CHAPTER 141: CHAPTER 140: BEFORE THE TRIAL (FIRST UPDATE)

Simon Forrester was a bit confused at the moment. He walked forward and asked softly, "Do you want to buy something? Write it down and I’ll go buy it for you later. It’s too hot outside, so don’t go out yourself."

Sienna Thornton looked at him for a while, then moved her gaze to the man in luxury brands in the living room, becoming very cautious.

"I just heard him say he wants to sue you. Now that I’ve taken your money, I’m your lawyer. We have a confidentiality agreement and a duty of representation. For any question you don’t wish to answer, I can negotiate with the other party on your behalf. If there are questions you’re unsure about or don’t want to answer, you can refuse. This is your basic right."

Upon hearing this, Simon suddenly realized, laughed a few times, reached out to touch her hair, and said softly, "No, we were just kidding, not actually going to sue." After speaking, he turned his head and gave a look to the man in luxury brands.

The man also scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "Right, right, we were just playing, no suing, no suing, go ahead and sleep."

"Go ahead," Simon also said.

Sienna frowned at the man once more before returning to her room.

However, she didn’t fall asleep but instead left the door slightly ajar to carefully listen to what the people outside were saying, fearing that the man might bully Simon.

Outside, when Simon retracted his gaze, his eyes still carried intense affection, with a smile on his lips, appearing like a pure young lad experiencing the beauty of love for the first time, in stark contrast to the anger he had earlier.

Jack Hawthorne made a goosebumps-inducing gesture.

Simon rolled his eyes at him and went to sit on the sofa.

Jack scooted over and said with a smile, "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"A lawyer?"

"Yes."

"Quite pretty."

Simon ignored him, got up, and went to the balcony to smoke.

Jack followed, saying, "Where did you pursue her? I find her quite familiar, like I’ve dated someone like this before..."

Simon gave him a sideways glance, tossed him a cigarette, wanting to shut him up.

While the cigarette was lit, his mouth wasn’t shut.

Jack scanned the old balcony, then gave Simon’s T-shirt and checkered pants a sideways look, ridiculing, "I really don’t understand what you artistic types think, willing to live in such an old and shabby place instead of a multimillion luxury apartment. You now look like a frog under a witch’s spell..."

Afterward, he found himself particularly humorous and laughed sullenly.

Simon didn’t feel like engaging in idle chitchat, finished a cigarette, and said casually, "I have something to do in August, can’t make it to the Northeast, figure it out yourself." After speaking, he was about to head back inside.

Jack let out a "hey," pulling him back, half of the playful expression on his face receding, with worry in his eyes, "What’s up? Tell me, maybe the guys have a solution."

Though he knew the Hawthorne Family is powerful, even Tobias Blackwood couldn’t handle the issue with the B&B guesthouse, so Simon didn’t mention it to Jack.

Jack then seized the opportunity to hang around, on one hand urging Simon to go to the Northeast, on the other asking if Sienna has any sisters that look alike.

Simon, tired of his antics, both coaxed and tricked Jack into leaving.

Upon entering, he brushed his teeth, planning to go back to sleep. When he opened the door, he saw Sienna pacing in the room, biting her thumb.

He cautiously observed her expression and asked, "Why aren’t you sleeping?"

Sienna came over and asked, "Are you avoiding the Northeast because you have a court case coming up?"

He instinctively wanted to deny it but then thought how clever Sienna is, deciding not to hide it from her.

Upon hearing that his situation with the B&B guesthouse could affect a project worth hundreds of billions, Sienna lost her temper, went to the next room, and pulled out his suitcase, starting to pack his clothes.

Not daring to aggravate her, he quietly watched her place his clothes inside one by one.

While packing, she said, "I’m really out of things to handle here, the lawsuit is like that, the worst is just compensating. You should go to the Northeast relieved; I just covered a hole here, and you can’t get sued over there! Breaching a contract for a project worth hundreds of billions would bankrupt you! You really infuriate me! Now even you are worrying me..."

She rambled on like pouring beans, her voice becoming a bit strange, leaving the clothes half-packed, she sat at the end of the bed, frowning, lost in thought.

Seeing her like this, Simon’s heart was also wrenched.

He stepped forward, held her in his arms, kissed her on the temples, and said helplessly, "Am I annoying even when I’m around every day?"

She muttered quietly, "Sometimes, yes."

Simon understood those feelings well. Similarly, when his work wasn’t going smoothly, he hoped for peace and quiet to sort things out alone without interference.

Especially someone like Sienna, accustomed to independence since childhood and to a high-pressure rhythm, needs plenty of time to calmly think and handle her own affairs.

"All right," he agreed readily, "I’ll go to the Northeast this afternoon and try to be back before the trial. These days, don’t run around and stay home waiting for my return, okay?"

Sienna responded with a "hmm," and stood on tiptoe, giving him a peck on the lips.

...

Simon had only been in the Northeast for a couple of days when Thomas Reed, who had initially agreed to be the defense lawyer for the B&B case, suddenly claimed he had personal reasons and couldn’t make it to court, suggesting another lawyer from Vantage experienced in infringement litigation. Sienna, who intended to defend herself, refused Thomas’s suggestion.

On the day of the public hearing on August 7th, light drizzle fell from the sky. The heat intensified, as the rain soaked the air, making people feel sticky both mentally and physically.

Sienna woke up at dawn, freshened up, applied a spirited makeup look on herself, and when she changed into the suits she usually wore for work, discovered all the skirts and blouses were one size too big.

She stepped on the scale and, goodness, had lost nearly eight pounds. At her height of five-seven, she weighed less than a hundred pounds.

She let out an "ouch" and jumped off the scale, running to the washroom, where Simon was brushing his teeth, to announce: "I’m happy! I’ve lost eight pounds! Truly a blessing in disguise!"

Simon, with his mouth full of foam, gave her a sideways glance and said, "I wondered why tonight holding you felt like you’re withering... That little frame of yours, I’m really afraid of crushing you... Let’s go out and eat something good tonight..."

"Sounds good!" She replied with a smile.

Both pretending to be relaxed, acting indifferent, to make the other feel better. But what a heavy day today is!

Sienna’s nose suddenly tingled, her lips trembled, and she escaped back to the room to pick out clothes.

Leaving those loose suits behind, she found a black dress in her wardrobe she bought two or three years ago in the United States.

The design of the dress was quite unique, resembling a tailored suit collar, sleeveless, fitted waist, and knee-length, outlining her slender yet graceful figure.

She was looking for the side zipper when suddenly her slender waist was embraced.