Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

'Jealous?' Elara's eyes widened. Adrian's personality profile crumbled and reassembled in her mind as she tried to reconcile this unexpected side of him.
She forced out a stiff question, fishing for answers. "Should I... um, be jealous?"
Adrian burst out laughing, leaving Elara totally confused. "Wanna know if I turned down your boyfriend's case because of Josie?"
Elara nodded, her mind racing. 'Wait, is he going to tell me now? This nice?'
Adrian wiped his hands with a wet wipe, done with his meal. His sharp eyes locked onto hers as he drawled, "So what if it is?"
Elara went quiet. 'Just as I've expected!' he thought.
"So what if it isn't?"
"Huh?" Elara blinked. 'So is it a yes or no?'
Adrian settled the bill and stood up. "Thanks for the steak, and coffee's covered."
Elara remained silent. 'Right, I was the one who invited him for steak. Well, at least he's decent enough to cover the coffee.'
Adrian was about to leave. But suddenly, he turned back and added, "If you're thinking of approaching Josie, drop it. If I hear you're messing with her, forget about Eric—you won't find a single lawyer in Veritasiton or Marisiton who'll touch your case."
Elara froze. 'Can he read minds?'
"Got that, Ms. Langton?"
Elara nodded stiffly. 'He's clearly protective of Josie. But looks like she's completely off-limits.'
Elara pulled out her phone and sent a message to Three Musketeers' Secret Base: [Change of plans. Josie's a no-go.]
Ruby: [What? Adrian doesn't care about his fiancée?]
Elara: [No, he cares very much. I'm worried if we mess with Josie, he will lose it—and then he might even cut us off from Eric.]
She flipped open her notebook and pulled out Adrian's personality profile, crossing out the strategy that involved Josie with a small, decisive X.
Suddenly, it hit her. [Since Eric's on the case, let's put the lawyer stuff and go cheer up Alex instead. Sounds good?]
Ruby: [Good call. He's been down lately. How about swinging by with some snacks and drinks to help him unwind a bit?]
Julian: [Works for me. He's probably off tomorrow anyway.]
Just like that, they were all on the same page.
Evening in mid-September Veritasiton had a crisp edge. The trio arrived at a barbecue joint near their old high school and ordered over two hundred bucks' worth of skewers. Then they sat on the tiny stools outside, watching the owner grill and pack their order.
Ruby sipped hand-squeezed lemonade from the next-door shop when her eyes lit up. "Elara, look!"
Elara took a bite of the sausage Julian passed her and turned to where Ruby pointed.
It was 8 PM—after-school study had just ended. Students flooded out of the main gate in black-and-white fall uniforms, the same ones Elara and Ruby had worn years ago.
The three sat there in silence, watching the scene. Snack vendors lined the street, swarmed by kids in uniforms. Without needing to speak, they three all remembered their own high school days—those sweet, carefree years.
"Elara, I'm dying for Pie Haven," Ruby said softly.
Back in high school, Elara and Ruby had always hit that hand pie stand after evening study. Escaping mountains of textbooks and exam stress, the world suddenly felt lighter. Those hand pies by the school gate? They tasted like pure freedom.
"Julian, stay here and wait for the barbecue. We're gonna grab some hand pies," Elara said.
Julian nodded.
Linked arm in arm, the two girls drifted toward the food stalls by the school gate. The place was packed, with lines snaking everywhere.
They bought the crawfish boil they'd always wanted to try but thought was too pricey, and maybe not worth it. Those corn dogs that used to cost just a buck? They grabbed a dozen without thinking twice. The mini churros that were three bucks a pack had jumped to five, but they still snagged two bags.
They hit every stall on the street, buying stuff on a total whim. When they finally returned, their hands were loaded with way more than just hand pies.
They even got Alex's favorite pumpkin bisque, though they knew it might be cold by the time they got back.
In fact, they weren't expecting Alex to eat it—they'd ordered a mountain of barbecue. They just wanted to bring back old memories, showing Alex that the three of them were still there for him.
Even though there wasn't much they could do for him then, they would never leave his side. And when he needed them, they would have his back no matter the cost.
When Elara and Ruby returned to the barbecue joint, the owner was already packing up their order.
Julian eyed the bags in their hands. "What the heck? We already have tons of barbecue. How'd you two end up with more?"
Ruby shot him a look. "You wouldn't get it. This isn't just about food—it's about the nostalgia."
Elara nodded, smiling.
Julian shook his head. 'Oh, women—what a complicated species.'
As they paid, the owner smiled, "Haven't seen you kids in forever. Where's the other one?" She meant Alex.
Alex was four years older than the others. Since they had grown up in the neighborhood, the owner knew them all by name.
Back in the day, the four of them were inseparable. Neighbors would always tease, "Alex, taking your little gang out again?"
The three of them had trailed after Alex since childhood. When he played basketball with friends, they'd be there on the sidelines.
Alex used to bring them to this barbecue joint all the time—until he finished college and went abroad.
Elara grabbed one of the barbecue bags. "We'll take this to him," she said to the shop owner.
The owner beamed, her eyes crinkling. "That's wonderful. Your friendship is so special. Cherish it."
All three nodded.
Julian's sports car was too fancy for takeout. Hence, Ruby drove the BMW up front, while Elara sat in the back, surrounded by bags, with two cases of beer stashed in the trunk.
Soon they pulled up to Alex's place. Julian hauled the beer, while Ruby and Elara juggled plastic bags, making their way up to the ninth floor.
Elara rang the doorbell twice, but no one answered. She called out, "Alex, you in there?"
"Is he still stuck at the office?" Ruby frowned and knocked again—still no answer.
Julian had a key. "Probably not home yet. Let's go in, drop this stuff off, and call him."
The girls nodded.
Julian set the beer down, fished the key from his pocket, and unlocked the door. It swung open to a lit living room. They stepped inside, arms full—then stopped dead as they saw the two people on the sofa.
Ruby's bag dropped with a thud. "Nancy? What the hell are you doing here?"