No assurances

"Everything I said is the truth, Lawyer Jim. I don't need to clarify anything to you, but you are helping me to get my shares back. That's why I told you the truth. As my lawyer, I shouldn't hide anything from you." 

Roxanne's words confused the top lawyer in the country, Jeremy Masters. He was in his late twenties, and only started the law firm three years ago. However, he was already a force to reckon with, and many would prefer settlement to going against him in court. 

Since the other party said what she said was the truth, lawyer Jim could only take her words for it. 

"Okay. Walk me through everything that happened." He requested in his business-like voice as he flipped through the document before him. 

"Manny Hansley needed money to prevent his business from going bankrupt. According to him, his finance manager embezzled company funds and got caught. The case was in court, and he needed money urgenly, as the court helped him recover everything that was stolen." 

Roxanne began her story as if Manny Hansley had nothing to do with her. 

"Wait! Let me get this straight. You mean the embezzlement case is already in court?" Lawyer Jim began jotting a few things down, only for Roxanne to dissuade him. 

"Don't bother yourself. There's no case in court. Apparently, he only gave me a convincing story to make me release the shares to him. There's no embezzlement, and there's no court case. I discovered that earlier today." 

Roxanne responded with anger in her voice. Lawyer Jim could only shake his head inwardly. 

What Roxanne did not add was that, she first discovered Manny Hansley was married with two kids, and his wife was heavily pregnant when she saw them exiting the gynecological department of the Saint City military hospital. It was that scene that prompted her to investigate his claims of embezzlement in his company. In the end, everything pointed to Manny lying to her from the onset, and that was why Roxanne went home with tears in her eyes. She subsequently locked herself in her room after telling her mother what she did. 

"Okay. Please continue." He urged her, with an expressionless face. Roxanne couldn't tell what the young man was thinking, but she didn't care. After all, she was stupid enough to gamble with her family's shares in her father's company. Who cares what her lawyer thought about her? As long as he helped her get everything back, she didn't care if he trampled on her in his head.

"I used the shares as collateral, so he could get a loan from the bank. Everything was supposed to fall in place within a month. However, I gave him three months to pay back and release my shares." Roxanne was too angry to remain seated. She stood up angrily and said to Jim, "Tell me what I need to do to get the shares back, Lawyer Jim." 

Staring at her fuming face, Lawyer Jim kept his thoughts to himself and returned his gaze to the document in his hands. 

"May I know who drafted this contract?" He asked, pausing to make notes at certain pages. 

"I did. I took some law courses in my university days, so I knew that much." She responded, not looking away from the lawyer. 

"It's a good thing you did." Lawyer Jim mentioned casually, then he motioned for her to come closer. "This clause right here is the solution to your problem." He then closed the document and seemed to be in deep thought, Roxanne's eyes seemingly boring holes into his body. 

"You mean I can get the shares back, right?" Roxanne asked to be sure. 

"No. I didn't promise you anything." Her heart plummeted, as she staggered back a few steps. 

'I should take a little revenge on you for causing my buddy so much pain all these while, shouldn't I? Tsk!' The man resolved, enjoying her pale expression. He knew she was scared, and that was what he wanted her to feel. 

His buddy had been wrapped around Roxanne's fingers for the longest time. If he didn't do that much to pay her back, albeit briefly, he wouldn't be able to face his friend later. 

One thought that remained on Jeremy's mind was, 'How is Sebastian taking all these?' After all, it's not everyday that a man would offer to help his wife recover everything her lover scammed of her. 

"After Sebastian called, I requested the court to lay an injunction on the bank's takeover of your shares. I just got confirmation that it's been done. I also made the bank an accomplice. They couldn't have been in the dark about all these." Jim responded, ignoring her petrified look. Roxanne saw a figment of light at the end of the tunnel. Lawyer Jim would do his best to help her, or so she thought 

"Let's go." He stood up abruptly, his neatly tailored suit screaming luxury. Roxanne finally got a better look at what he was wearing and was shocked. However, she told herself she was overthinking things, as it was impossible to be what she guessed it to be. Maybe it was only a resemblance to it. 

"Where are we going?" Roxanne probed, watching the man pack a few documents into his bag. 

"Court." Jim responded curtly. 

Roxanne was shocked that he already scheduled a court session within an hour of hearing about everything. 

However, he was the lawyer Jim that every lawyer feared in the city, after all. Many owed him, and he never relented in calling in those favours. 

"You can drive your car, and I'll drive mine." Lawyer Jim spoke as soon as they exited the office. 

"L… Lawyer Jim," a middle-aged woman rushed toward the young man as soon as they stepped out of the office. 

Roxanne's thoughts about lawyer Jim not willing to breathe the same air as her, quickly vanished to the back of her mind when she noticed the queue in his secretariat. 

There were other lawyers in the firm, but she was sure that all the people at this section were here to see the young man who was going to court with her. 

Some of the people passed her scornful gazes, as others' were that of raw envy. No matter what they thought of her, she didn't care. 

"Lawyer Jim, I've been waiting for you as you requested. Are… you stepping out?" A middle-aged woman asked carefully. She was the first in line, and it was obvious that she was supposed to be attended to next. 

"Madam Cross, our scheduled time is 2:30 p.m. You are two hours earlier than we agreed. Rest assured, I'll be back in time for our appointment." As lawyer Jim said this, the woman smiled amiably, nodding at every word he spoke. 

Roxanne followed lawyer Jim quietly, her shades hiding her expression from everyone. 

The woman's name hit her hard, as she knew what her fate would be. Roxanne was no saint, as she had no business going about saving everyone. However, she couldn't just allow the woman to fall into the hands of the people who are scheming against her. 

That withstanding, her own problems were long enough to form a bridge over the Pacific. She was conflicted, as she kept checking her watch every now and then.

"Lawyer Jim, can I use the washroom briefly?"