Chapter 6
Emily Windsor's POV
The office was unusually chaotic when I returned to the firm.
Yet inside, my thoughts were still as death—Luke's words wrapping around me like invisible chains.
The moment I stepped through the door, Joe rushed toward me, anxiety written all over his face. "Emily, Julie's back. She brought Jacob's legal team with her. Says she's here to collect all the Victor family case files."
My brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Julie certainly worked fast. Or rather, Jacob's infatuation with her had reached the point where consequences no longer mattered.
I took a deep breath, set my bag on the desk, and smoothed my suit jacket. Every ounce of emotion locked down tight.
"Send her in." My voice came out perfectly level, betraying nothing.
Moments later, Joe pushed open the door. Julie strode in like she owned the place, two suited attorneys trailing behind her. One carried a bulky file box.
She'd dressed up today—a tailored Chanel suit, flawless makeup, every strand of hair radiating smug satisfaction. Her gaze swept over me, dripping with undisguised contempt and provocation.
"Emily. Mr. Johnson sent me to collect all the Victor family case materials." No preamble. No courtesy. Her tone carried the weight of an order, not a request.
She emphasized "Mr. Johnson" as if Jacob's name alone gave her all the authority she needed.
I looked up, my eyes landing on the file box behind her. I didn't respond immediately.
The office fell silent except for the sharp click of Julie's heels on the floor and the uncomfortable breathing of the two attorneys behind her.
"Miss Perez, you seem to have forgotten something." My voice cut through the quiet—steady, precise, carrying the full weight of seven years' legal expertise. "The Victor family case is still under my supervision. According to professional protocols, transferring case materials requires proper procedure. Do the people you brought have authorization to receive them?"
Julie's smug expression froze for a split second before snapping back into place. "Emily, why are you being so difficult? Jacob said you're no longer a partner at our firm, which means the Victor family case should be handled entirely by us. All you're doing is stalling because you can't handle losing."
The two attorneys behind her exchanged glances—clearly uncomfortable with Julie's blunt, insulting approach—but given Jacob's position, they kept their mouths shut.
I let out a soft laugh and rose from my chair, moving to stand before my desk. Both hands resting on the edge.
My gaze locked onto Julie like a blade. "Miss Perez, in my entire career, 'losing' has never been part of my vocabulary. As for Mr. Johnson's decision, I respect it. But everything must be done by the book."
I stepped closer. Julie barely reached my shoulder—she had to tilt her head back to meet my eyes. I looked down at her, my presence overwhelming. "The Victor family case runs deeper than you can possibly imagine. You don't even have a law license, and you want to insert yourself into this? Do you have any idea what the consequences could be?"
Julie's face paled, but she quickly straightened her spine, refusing to back down. "Whether I'm qualified is for Mr. Johnson to decide! Emily, you're nothing but a woman he dumped. What gives you the right to act all high and mighty in front of me? Don't think I don't know—you were at that upscale club the other night, drowning your sorrows and throwing yourself at random men! What, can't survive without Mr. Johnson?"
Her words struck like daggers, hitting every vulnerable spot I had.
My nails bit into my palms, the sharp pain bringing a sliver of clarity through the haze.
"Miss Perez, you seem awfully interested in my private life." I took a slow breath, my voice dropping to ice. "Unfortunately, my personal business is none of your concern. However, your behavior has already violated professional ethics—and constitutes slander."
I turned to the two attorneys behind her, my gaze razor-sharp. "Gentlemen. As attorneys at Jacob Johnson's firm, you should be well aware that demanding case materials without proper authorization and transfer documentation is a serious violation. Furthermore, Miss Perez has just publicly attacked and slandered me. That constitutes grounds for legal action. Are you certain you want to enable this behavior?"
Both men's faces darkened instantly.
They were seasoned professionals. They knew the stakes. Going head-to-head with a top commercial litigator—especially when she had them dead to rights—was no joke.
Julie clearly hadn't expected me to push back so hard. Her bravado crumbled. "You—you're twisting my words! When did I attack you?"
"Oh, really?" I smiled coldly and picked up my phone from the desk. Right in front of Julie, I opened the voice recorder app.
My voice echoed through the office, calm and unshakeable. "Miss Perez, every word you just said—including your insults and slander—has been recorded in full. If Jacob wishes to obtain these files through these methods, I'm more than happy to oblige. But understand this: once we enter legal proceedings, Miss Perez, your conduct will be held to account."
I paused, locking eyes with Julie again. A subtle warning threaded through my words. "The Victor family case isn't some toy you can play with. Jacob threw you this grenade. Are you sure you can catch it?"
Julie's face cycled through shades of red, white, and pale green. Fear flickered in her eyes.
She'd clearly never imagined I'd escalate to legal threats. She'd only come here to humiliate me while completing her errand—riding high on Jacob's favor. Instead, I'd turned the tables completely.
"I... I was just..." She stammered, unable to muster a single cocky word.
"Emily, we only came to understand the situation today." One of the attorneys finally broke his silence, attempting damage control. "We'll handle the file transfer through proper channels."
"Excellent." I pocketed my phone, my tone returning to its usual composure—as if the verbal sparring match had never happened. "Please inform Jacob that I will continue overseeing the Victor family case until the formal transfer procedures are complete. Until then, no one has the authority to interfere."
My gaze swept over Julie one last time, carrying a clear warning. "As for you, Miss Perez—a word of advice. Don't turn the workplace into a battlefield for your personal grudges. Some things, once you touch them, you can never wash off."
Julie glared at me, but couldn't summon a single retort. She turned and fled my office, flanked by the two attorneys.
The moment the door closed, Joe let out a long breath. He looked at me with concern. "Emily, are you okay?"
I shook my head and sank into my office chair, drawing a deep breath.
The rage inside hadn't entirely subsided, but at least I'd held my ground. I'd bought myself breathing room.
Julie's provocation was only the beginning. The Victor family case—and Luke, that dangerous man—loomed before me like twin icebergs. I didn't know what was coming next. But my legal instincts screamed that I needed to be sharper, stronger, more vigilant than ever before.
I picked up the Victor family case file from my desk, fingers tracing the cover.
Luke had said this case was more dangerous than I realized.
What did he know?
And how was I supposed to protect myself—and uncover the truth—in the middle of this whirlpool?