Chapter 4

Section 5

When I woke up, it was already eight in the evening.

I picked up my phone and saw that my social media accounts had blown up.

Half of my private messages were people cursing me out, and the other half were curious onlookers asking whether there was any follow-up.

A few lawyer friends of mine had also messaged, asking if I needed any help.

I smiled and replied, "It's fine, I've got it handled." Then I changed my clothes and headed downstairs to eat.

As I was leaving the building, I happened to run into a few neighbors out for a stroll.

Their whispers carried over from several yards away.

"That's her, that's the woman. She disturbs the whole building in the middle of the night, won't admit it, and then dumps the blame on poor Old Fox."

"Tsk... she looks so respectable, who'd have thought she was so rotten inside."

"Last time that noise woke me up in the middle of the night. I kept wondering who it was—turns out it was her!"

I walked right past them as if I hadn't heard a thing, not sparing them a glance.

Stand up straight and you needn't fear a crooked shadow. Once the verdict came down, all this gossip would scatter on its own.

Rather than waste time arguing with them, I'd be better off filling my stomach.

So I went to the home-style diner at the entrance of the complex and ordered a beef brisket rice bowl.

After eating my fill, I strolled leisurely back home.

But I didn't expect to be cornered by Eve Perry again right at the building entrance.

This time she didn't throw a fit like she had that morning. Instead, she leaned against the wall and sneered, "Attorney Pruitt seems to be in a good mood. Weren't you going to sue me? When are you sending that lawyer's letter? I'm still waiting for my court summons!"

I stopped, crossed my arms, and gave her a sidelong look. "What's the rush? The summons will be here soon enough. You'd do better to spend these next few days preparing, so you don't end up in court so upset you can't even cry."

Eve thought I was deliberately provoking her, still making excuses even now.

She stepped forward to shove me, but I sidestepped her.

She lunged into empty air and nearly fell on the steps.

Then she jabbed a finger at my nose and started cursing. "You slut! Don't think you can twist black into white with one fake contract. Just you wait, this isn't over! Tomorrow I'm going to your workplace to report you, so your boss can see what kind of person you really are behind closed doors!"

"Report me to my boss?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Tsk, well isn't that convenient! I am the owner of the law firm... Aunt Eve, what did you want to say to me? Go ahead! I'm listening... Oh, and one more thing I forgot to remind you about. You're blocking me from going home right now, which already counts as harassment. I'm in a good mood, so I won't stoop to your level, but if you keep blocking me, I'll call the police... They'll hold you for three to five days, and that'll mess up your son's college admissions. Don't blame me then!"

Those words hit Eve right where it hurt.

She opened her mouth, but forced the curse back down before it could come out.

She pointed at me for the longest time without being able to say a word.

I couldn't be bothered to keep at it with her, so I stepped into the elevator.

The instant the elevator doors closed, I smiled and said, "Aunt Eve... take my advice... back down while you still can... be careful this doesn't blow up into something you can't fix..."

Eve was shaking all over with rage.

But for her child's sake, she held herself back from charging at me.

She stomped her foot and cursed, "You little bitch, just you wait! You won't be smug for much longer!" Then she stormed off, huffing, to go complain about me to her old girlfriends.