grabbed a person nearby to shield herself.

The face of Claire Yorick, who was grabbed, turned pale, her whole body trembled like a sieve, and she was so nervous and scared that tears streamed down her face.

The vicious assailant gripped the dagger and stabbed towards Claire Yorick.

Claire Yorick closed her eyes abruptly, giving up resistance.

However, the anticipated pain did not come.

A sound of collective gasps filled the surroundings.

Claire Yorick trembled as she opened her eyes, speechless in shock at the scene before her.

Talia Rhodes was fighting the assailant empty-handed.

The assailant had a knife and had lost his sanity, fighting chaotically with frenzied stabs and slashes. Talia Rhodes dodged left and right, avoiding fatal blows, but still got her arm wounded by the knife.

Blood immediately flowed out, staining her white shirt red.

The assailant roared, "You’re damn seeking death!" and charged again with the knife.

Talia Rhodes endured the pain, dodged sideways from the dagger, and suddenly seized the wrist of the hand holding the knife, twisting it forcefully.

A crisp "crack" sound accompanied by the assailant’s scream filled the air.

The assailant reflexively loosened his grip due to the pain, and the dagger fell to the ground.

Talia kicked the dagger far away, and a male colleague bent down promptly to pick it up.

Without the fatal threat of the dagger, the assailant was completely no match for Talia Rhodes.

Talia first delivered a series of straight punches causing the assailant to howl in pain, then followed with a high kick to the man’s head.

The man was kicked dizzy, unable to find his bearings, and before he could stabilize, Talia executed a series of chain kicks and an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming the man heavily onto the ground.

Exclamations echoed around them.

Everyone was dazed.

No one expected the seemingly quiet Lawyer Rhodes to be so formidable in a fight!

After Talia Rhodes completely subdued the assailant, the emergency services and the police finally arrived on scene.

As the assailant was taken away, Timothy Palmer, who was lying in a pool of blood, was also carried off by the emergency services.

Only then did people dare to approach and talk to Talia Rhodes.

Witnessing a colleague being stabbed, the law firm’s members felt no post-crisis relief, but only fear and anxiety.

Claire Yorick’s face was covered with tear stains, and she was so nervous and scared that even speaking was stammered, "Lawyer Rhodes, I... I thought I was going to die... It was so terrifying, if it weren’t for you, I’d definitely be gone by now. Thank you, Lawyer Rhodes."

Jane Young was also still shaken, her face pale, "Ten years in the profession, this is the first time I’ve encountered such a situation, being a lawyer is indeed a high-risk occupation."

Angela Coleman’s face was still marked by terror, "Supervisor Yang, Lawyer Zhang... Lawyer Zhang won’t be..."

Jane Young coldly replied, "Lawyer Zhang will surely be fine."

Several male colleagues, having recovered from fear, began to praise Talia Rhodes’s skills and courage.

"Lawyer Rhodes, I didn’t realize you had such skills, I was stunned watching just now, you’re too cool!"

"Yeah, Lawyer Rhodes, thank you for saving all of us."

"Lawyer Rhodes, my biggest misunderstanding of you was thinking you were quiet."

To the male colleagues’ praises, Talia Rhodes did not say a word.

She walked towards Angela Coleman with a stern face, "Lawyer Chen, were you just trying to use Claire Yorick to block the knife for you?"

Feeling guilty, Angela Coleman dared not meet Talia Rhodes’s gaze, she stammered, "I... I was just acting under emergency defense..."

The law firm’s colleagues had all seen Angela Coleman grab Claire Yorick to block the knife in the moment of crisis.

Now hearing her say this, they all simultaneously cast disgusted glances at her.

Angela Coleman felt trapped; if she hadn’t grabbed someone to block the knife, she would have died herself.

People are inherently selfish.

"An emergency defense indeed." Talia Rhodes’s voice was icy and devoid of warmth, "And you call yourself a lawyer. Don’t you know that human life cannot be used as an emergency defense?"

This basic legal knowledge is known by anyone who has studied law.

Angela Coleman was clearly trying to justify herself.

