Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 20: Chapter 20
You are reading Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary, Chapter 20: Chapter 20. Read more chapters of Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary.
At 9 p.m., Susan arrived at Anchor Law Firm, the biggest law office in Veritasiton.
She knocked on the door. A deep, steady voice came from inside. "Come in."
Susan walked into the office, her belly clearly showing. "Mr. Hartley, here's tomorrow's schedule. And this is the renewal contract for the Jennings Group."
Adrian nodded without looking up, still focused on the case files.
Susan stood there, hesitating.
"Is there something else?" Adrian took off his gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed his brow.
"Mr. Hartley, my maternity leave is coming up soon," Susan said.
"Oh? So you've made your choice?" Adrian asked.
Adrian was always busy and relied heavily on his assistant. Two months ago, he gave pregnant Susan two options.
Option one: Adrian would hire a new assistant. When Susan returned from leave, she'd get a secondary assistant or assistant secretary role in the executive office.
Option two: Susan would find someone to cover for her during her leave—someone just as capable.
That person had to fully learn the firm's workflow and understand Adrian's habits and needs before starting. If anything went wrong during that time, Susan would be responsible for fixing it.
It was more work, but if Susan chose that, she could return to her current position after her leave.
Susan had worked for Adrian for seven years. The pay had always been good. But now she had a mortgage, a car loan, and soon a baby to support. Taking a lower-paying job as a second assistant wouldn't cut it.
So naturally, she chose the second option.
"I found someone to fill in," Susan said. "She's my classmate from Westbridge University. Just graduated. Triple major in psychology, finance, and law. During college, she even worked as an executive assistant at WonderPool for six months."
Adrian stayed focused on the files. "Do you think being an executive assistant is the same as being a secretary?"
"Of course not," Susan said, "but if she can handle the harder job, she can handle this too.
"She's a fast learner. I'll make sure she knows your habits and needs inside and out. You'll be happy with her."
Adrian was actually pretty satisfied with Susan. She was easygoing and professional, and knew how to keep things running smoothly. The only downside was that she loved money and always asked for raises. Other than that, no complaints.
What he liked most, though, was that she didn't flirt with him. Adrian couldn't stand women who threw themselves at him.
He glanced at her round belly and said, "Fine. Have her come in for a short trial. If anything goes wrong, I'm calling you back."
Susan lit up. "Got it."
"You can head out for the day," Adrian said. "I'll drive myself."
Susan didn't argue. "Thank you, Mr. Hartley."
Usually, she had to wait for Adrian to leave before she could go. Today, he let her off early for once. She was grateful.
Adrian watched her waddle out of the office like she was skipping. He shook his head. "Careful."
Once she shut the door, the office went quiet.
Adrian suddenly felt a little regretful. He should've asked her to make him a cup of coffee before leaving. He needed it to get through the heavy case files.
He picked up his mug, went to the coffee machine, and made himself a cup. One sip in, he frowned.
Just then, a text came in.
Susan: [If you want coffee later tonight, there's a new café at 98 Glory Street. I tried it—you'll probably like it.]
After seven years, Susan could even guess when he'd want coffee.
Adrian texted back: [Pregnant women should cut back on caffeine.]
He almost never made his own coffee, but he loved drinking it. He had very specific tastes—about the heat, strength, and acidity.
He dumped the coffee and sat back down to work.
Another message from Susan came in. [They've got good snacks too.]
Adrian realized he was hungry. He closed the file, grabbed his coat, and left the office.
At 10 p.m., Adrian pulled up in his black McLaren outside 98 Glory Street.
The café wasn't big, and the crowd wasn't large either, but the place had a nice vibe.
He walked in, took a seat by the window, and picked up a menu. "Set A and a hand-brewed Mandheling."
Mandheling was the only coffee he drank—just like his character: always the same, a bit dull. At least that's how he saw himself.
The café was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, with a faint sweetness from milk in the air. It made people relax without even trying.
"Sir, your coffee," the barista said, placing a white porcelain cup with delicate lace patterns in front of him. The coffee inside had an intricate latte art design.
