A Second Chance at Forever ( Eleanor Shultz )

Sigrid was reluctant to hand the case over to Chase, but now she was cornered by the plagiarist's provocations, which had made headlines. The court of public opinion turned against her, with countless uninformed netizens branding her a copycat and even tarnishing the reputation of the Laurence family.

Sigrid had no desire to engage in online spats and had no choice but to seek legal counsel, hoping to share the court's verdict with the public. To her dismay, lawyers were turning her away, all except for Chase...

She suspected Chase had pulled some strings. After all, as a high-powered lawyer, he had the means. She didn't call him out, though. Instead, after much hesitation, she reached for the business card on the table, "I hope that after this case... we never see each other again."

Chase's eyes glistened with tears as a smile of relief slowly surfaced. "Ms. Laurence, rest assured, after this case, I'll be out of your life..."

It wasn't that he didn't want to see her; he simply wouldn't have the chance. He hoped that after he was gone, Sigrid could live happily ever after, free from the turmoil his presence caused.

With that thought in mind, Chase rose from his chair reluctantly. "During the trial, I'll need some evidence from you. Don't blame me for showing up often..."

Sigrid merely nodded, giving Chase no reason to stay. He mustered his strength and left.

Watching his gaunt figure fade away, Sigrid had a fleeting thought that Chase might not be long for this world.

She quickly dismissed the notion and returned her focus to the craft she was working on...

Since Chase needed to gather evidence, he had every right to visit Sigrid's studio. Each visit was short on business and long on invitations to dinner or coffee, sometimes staying until midnight under the pretext of escorting her home.

Gradually, Sigrid's resistance to Chase's presence weakened, though she still longed for the case to conclude swiftly. Chase, sensing her urgency and thought it showed her disdain of him, hastened the legal proceedings.

On the day of the trial, afraid that medication would make him drowsy, Chase went without. This might have been why he was found before the hearing, slumped over a toilet in the restroom, vomiting blood uncontrollably...

When Sigrid couldn't find him, she

et

was informed by one of Chase's students that he hadn't left the restroom. Summoning her courage, she placed an "Out of Order" sign at the door and, click-clacking in her high heels, went to find him. Content

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The moment she entered, the heavy scent of blood hit her, and she called out with a creased brow, "Chase, are you there?"

Cleaning his mouth with tissue and flushing away the blood, Chase responded with a shaky voice, "I'm here."

As Sigrid approached the stall, her hand poised to knock, she hesitated and withdrew. "We're about to start the trial. Why are you still in here?"

Chase, pale as a ghost and bleeding from the nose, still managed to apologize, "Sorry, I must have eaten something bad this morning. Don't worry, I won't delay the trial." After a brief pause, Sigrid advised him to hurry and left...

The fading sound of her heels left Chase in tears. Once upon a time, she would have burst in at the slightest sign of trouble. Now...

Chase managed a feeble smile. It was his own doing, he had pushed her away so cruelly years ago. Her indifference was warranted.

Chase took his medication to stop the bleeding, washed his face, swapped his suit jacket with the help of a student, and gathered his strength to face the court.

Dressed sharply in his suit and black tie, he shone in the courtroom, rendering the opposing counsel speechless. It was a sight Sigrid had never seen before.

She had playfully clung to him when he chose to study law, vowing to be the first to watch Chase in court. But before his first trial, he had pushed her away in the most brutal way...

The memory of Chase being with another woman, even years later when she knew it wasn't true, haunted her like a nightmare. Sigrid had a severe psychological scar one she never spoke of to anyone. Only she knew how painful the memories buried in her heart were.

The lawsuit ended as Chase had promised, swiftly and in their favor. Sigrid posted the verdict online without a word, merely a photo of the court's decree of compensation. It was a clean, triumphant

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vindication.