CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: I’M A LAWYER, NOT A TECHNICIAN

The next day, as soon as Talia arrived at the law firm, she noticed something strange about the atmosphere.

Everywhere she passed, she could hear people whispering.

Talia walked to her workstation and sat down.

Timothy Palmer, the lawyer who shared the office with her, had not yet been discharged from the hospital, so she was alone in the office for now.

Not long after she sat down, Jane Young came in.

Standing at the door, she knocked twice and said to Talia, "Come to my office for a moment."

Talia roughly knew what she wanted to ask about, nothing more than what had happened last night.

In the office, Jane Young sat at her desk, her gaze sharp and her expression angry. "I heard that when I had you go talk about the case with Victor Kenyon last night, you had a conflict with two clients and even hit someone?"

Talia explained, "I went to discuss the case, but those two executives only had sleazy things on their minds. They harassed me, so it was self-defense!"

Jane Young’s face looked very unpleasant, and her tone became more severe. "Talia Rhodes, I know you’re good in a fight. Last time, when someone made trouble, you saved us, but you need to know that violence can’t solve any problems!"

Talia’s expression was extremely indifferent. "I was polite and courteous at first, but they seemed not to understand human speech. Manager Young, I’m a lawyer, not a technician. For lousy clients like them, we might as well not have them."

Upon hearing this, Jane Young was instantly furious. She slammed the table and angrily said, "What arrogance! Do you know how much of a loss your reckless actions last night caused our firm? A five-year legal consulting contract is worth 150,000! Plus, those contract disputes and trademark infringement cases would earn at least 500,000 in legal fees! You vented, beat those people without a word, so are you going to cover this 650,000 loss?"

Talia’s lips twisted into a cold smile. "Okay, I’ll fill this hole for you today, but in the future, don’t send me to clients so full of lust."

Jane Young didn’t believe that Talia Rhodes had such capabilities. Her tone was firm, "Before the end of the workday today, I want to see the signed contracts and the payment transactions from the other party. If not, don’t bother coming in tomorrow. According to the firm’s personnel rules and labor laws, you caused significant losses to the firm, and the firm has the right to dismiss you without any compensation!"

Talia replied coolly, "I understand."

Talia walked out of Jane Young’s office and passed by Victor Kenyon’s office.

Victor Kenyon happened to walk to the door and came face to face with Talia Rhodes.

With a sarcastic tone, Victor Kenyon said, "Oh, Lawyer Rhodes, you lost such a big case by offending clients last night, and you still have the face to come to work? If it were me, I’d have no face to see anyone."

Talia shot him a cold look without responding and brushed past him back to her office.

Before long, Talia received a message from Claire Yorick.

[Lawyer Rhodes, Lawyer Coleman and Lawyer Kenyon have posted about you on their Moments. Have you seen it?]

Soon after, she sent two screenshots, which were from Angela Coleman’s and Victor Kenyon’s Moments.

Angela Coleman: [Some women are so shameless, not working hard despite being young and healthy, and instead relying on their looks to find a sugar daddy. Such people claiming to be lawyers are a disgrace to the legal profession.]

Victor Kenyon: [Some people are absolutely disgusting. If you don’t need money, then don’t come out to work. Stay with your rich old man driving the Cullinan. The moment you come to experience work life, you lose a big case by offending clients, and drag me down with you. You’re being supported by an old man and still acting all high and mighty in front of clients—really playing both roles.]

Talia saw the screenshots and clicked into Angela Coleman’s Moments, only to find she was blocked.

Similarly, Victor Kenyon had also blocked her.

Talia saved these two screenshots.

She replied to Claire Yorick’s message.

[These statuses don’t name anyone directly. How do you know they’re talking about me?]

Claire Yorick: [Lawyer Rhodes, I’ve heard them privately saying that you’ve been kept. I heard that it was spread initially by Lawyer Coleman and Lawyer Kenyon.]

[They even created a group chat to gossip about you, and you’re not in it. I’ll send you screenshots.]

Soon, Claire Yorick sent over thirty screenshots. Talia looked through them one by one, her heart burning with anger.

She had thought treating everyone to a high-end restaurant meal could foster better coworker relationships, but she didn’t expect these people to be so two-faced. They greeted her with smiles while saying such dreadful things behind her back.

Angela Coleman and Victor Kenyon led the rumors, slandering her, and other colleagues, with no evidence, just followed along with the gossip. Whatever people said, they believed.

Talia then realized she had oversimplified the workplace.

Thinking that she could improve relations and maintain colleague relations through a meal seemed too naive.

This place really devours people without leaving a trace.

In that instant, she understood; here, only strength and background matter. No one cares if you’re kind or how you treat others.

Being too kind and agreeable can actually make you easy prey.

Looking at the screenshots on the computer, Talia gritted her teeth silently.

Talia Rhodes: [Claire, thank you for telling me all this. Can you do me a favor?]

Claire Yorick quickly replied: [Of course, Lawyer Rhodes, you saved my life. Just tell me what you need help with.]

Talia Rhodes: [Next time they talk about me, help me record it.]

Claire Yorick: [Sure.]

Talia took a deep breath and calmed her emotions, then called Shawn Rhodes.

"Hey, Dad, does our company need a legal consultant?"

After hanging up, Talia got up, went to the printing room to print several contracts, and headed straight to her family company.

When she arrived at the company, she went straight to the chairman’s office.

Shawn Rhodes had just finished a meeting and was waiting for her in the office, knowing she was coming.

Talia threw the contract on the desk, "Dad, take a look at the contracts. If there are no issues, just sign them."

Shawn Rhodes flipped through the contracts page by page.

"I asked the assistant; the company’s legal consulting contract with the previous firm expires at the end of the year. I can sign a five-year contract with your firm, but it will start being effective from the beginning of next year."

Talia nodded, "No problem, but after signing today, the payment has to be made immediately."

Shawn Rhodes gave her a look, "In such a hurry?"

"Yes, last night I went to negotiate a case and got harassed by two old perverts. The case didn’t go through, and the manager gave me an ultimatum."

Hearing that she was harassed, Shawn Rhodes’s tone immediately became anxious, "Who dared to harass you?"

Talia shrugged, "Don’t worry, they didn’t get any advantage and even got a beating."

Shawn Rhodes frowned tightly, "Talia, maybe you should stop being a lawyer. Not long ago, your firm had issues, and now you’ve been harassed again. There’s too much risk in being a lawyer. What if they retaliate against you someday? You’d better come back to work at the company. I’ll give you a general manager position."

Talia shook her head, "No, for now, I still prefer being a lawyer. I hold shares in the company, and the dividends are enough for me. Besides, I know nothing about running a company. If you make me general manager, aren’t you afraid I’ll ruin it?"

Shawn Rhodes couldn’t help but laugh, "I’ll hire professionals to assist you."

Talia still declined, "No need, maybe when I get tired of being a lawyer."

Shawn Rhodes sighed helplessly, "You..."

He signed the five-year legal consultant contract and immediately called the finance department to transfer 150,000 to the law firm’s account.

Talia smiled and said, "Does the company have any current disputes?"

Shawn Rhodes called his subordinate through the internal line.

"Let Xiao Zhang tell you; I don’t usually handle these matters."

"Alright."