Adrian took a sip. The temperature was just right, and the texture was smooth. The Mandheling had its signature low-key acidity—subtle, but persistent.
Pure black coffee wasn't ideal this late at night, so this cup had a bit of milk in it—just the way he liked it.
Maybe it was just habit, but he pulled out his phone and checked the café's business registration. What he found surprised him. He stared at the names on the page and gave a small smile.
Ruby Lawson, 60% stake. Elara Langton, 40%. He remembered those two names—they belonged to the young ladies he'd met just yesterday.
Meanwhile, outside the café in the small courtyard, Elara and Ruby stepped out of a pink BMW and spotted the black McLaren parked by the door.
"Damn! Elara, is our place getting famous already?" Ruby squealed.
"What?" Elara rubbed her still slightly sore nose.
Ruby leaned in close to the expensive black McLaren to get a better look.
"Hey, don't go touching someone else's car," Elara warned.
Just then, a well-balanced light meal was served to Adrian's table. He picked up his knife and fork and slowly cut into the tender steak.
At the same time, he glanced outside. Seeing Ruby and Elara circling his car, he let out a faintly amused smile.
Ruby stood by the hood, striking poses and asking Elara to take pictures of her.
Elara, barely keeping her patience, snapped dozens of shots before Ruby was finally satisfied. Then the two of them walked into the café.
As soon as they stepped in, the barista greeted them. "Hey, Ruby, Elara."
Ruby looked around as she walked in. She lowered her voice and asked one of the employees, "Whose car is that outside?"
The barista gave a subtle nod toward the window. Ruby and Elara followed their gaze—just in time to see Adrian's sharp, aloof face.
He gave them a slight, unreadable smile and raised his eyebrows in a playful way.
Elara's head was still spinning a little from the drinks she'd had earlier. She blinked, then opened her eyes again—nope, not a hallucination.
She couldn't figure out why she'd run into Adrian three days in a row. And she really didn't understand why the heir to the richest family in Veritasiton was so easy to bump into.
"Ruby, Elara, Mr. Rinaldi's already here. He's at the table in the very back," the barista said.
Ruby nodded. She and Elara walked toward the table in the back.
Elara wore a white, cinched-waist dress with a light yellow cardigan over it. Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and from behind, she looked distant and quiet. Her cheeks were a little red from the alcohol, making her seem soft.
As they passed Adrian's table, he caught a faint scent coming from Elara's hair. He couldn't help but wonder what perfume she was wearing.
If he remembered right, that white dress was the one she'd left on the bathroom floor the other day.
After they sat down, Ruby and Elara greeted Simon. "Hey, Simon, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Ruby, Elara," Simon replied.
They'd met Simon at a coffee shop in Edansia. Back then, they were traveling and found Simon's café warm and relaxing, with great coffee. He was the one who first encouraged them to open a shop of their own.
"I haven't been back here in over twenty years. This place has changed a lot," Simon said with a smile. "And your café looks great."
"Thanks for the kind words," Ruby said. "So, how long are you staying this time?"
Just then, Elara's phone rang. "Sorry, Simon. I need to take this," she said.
"No problem," Simon replied.
Elara jogged out to the little courtyard and picked up the call. "Susan?"
"Elara, I told my boss about you today. He said you could start with a trial shift soon," Susan said on the other end.
"Great," Elara said. "You go ahead and pick the time. I'm free anytime."
"Awesome!" Susan said happily. "Thank you so much, Elara."
"No need to thank me," Elara said. "Just send me the company info and what your boss needs. I'll start going over it."
"OK, I'll send it once I have it all together," Susan said.
"All right," Elara replied. "Get some rest and take care."
"Got it. Good night," Susan said, then hung up.
After ending the call, Elara noticed a pinned WhatsApp message from Alex. As she read it, a wave of frustration hit her again.
Alex: [Elara, how about we go look at houses this weekend? Which neighborhood do you like?]
Elara sighed and turned off her screen. She spun around to head back into the café—only to run straight into Adrian, who was leaning against the McLaren, smoking.
