Maxwell kept mum, leaning back in his chair and feigning sleep with his eyes shut. He looked beat,


    with a tell-tale shade of fatigue under his eyes.


    But it was Harvey, hiswyer, who spoke up, "Mrs. Templeton, the court''s hoping you and Mr.


    Templeton can hash this out behind closed doors. You know, ''For better or for worse'', making a


    scene in court isn''t doing you or Mr. Templeton any favors."


    Louis had mentioned that this step was par for the course before the actual court hearing, just part


    of the whole legal shebang.


    It was usually a few days before court, but with Maxwell''s schedule, it got pushed to just before.


    Rosemary replied, "Get him to agree to the divorce and I''ll drop the case this instant. Won''t waste a


    minute."


    Harvey mmed up, his face not giving anything away. That earlier bit seemed more like a


    formality, totally phoned in.


    Before long, the judge and court staff came to mediate. Gotta say, they were pros at this, serving up


    soul-soothing titudes like nobody''s business. Rosemary almost felt ungrateful after getting an


    earful, but her stance was the same: the divorce was non-negotiable!


    Seeing her resolve, everyone else backed off.


    Just a few minutes after the court staff left, Rosemary got a buzz from Larry; judging from the


    number, the call was from inside the country. It was only when she heard his voice that she realized


    it was him.


    "Drop the case now!" Larry was fuming, his huffing and puffinging through like a bull that had


    run a marathon.


    As Rosemary heard this, her first thought was to check on Maxwell. Not sure if he was waiting for


    this moment or it was just chance, but as she looked over, he was lifting his eyelids, locking eyes


    with her.


    Rosemary mouthed one word silently at him, "Despicable."


    She couldn''t believe he''d snitched to Larry. Did he think she''d listen to him, or did he believe his dad


    still had some clout over her decisions?


    "Are you listening?" Larry raised his voice even more when she didn''t respond, nearly blowing


    Rosemary''s eardrums, "Drop the case right now. The Chambers family can''t afford to lose face like


    this!"


    "Is it the Chambers family''s face at stake, or can''t you bear to lose Maxwell as your high-status son-


    inw?" Rosemary teased her hair, twisting the knife further, "But even with his status, you''ve


    reaped zero benefits as his father-inw. Look at other high-society inws living the life. And you?


    Chased by debt collectors, can''t even return to your own country. After all those years of steaks and


    burgers, have you forgotten the taste of food at home?"


    Back when he was at home, Larry was never one for fancy stuff, always picking local food


    whenever they ate out.


    She loathed Larry, but she wasn''t fond of Maxwell either, so she didn''t mind using him as a weapon.


    She''d be pleased to hit a nerve with either of them!


    Meanwhile, Louis, who had grabbed a ringside seat to the drama, sneakily nced over at Mr.


    Templeton, who looked asposed as if he''d welded a mask to his face.


    Mr. Templeton really was cool as a cucumber.


    Rosemary kept needling the person on the other end of the line, "Look at you, raised a daughter


    and got nothing for it. Might as well let me kick him to the curb. Then you can find me another


    sucker, and maybe you''ll get to strut back from abroad with your head held high."


    Larry on the other end was at a loss for words.


    A grating screech filled the air as a chair scraped across the floor. Maxwell stood up,


    expressionless, and nced at Harvey, "Court''s in session."


    They walked ahead, with Rosemary and Louis trailing two meters behind.


    Maxwell asked, "When will this be over?"


    Harvey said, "Within half an hour."


    “Dude,” Louis thought to himself, “I know you''re a big shot, but could you leave me some dignity? I


    am the intiff''s counsel here!”


    Just as that thought crossed his mind, he felt Rosemary''s gaze on him, his heart skipped a beat,


    and then he heard her sigh and say, "Maybe you should go back to school for a refresher?"


    Rosemary was just ribbing him; Louis was actually top-notch. His win rate wasn''t 100%, but he was


    up there in Greenwood''s rankings.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have chosen him, knowing full well how formidable the Templeton Group''s


    legal team was.


    Louis, eyes fixed ahead, showedpletely dispirited, "Awyer''s awyer; Mr. Holiday''s Mr.


    Holiday. Apples and oranges. And don''t even talk about going back to school. Even if I memorized


    thew book, I might not be able to out-argue him."


    Having gotten to know Rosemary better, Louis had started being less formal with her.


    Rosemary uttered, "You''re puffing others up at your own expense. I''m gonna file aint against


    you at your firm."


    Maxwell didn''t turn around, "He knows his ce, unlike someone who''s biting off more than they


    can chew, trying to shake the tree with a nudge."


    Rosemary opened her mouth to retort, but they had arrived at the courtroom.


    This was her first time slugging it out in court. Sitting at the intiff''s bench, she could easily see


    Maxwell across the aisle, the man wearing the same expression, oozing the aura of the judge rather


    than the defendant.


    The clerk checked attendance andid down the court rules, and after the preliminaries, the hearing


    officially began.


    Harvey had predicted the end within half an hour, and he hit the nail on the head. Despite


    Rosemary being ready for the possibility of not getting her way, she didn''t expect the verdict to be


    issued right there and then. Talked about leaving her no hope.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Stepping out of the courtroom, Harveymended Louis, "Not bad, yousted longer than I


    expected."


    Louis replied, "Appreciate the props, Mr. Holiday."


    Rosemary saw him starry-eyed, looking all smitten, and couldn''t help but roll her eyes before


    walking off.


    But before she even reached her car, Maxwell had her in a vice grip, shoving her into the back seat


    of the car with a terse, "Let''s talk."


    "Talk about divorce?"


    Maxwell let out a snort, leaning in close, his presence wrapping around her. He gazed into her eyes,


    inching closer as if to steal a kiss.


    Talked about out of the blue! Rosemary''s body went rigid in an instant, her back glued to the chair


    behind her; even her breathing went on the down low.


    Maxwell reached over to buckle her in, "Talking about your ns to snag another sucker, huh?"


    He looked at her, a smirk ying on his face, "This jittery? Thought I was going for a smooch?"