Chapter 19 Clayton's eyes instantly turned grim, and he was lost in his thoughts. He made a name for himself early on, thanks to a great mentor and a high-profile case fighting for unpaid wages on behalf of migrant workers. Back then, he was full of ambition. He was idealistic and determined to speak up for the underdogs. But over time, he and his mentor started butting heads. He didn't like being told what to think or how to act. Eventually, he left his mentor's firm and started his own business. No one believed he'd make it. His father even warned him that if he didn't prove himself in a year, he'd have to go along with the family's plans. When the firm opened, his mentor showed up to offer congratulations. But rumors started swirling that they had fallen out, and Clayton's reputation took a hit. His business was nearly dead at that time. However, the pressure from his father never stopped. That was when Audrey walked into his life. Maybe she was his last stand against the family. She married a girl from a small town, with no connections, no backing. Even after the wedding, when the firm was still struggling, Audrey never gave him any pressure. She worked in import-export trading and had a lot of client contacts. Whenever someone needed legal advice, she'd recommend Clayton. And then, almost like magic, after she gave him that bracelet, things began to turn better. He started by reviewing corporate contracts, and then, companies started. hiring him as legal counsel, and then came lawsuits. Just like that, Clayton was back on the radar and became an up-and-coming star in the legal world. 1/6 20 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Clayton's eyes instantly turned grim, and he was lost in his thoughts. He made a name for himself early on, thanks to a great mentor and a high-profile case fighting for unpaid wages on behalf of migrant workers. Back then, he was full of ambition. He was idealistic and determined to speak up for the underdogs. But over time, he and his mentor started butting heads. He didn't like being told what to think or how to act. Eventually, he left his mentor's firm and started his own business. No one believed he'd make it. His father even warned him that if he didn't prove himself in a year, he'd have to go along with the family's plans. When the firm opened, his mentor showed up to offer congratulations. But rumors started swirling that they had fallen out, and Clayton's reputation took a hit. His business was nearly dead at that time. However, the pressure from his father never stopped. That was when Audrey walked into his life. Maybe she was his last stand against the family. She married a girl from a small town, with no connections, no backing. Even after the wedding, when the firm was still struggling, Audrey never gave him any pressure. She worked in import-export trading and had a lot of client contacts. Whenever someone needed legal advice, she'd recommend Clayton. And then, almost like magic, after she gave him that bracelet, things began to turn better. He started by reviewing corporate contracts, and then, companies started. hiring him as legal counsel, and then came lawsuits. Just like that, Clayton was back on the radar and became an up-and-coming star in the legal world. 1/6 8:58 pm Chapter 19 "Emilia, thanks for pulling a late one yesterday," Clayton said, snapping back to the present. He knew what Emilia was getting at. She'd been with the firm since day one. She was his senior from law school and a quiet witness to the firm's growth. "I'm just doing my job," Emilia said before walking out. She'd said what needed saying. The rest was up to Clayton himself. Maybe Emilia's words worked, but guilt crept into Clayton's mind again. He picked up his phone and transferred 150,000 dollars to Audrey as compensation for wrecking her job.