She knocked on the door. A deep, steady voice came from inside. "Come in."
Susan walked into the office, her belly clearly showing. "Mr. Hartley, here's tomorrow's schedule. And this is the renewal contract for the Jennings Group."
Adrian nodded without looking up, still focused on the case files.
Susan stood there, hesitating.
"Is there something else?" Adrian took off his gold-rimmed glasses and rubbed his brow.
"Mr. Hartley, my maternity leave is coming up soon," Susan said.
"Oh? So you've made your choice?" Adrian asked.
Adrian was always busy and relied heavily on his assistant. Two months ago, he gave pregnant Susan two options.
Option one: Adrian would hire a new assistant. When Susan returned from leave, she'd get a secondary assistant or assistant secretary role in the executive office.
Option two: Susan would find someone to cover for her during her leave—someone just as capable.
That person had to fully learn the firm's workflow and understand Adrian's habits and needs before starting. If anything went wrong during that time, Susan would be responsible for fixing it.
It was more work, but if Susan chose that, she could return to her current position after her leave.
Susan had worked for Adrian for seven years. The pay had always been good. But now she had a mortgage, a car loan, and soon a baby to support. Taking a lower-paying job as a second assistant wouldn't cut it.
So naturally, she chose the second option.
"I found someone to fill in," Susan said. "She's my classmate from Westbridge University. Just graduated. Triple major in psychology, finance, and law. During college, she even worked as an executive assistant at WonderPool for six months."
Adrian stayed focused on the files. "Do you think being an executive assistant is the same as being a secretary?"
"Of course not," Susan said, "but if she can handle the harder job, she can handle this too.
"She's a fast learner. I'll make sure she knows your habits and needs inside and out. You'll be happy with her."
Adrian was actually pretty satisfied with Susan. She was easygoing and professional, and knew how to keep things running smoothly. The only downside was that she loved money and always asked for raises. Other than that, no complaints.
What he liked most, though, was that she didn't flirt with him. Adrian couldn't stand women who threw themselves at him.
He glanced at her round belly and said, "Fine. Have her come in for a short trial. If anything goes wrong, I'm calling you back."
Susan lit up. "Got it."
"You can head out for the day," Adrian said. "I'll drive myself."
Susan didn't argue. "Thank you, Mr. Hartley."
Usually, she had to wait for Adrian to leave before she could go. Today, he let her off early for once. She was grateful.
Adrian watched her waddle out of the office like she was skipping. He shook his head. "Careful."
Once she shut the door, the office went quiet.
Adrian suddenly felt a little regretful. He should've asked her to make him a cup of coffee before leaving. He needed it to get through the heavy case files.
He picked up his mug, went to the coffee machine, and made himself a cup. One sip in, he frowned.
Just then, a text came in.
Susan: [If you want coffee later tonight, there's a new café at 98 Glory Street. I tried it—you'll probably like it.]
After seven years, Susan could even guess when he'd want coffee.
Adrian texted back: [Pregnant women should cut back on caffeine.]
He almost never made his own coffee, but he loved drinking it. He had very specific tastes—about the heat, strength, and acidity.
He dumped the coffee and sat back down to work.
Another message from Susan came in. [They've got good snacks too.]
Adrian realized he was hungry. He closed the file, grabbed his coat, and left the office.
At 10 p.m., Adrian pulled up in his black McLaren outside 98 Glory Street.
The café wasn't big, and the crowd wasn't large either, but the place had a nice vibe.
He walked in, took a seat by the window, and picked up a menu. "Set A and a hand-brewed Mandheling."
Mandheling was the only coffee he drank—just like his character: always the same, a bit dull. At least that's how he saw himself.
The café was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, with a faint sweetness from milk in the air. It made people relax without even trying.
"Sir, your coffee," the barista said, placing a white porcelain cup with delicate lace patterns in front of him. The coffee inside had an intricate latte art design.
Adrian took a sip. The temperature was just right, and the texture was smooth. The Mandheling had its signature low-key acidity—subtle, but persistent.
