"Esther, I understand how you feel right now, but Pamela and I are absolutely innocent. I swear to God if you don't believe me."

As soon as Hans finished speaking, I threw the package I had received that afternoon in his face.

A box of contraceptives and several sets of bed sheets.

There was also a small note.

[Mrs. LaRue, your trip abroad coincided with my rent being due and Mr. Lowell kindly took me in.]

[During that time, I used up your entire box of contraceptives and stained several sets of your bedsheets.]

[I'm not the type to take advantage of others, so I'm returning everything to you now. We're even.]

Ultimately, there was a playful emoji of a cat sticking out its tongue.

Even though I had completely given up on Hans, I was still furious when I first received the package.

From childhood to adulthood, I had never endured such provocation and humiliation!

After reading the note, Hans shot Pamela a disapproving glance, but that was all.

Not even a single word of reprimand.

It was clear how much he pampered his precious little assistant.

"Honey, let me explain."

"Pamela did stay at our place for a few days, but using up your birth control pills and staining the sheets has nothing to do with me."

"She must have brought her boyfriend over when I wasn't home, you know … "

I knew what?

I knew your damn nonsense!

I was so angry my chest was heaving, but I couldn't help but laugh and give him a thumbs-up.

"No wonder you're the nation's top lawyer. Your eloquence is top-notch. You can even come up with a forced explanation in the face of ironclad evidence!"

"Honey, you have to believe me."

Hans said, constantly giving Pamela meaningful glances.

Pamela shrugged and said, "My boyfriend and I were the ones who stained your sheets and my boyfriend and I were the ones who used the birth control pills afterward."

"The pics I posted last night were because my boyfriend and I were arguing out of spite. I begged Mr. Lowell for a long time to cooperate with me in acting out a scene to provoke my boyfriend."

"As for losing the lawsuit against your father's company, it was indeed due to my lack of ability."

"Speaking of which, there's an advanced training program being held in the capital in a couple of days. The tuition for one session is 88,000 dollars. Could you arrange for me to attend on the company's dime?"

"Once I finish the program, if any of your relatives get into a lawsuit, just come to me and I guarantee you'll win. How about it?"

After hearing this, I was so angry my lips started twitching.

I've seen plenty of bitches, but I've never seen one as despicable as her, so outrageous and disgusting.

The only response I could think of was to slap her.

Slap!

I struck her so hard she fell to the ground, blood streaming from her nose.

"Pamela!"

Hans exclaimed in shock, quickly helping her to her feet. He no longer had the same humble attitude as before; his expression changed instantly.

"I've been tolerating you all along, but you've become increasingly arrogant. Now you dare to hit someone!"

"Sob, sob."

Pamela sobbed. "How dare you slap a lawyer? I'm going to sue you!"

"I have a severe headache and dizziness, my mind is confused and my vision is blurry. It's most likely a severe concussion."

"If I refuse to settle, you'll at least have to spend a year behind bars!"

Seeing her resorting to tantrums again, I sneered and clapped my hands.

"No wonder you're a lawyer. You really do know the law."

"But unfortunately, you won't have the chance to sue me."

"Come out."

Before Pamela could react, a middle-aged man walked down from upstairs.

Hans immediately recognized him as Sebastian Fox, the president of the Latrell Lawyers Association.

"Mr. Fox?"

"What are you doing here?"

Sebastian ignored him and came over to me, speaking respectfully.

"Mrs. LaRue, we have clear and sufficient evidence that Pamela privately accepted bribes from the plaintiff, fabricated evidence and made false statements in the case involving your father's company."

"The case has been filed and the trial will begin in six days. What outcome do you expect? Our team needs a clear direction to work toward."

Under Pamela's terrified gaze, I coldly uttered several words.

"Revoke her license and let her rot in jail!"

Sebastian paused for a few seconds, then nodded with a smile.

"Alright, no problem."

"Esther, you're insane!"

Hans roared, "What you're doing is no different from killing Pamela!"

"What, you're already feeling sorry for her?"

I stepped forward, patting his cheek as I said, "Don't worry, the crazier part is yet to come."

"What else do you plan to do?"

Hans frowned, a sudden bad premonition rising in his chest.

Before he could react, Pamela's phone rang.

She wasn't in the mood to answer it, but when she saw it was her mother calling, she pressed the answer button.

"Mom, I'm busy right now. Can we talk later?"

"No, dear!"

"It's an emergency! We can't wait a minute!"

Her mother's anxious voice came through the line. "Just now, the city inspectors came and forcibly confiscated the barbecue stall your father and I run on the street!"

"What?"

Pamela frowned even more, lowering her voice. "Didn't I already have a word with the county's city inspectors? Why would they still bother you and Dad?"

"It must be a misunderstanding, right?"

"No, it's not a misunderstanding!"

"Pamela, did you offend someone in the city?"

"Huh?"

"Mom, why are you asking me this?"

Her mother, on the other end of the phone, grew even more anxious, stomping her feet as she said, "Because the inspectors who confiscated our barbecue stall said we failed to raise our daughter properly!"

"They said our daughter dared to get involved with an important figure and we won't have an easy life in the county town from now on!"

"An important figure?"

Pamela was even more confused and instinctively looked at Hans beside her.

The only important figure she knew was Hans.

She was already struggling to please him every day, let alone offend him.

"Mom, you and Dad, don't panic yet."

"I think they must have mistaken someone else for her. Once I finish handling the matters at hand, I'll help you resolve this."

No sooner had she finished speaking than another shout came over the phone.

"What are you doing? What gives you the right to arrest people?"

"Even if we were selling illegally, our stalls have already been confiscated. Why bother with handcuffs?"

"Hmph, pretending not to understand, huh?"

"Do you have any idea what your lamb skewers are made of? Rat meat!"

"That's deadly!"

"You are now lawfully under arrest, fined a hundred thousand dollars and sentenced to three years of sewing machine labor. Take this time to learn how to be a decent person!"

"Pamela! Save us!"

"The police and food safety officials have arrested me and your father! Don't take my phone!"

"My daughter is a lawyer in a big city and she's the girlfriend of the famous national lawyer, Hans Lowell! She'll definitely call Mr. Lowell to save us."

"Beep! Beep!"

The call was forcibly disconnected and Pamela's face turned pale.

Just as she realized the situation was serious, I leisurely sipped my coffee.

I said calmly, "Your parents are both in jail. Your brother, who's taking the civil service exam, is going to be in trouble too, right?"

"Even if he graduated from a prestigious university, got the highest score on the written exam and just passed the interview, he won't pass the political background check."

After hearing this, Pamela's eyes widened and she stared at me intently.

Her expression of disbelief and astonishment made me feel a surge of satisfaction. I grinned and teased, "What's with that little expression?"

"Where's that defiant attitude from earlier?"

"Don't worry, it's not a big deal. If he can't pass the civil service exam, he can still inherit the family business and continue selling grilled lamb skewers."

"But don't try to fool anyone with rat meat again. If someone actually dies from eating it, it won't just be a matter of fines and sewing machines."

"It'll cost you your life."

"As a lawyer, you should know this better than I do."

"You!"

Pamela suddenly raised her hand and pointed at me, her face a mix of disbelief and shock that instantly turned into sheer horror. A deep sense of dread and panic flashed in her eyes.

"Was it you, the important figure my mom mentioned?"