CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 148: LIKE A SHADOW AT YOUR SIDE

Sienna was provoked by Lawyer Chandler’s remark about "going to the station," her eyes narrowed, her fingers tightly clutching her handbag, her smile disappeared instantly.

Her voice was icy: "Watch your words! What do you mean ’committing a crime and going to the station’? As a seasoned lawyer, are you eager to taste what it’s like to defend yourself?"

Their confrontation drew not only the entire foreign affairs department but also people from other departments to watch the drama unfold.

With the growing crowd, Lawyer Chandler was suddenly invigorated, spewing all sorts of unpleasant remarks.

He sneered with mockery, "No wonder your aura is getting stronger than when you first arrived, guess you’ve hooked up with the heir of the Forrester Family."

Speaking, he swept a glance over Sienna from top to bottom, snidely commenting, "With looks like that, it’s easy to get things done! Anyway, as long as you... haha! Everyone used to think you were Partner Reed’s good protégé, now it seems you’re stepping on Partner Reed to reach the Forrester Family! Impressive!"

The bystanders whispered among themselves, but Sienna’s expression remained calm. She even curved her lips into a smile, stepped forward, and smiled before passing Lawyer Chandler:

"Getting things done effortlessly, entering Vantage easily, not because of my looks, but because I’m a Harvard JD (Doctor of Law), the same major and degree as the former President of The M. Republic... I know you disliked me from the start, thinking I got in through connections because of a lack of capability... If two years aren’t enough for you to see my abilities, not enough for you to drop your prejudice, then I have nothing more to say. Ha!"

Saying this, she curled her lip sarcastically and went to Rochelle Linwood’s place.

Lawyer Chandler turned blue and red, speechless.

Onlookers laughed and dispersed in groups, whispering as they left, "Even the most highly educated Lawyer Thornton can handle Lawyer Chandler... many have suffered from Lawyer Chandler’s venomous tongue, none have stood up to him like Lawyer Thornton..."

"It’s precisely because Lawyer Thornton is highly educated that he wants to use his deputy minister position and seniority to suppress her, simply to prove that a highly educated overseas returnee isn’t that remarkable... but she really is elite... Harvard Law School isn’t just for anyone, it’s genuinely elite education..."

Lawyer Chandler left in anger.

Sienna chatted with Rochelle Linwood for a while, inviting her to the office.

As soon as she turned away, Rochelle’s voice "Lawyer Thornton, the office..." met her gaze.

Ahead, in the office opposite Rochelle’s cubicle, through the transparent glass wall, a woman in her twenties was sitting there, in Sienna’s seat.

Sienna frowned slightly, walked over in high heels, entered without knocking.

The latter person wasn’t surprised, but pretended to be unfamiliar, "Hello, who are you looking for?"

"I am Sienna Thornton."

Sienna said, scanning the office.

Her personal items were all gone, cleared neatly, instead, there were two stacked boxes beside the sofa.

She walked over, peeked into the boxes, then looked up at the person with a frosty gaze: "Who allowed you to pack my personal items here?"

The person stood up just then, feigning surprise, "Oh, so you’re Lawyer Sienna Thornton!"

She spoke, walked over, "It was like this when I arrived, I don’t know who organized it."

Sienna looked at her coolly, making her uncomfortable, her eyes began to flit around.

Sienna glanced at the items in the box coldly, "Alright, I’ll take these things back first. If anything is missing, see you in court!"

After saying this, she tapped the glass to signal Rochelle to come in and sat directly on the sofa, slightly lifting her chin, glancing at the person, asking: "What’s your surname?"

"Oh," the person laughed, walked over and sat down too, "I’m Young."

"I have something to discuss with Lynch, could Lawyer Young excuse us?"

"Alright."

The lawyer with Young as a surname went out, Sienna signaled Rochelle Linwood to close the door. Once Rochelle was seated, she asked: "Who packed my things?"

"Not sure, they’ve been untouched till now, but two days before Lawyer Young arrived, those two boxes appeared, guess the minister had someone pack them at night."

Sienna let out a heavy breath gathered in her chest, said nothing, was silent for a while, then patted Rochelle’s shoulder: "I’m looking for a new law firm, if I need an assistant, are you willing to come over?"

"Okay." Rochelle nodded, though hesitated, pondered a moment and added, "Heard that the bar association is investigating you."

Sienna was stunned: "And then?"

Rochelle: "Not sure of the details, but you might want to ask Partner Reed, heard that the bar association people contacted him."

"Alright, you go out first, let’s have lunch together later." Sienna said.

When Rochelle left, she considerately closed the door for her. Sienna watched her return to her cubicle, her expression complex.

Leaving Vantage, Rochelle is the hardest to part with.

Sienna snapped out of it, calculated the time difference with Britione, it was now past four in the afternoon.

She called Thomas Reed.

The call was answered quickly on the other end.

Thomas Reed: "Sienna, how have you been lately?"

Sienna: "I’m here at Vantage today for resignation procedures."

Thomas Reed: "I know about it, just focus on finding a job, let me know if anything goes wrong."

Sienna let out a soft "hm," squeezed her phone, asked: "Heard the bar association contacted you?"

The line was silent for a few seconds.

A moment later, Thomas Reed said: "Yes, but it’s fine now, don’t worry."

He said it’s fine, so it should really be fine; Sienna didn’t say more and hung up.

The handover with Lawyer Young didn’t take long; Lawyer Chandler’s claims of delays due to lack of handover were pure exaggeration, just deliberately finding fault.

At lunch, Sienna invited Rochelle to a private restaurant near the law firm.

Neither of them were big eaters, ordered a few dishes, and they were just right.

During the meal, Sienna asked: "What’s Lawyer Young’s background?"

Rochelle: "Heard she’s the classmate of Lawyer Jefferson from the family department, also returned from overseas."

"Lawyer Jefferson?" Sienna suddenly recalled Jane Jefferson who once gave her a hard time in the restroom. That vivid face flashed before her eyes.

She never had a bad impression of her before, only thought she looked undeniably feminine, her face strikingly beautiful, her figure equally tall and shapely, undoubtedly the type men liked.

Moreover, her professional skills were quite competent, being the same age as her, but joined Vantage a year earlier, moderately reputable in the family law field in Brimfield’s legal circle.

In the past two to three years, having managed financially lucrative divorce, child asset dispute cases, her wealth should be substantial.

It’s just she used to be low-key, but in the past six months, her presence was significantly more felt, though not overtly, rather like she was ever-present.