Talia Rhodes stared into Angela Coleman, with eyes like daggers, as if trying to pierce a hole through her.

"Angela Coleman, you should be grateful I was here today. If I hadn’t intervened, Claire Yorick would have died by the assailant’s knife, and you’d be guilty of intentional murder."

Angela Coleman bit her lip, speechless, her face devoid of color.

At this point, Claire Yorick showed concern, "Lawyer Rhodes, your wound is still bleeding, please go to the hospital and get it treated."

Talia had also sustained injuries; although not critical, she’d lost quite a bit of blood, with her entire left sleeve soaked in it.

She no longer paid any mind to Angela Coleman and left the law firm heading to the hospital.

After treating her wound and paying for medication, Talia Rhodes ran into Vivian Coleman.

Vivian Coleman with a stern face, spoke harshly, "Talia Rhodes? What are you doing here?"

Talia was somewhat surprised to see Vivian Coleman.

I didn’t expect her to come to Oakhaven with Ethan Grant.

It makes sense though, Ethan Grant always takes Vivian Coleman wherever he goes. Coming to Oakhaven, he surely wouldn’t leave her behind in Mirehaven.

Talia Rhodes didn’t want to waste words with Vivian Coleman, bypassed her, and left.

Vivian Coleman glared daggers at Talia Rhodes’s back.

Talia Rhodes, you’re really quite the haunting presence.

Immediately, she thought of Ethan Grant.

Hadn’t they just been enjoying themselves in Zheria, when Ethan Grant suddenly booked a ticket to Oakhaven, could it be for Talia Rhodes?

Was his injury last night related to Talia Rhodes?

Thinking of this, Vivian Coleman clenched her fist.

...

Adrian Jennings found out about the incident at Senco Law from the news and promptly called.

"Talia, I just saw on the news there was a disturbance at your law firm and someone got stabbed, are you okay? Where are you now? I’ll come find you."

Talia was carrying a bag of medicine, chatting on the phone while pressing the elevator button, "I’m fine, I’m at the hospital where you’re staying now, heading over to your ward to check on you."

Adrian Jennings’s tone was urgent, "Is the injury serious?"

Talia calmly replied, "It’s no big deal, just a cut on my arm, a superficial wound, it’ll be fine in a few days."

The elevator ascended, reaching the floor of Adrian Jennings’s ward, Talia walked into the room with the medication.

Adrian Jennings saw the gauze on her arm, his eyes showed concern.

"That looks serious." His eyes showed deep pain, clearly distressed.

Talia glanced at Adrian Jennings’s expression.

Seeing the wound dressed, invisible, he still felt such pain?

If earlier the doctor hadn’t cut off the sleeve during dressing, wouldn’t Adrian Jennings have been utterly distressed seeing the blood-soaked sleeve?

"You should have a bodyguard; being a lawyer is a high-risk profession, I won’t be at ease without one. Do not refuse, Talia, I don’t want a next time."

Talia pursed her lips and muttered an "okay."

Adrian Jennings took her hand, speaking warmly, "I’ll pick two skilled bodyguards to keep you safe."

Talia replied, "One is enough, today was an exception, it’s not usually this dangerous."

Adrian Jennings insisted, "I’m not at ease with just one."

"Alright then." Talia looked up at him, an uneasy expression on her face, "But... I work most of the time. Having a bodyguard could affect my job."

Adrian Jennings: "That’s easy to handle, I’ll speak with the boss of Senco, have them set up a security room where the bodyguard can stay at the law firm as a security guard."

"That sounds like a good idea, let’s do it your way. After this incident, I’m sure the firm will also prioritize lawyers’ personal safety more."

Talia noticed the small table by Adrian Jennings’s hospital bed, with a laptop on it.

Talia felt some concern for Adrian Jennings’s health, she frowned slightly, "Even in the hospital, you’re working? Take a few days to rest properly."

"The company has some important matters I need to oversee. I don’t feel at ease leaving them to someone else."

"But you also need to take care of your health."

Talia showed initiative in caring for him, Adrian Jennings’s dark eyes rippled gently, filled with warmth, "Alright."