The elevator doors opened, and an exquisitely designed reception greeted us. On the wall, there seemed to be a sign covered by a striking piece of red cloth.
The moment John stepped out, the receptionist greeted him with a smile, “Mr. Stovall.”
“Mmm-hmm.” John nodded as he shot me and Emma a glance. The receptionist approached us and ushered us to where the red cloth was. “This way please.”
Standing in front of it, the receptionist handed me one end of it. “Ms. Stovall, if you may.”
“Pull it open,” John urged.
As I fumbled to pull the cloth away, I saw the words written on the sign: Scarlett Stovall Attorney At Law.
“Are you surprised? The logo has been designed by one of the most famous designers in the country. Doesn’t it give you the vibe of a modern independent woman?” John boasted. I wasn’t sure about the vibe, but I knew better than anyone what the name “Scarlett Stovall” symbolized.
Not expecting John to jump the gun, I was at a loss. “Aren’t you going to explain yourself?”
“What’s the point?” John’s enthusiasm was dampened instantly as he explained, “Isn’t it obvious? I know you’re feeling bored at home. So, isn’t having your own law firm better than working for someone else’s? Going forward, you will be the one calling the shots. At the same time, you will enjoy the same level of security as the Stovall family which will put our minds at ease.”
Emma paced around and scrutinized the place. “Did you rent the whole floor?”
“Of course. The Stovall family doesn’t need to share our territory, do we?” John replied in a serious tone.
Any office within this building would costs at least a hundred thousand a month in rent. From the way John spoke, the rent would definitely be above a million every month. There’s no way I, as a trainee lawyer, would be able to attract so much business to cover the cost…
Feeling troubled, my frown didn’t escape John’s notice.
“Don’t worry about not having any business in the near term. The Stovall and Moore family alone spend hundreds of millions in legal fees on external lawyers. Instead of benefitting someone else, wouldn’t it be better to use your firm to save some cost?”
I smiled wryly. “Do they even need the savings?”
“Since when is anyone satisfied with the money they have?” John shrugged while spreading his arms. He walked ahead and urged me forward. “Come and take a look at your office.”
John always had a good eye. The whole office was minimalistic yet grand. The largest room had the best lighting as it allowed the sunlight to shine through its large windows and provided an unobstructed view of the rest of the office.
As I ran my fingers over the suede-wrapped chair, I was overwhelmed by a mixture of emotions. Perhaps, when I was no longer around, this law firm would become my legacy.
Knock! Knock! A man in a suit and leather shoes entered.
“Mr. Stovall.” He greeted John respectfully before nodding at me. “Ms. Stovall.”
John took his hands out of his pockets and pointed at the man. “He is the legal adviser of Stovall Corporation, Brooklyn Newman. Now, he and his team will join you here. As he is someone trustworthy, you can leave all the complex issues to him.”
I turned toward Brooklyn and exchanged glances to acknowledge him. However, the matter of managing the law firm came too suddenly for me to accept. Hence, I still hadn’t decided what to do.
For starters, the twins were just one month old and needed a lot of attentive care. Secondly, the law firm needed someone who was in it for the long haul. Considering that I had one foot in the grave, I couldn’t bear the responsibility of running it.
“Why don’t you wait for us outside,” John instructed Brooklyn when he sensed the struggle I was experiencing.
“What is it? Is Brooklyn not up to your standards?” John teased me to ease the tension in the air. “That shouldn’t be the case. Other than not being as rich as Ashton, he is quite popular with the ladies back in the office.”
“Men love to ogle at pretty ladies, must it be the same for women?” Emma snapped.
“That’s why I say you lack exposure. It is man’s basic instinct to crave money and sex. Just looking at something pretty alone will improve one’s mood. This will be beneficial to Scarlett’s condition.” John gave her a cursory reply before asking me, “Just say the word, Letty. After all, I have bought the whole floor and the law firm will definitely begin its operations. It’s just a matter of whether you’re working for someone else or here instead. It’s your call.”