Pure black coffee wasn't ideal this late at night, so this cup had a bit of milk in it—just the way he liked it.
Maybe it was just habit, but he pulled out his phone and checked the café's business registration. What he found surprised him. He stared at the names on the page and gave a small smile.
Ruby Lawson, 60% stake. Elara Langton, 40%. He remembered those two names—they belonged to the young ladies he'd met just yesterday.
Meanwhile, outside the café in the small courtyard, Elara and Ruby stepped out of a pink BMW and spotted the black McLaren parked by the door.
"Damn! Elara, is our place getting famous already?" Ruby squealed.
"What?" Elara rubbed her still slightly sore nose.
Ruby leaned in close to the expensive black McLaren to get a better look.
"Hey, don't go touching someone else's car," Elara warned.
Just then, a well-balanced light meal was served to Adrian's table. He picked up his knife and fork and slowly cut into the tender steak.
At the same time, he glanced outside. Seeing Ruby and Elara circling his car, he let out a faintly amused smile.
Ruby stood by the hood, striking poses and asking Elara to take pictures of her.
Elara, barely keeping her patience, snapped dozens of shots before Ruby was finally satisfied. Then the two of them walked into the café.
As soon as they stepped in, the barista greeted them. "Hey, Ruby, Elara."
Ruby looked around as she walked in. She lowered her voice and asked one of the employees, "Whose car is that outside?"
The barista gave a subtle nod toward the window. Ruby and Elara followed their gaze—just in time to see Adrian's sharp, aloof face.
He gave them a slight, unreadable smile and raised his eyebrows in a playful way.
Elara's head was still spinning a little from the drinks she'd had earlier. She blinked, then opened her eyes again—nope, not a hallucination.
She couldn't figure out why she'd run into Adrian three days in a row. And she really didn't understand why the heir to the richest family in Veritasiton was so easy to bump into.
"Ruby, Elara, Mr. Rinaldi's already here. He's at the table in the very back," the barista said.
Ruby nodded. She and Elara walked toward the table in the back.
Elara wore a white, cinched-waist dress with a light yellow cardigan over it. Her long hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and from behind, she looked distant and quiet. Her cheeks were a little red from the alcohol, making her seem soft.
As they passed Adrian's table, he caught a faint scent coming from Elara's hair. He couldn't help but wonder what perfume she was wearing.
If he remembered right, that white dress was the one she'd left on the bathroom floor the other day.
After they sat down, Ruby and Elara greeted Simon. "Hey, Simon, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Ruby, Elara," Simon replied.
They'd met Simon at a coffee shop in Edansia. Back then, they were traveling and found Simon's café warm and relaxing, with great coffee. He was the one who first encouraged them to open a shop of their own.
"I haven't been back here in over twenty years. This place has changed a lot," Simon said with a smile. "And your café looks great."
"Thanks for the kind words," Ruby said. "So, how long are you staying this time?"
Just then, Elara's phone rang. "Sorry, Simon. I need to take this," she said.
"No problem," Simon replied.
Elara jogged out to the little courtyard and picked up the call. "Susan?"
"Elara, I told my boss about you today. He said you could start with a trial shift soon," Susan said on the other end.
"Great," Elara said. "You go ahead and pick the time. I'm free anytime."
"Awesome!" Susan said happily. "Thank you so much, Elara."
"No need to thank me," Elara said. "Just send me the company info and what your boss needs. I'll start going over it."
"OK, I'll send it once I have it all together," Susan said.
"All right," Elara replied. "Get some rest and take care."
"Got it. Good night," Susan said, then hung up.
After ending the call, Elara noticed a pinned WhatsApp message from Alex. As she read it, a wave of frustration hit her again.
Alex: [Elara, how about we go look at houses this weekend? Which neighborhood do you like?]
Elara sighed and turned off her screen. She spun around to head back into the café—only to run straight into Adrian, who was leaning against the McLaren, smoking.
End of Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary Chapter 20. Continue reading Chapter 21 or return to Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary book page.