Chapter 6 The Wrong Choice

Back then, Elodie was the top student in her law professor's class, always ranking first and winning awards.

When she graduated, her professor begged her more than once to continue her studies and even shoved the job offer letter directly into her hands.

"This law firm was started by one of my students. You'll go straight into a core position. With your abilities, you'll become a senior partner in just a few years."

But what did she choose?

For Adrian's sake, she turned down her professor's invitation and dove headfirst into the Stewart Group, becoming a so-called "legal consultant."

Thinking back on all the work she'd done at the Stewart Group over the years, Elodie couldn't help but laugh bitterly at herself.

She was a director in name only, but in reality she had to do every odd job. Even the company's interns felt entitled to dump their work on her. Fortunately, with her solid professional skills, she managed to secure a position at the company.

Elodie took a deep breath, looking at the familiar name on the invitation letter—Blackstone Law Group.

The founder of this firm, Lucas Williams, was her schoolmate. A few years had passed, and this law firm had risen like a dark horse, dominating the industry. Lucas had even built an undefeated record.

Her fingertips brushed across the envelope, and Elodie finally put it away.

After so many years without contact, she didn't want to bother him out of the blue. Still, she needed to find work—urgently, a source of income.

Opening her computer, Elodie logged into a legal consulting platform. Soon, a small case caught her eye.

The client was a single mother working at a nightclub who wanted to fight for custody of her child.

Because of the unusual workplace, many lawyers were afraid of getting involved and stayed away. But in Elodie's view, what did it matter if the work environment was respectable or not? A mother's love for her child doesn't change.

She rubbed her temples and quickly drafted an initial litigation plan and sent it over.

It wasn't until the early morning hours that Elodie, yawning constantly, collapsed into bed.

Morning.

Elodie was woken by a series of continuous rings.

Half-asleep, she pressed the answer button.

"Elodie! Have you lost your mind? How dare you stay out all night—what are you trying to pull?!"

Linda's sharp, harsh roar instantly exploded, "Get your ass back here and cook! Aiden has a stomachache and a headache. If he starves and something happens to him, just wait and see how I deal with you!"

Her voice was so loud it hurt Elodie's eardrums.

Elodie held the phone away from her ear, her eyes instantly cold and clear. They were getting divorced—why should she still put up with this?

Just as she was about to speak, Chloe's sweet, affected voice came through the phone: "Mrs. Linda Stewart, please don't be angry. Mrs. Elodie Stewart is probably just in a bad mood. After all, she lost face at the charity gala yesterday..."

"She's in a bad mood? What right does she have to be in a bad mood!" Linda grew even more furious. "That shameless woman dared to embarrass herself at that kind of event! Elodie, you listen to me—get back here within half an hour..."

Listening to this endless stream of abuse, Elodie's face showed no expression as she pressed the hang-up button.

The next second, the phone started ringing frantically again.

Without even looking, Elodie added the number to her blocklist, put her phone on silent, pulled the covers over her head, and went back to sleep.

Meanwhile, at the Stewart Manor.

Linda clutched her phone with its busy signal, her chest heaving violently with anger: "That bitch is getting bolder and bolder—she actually dared to hang up on me!"

Chloe lowered her eyes, the corners of her mouth secretly turning up, though her tone became even more understanding: "Mrs. Linda Stewart, Mrs. Elodie Stewart might really be upset..."

"What right does she have to be upset! Mom, my stomach really hurts..." Aiden, sprawled on the sofa, complained while clutching his belly. "We absolutely can't spoil her! She's even daring to run away from home and block my brother!"

"She's gone crazy!" Linda was furious. "I'm calling your brother right now! I'll have him cancel all that woman's cards and cut off her money! She wants to throw a tantrum? I'd like to see how she manages without the Stewart family supporting her!"

In Linda's eyes, everything Elodie had was charity from the Stewart family. As long as she controlled that woman's spending, wouldn't she come crawling back like a dog begging for mercy?

The Stewart Group, top floor conference room.

Everyone present held their breath. The atmosphere was tense.

Adrian sat at the head of the table, radiating an unapproachable cold aura. He had just finished a call with his mother, and fury was churning wildly in his chest.

Did Elodie hang up on Linda? Stayed out all night? Ran away from home? And dared to block him?

Fine. Her nerve was really growing.

The secretary beside him, enduring the oppressive atmosphere, reported in a low voice: "Mr. Stewart, the legal department says... Ms. Turner didn't come to work today."

She even dared to skip work!

Adrian's expression turned completely dark as he glanced coldly at the secretary: "Cancel all the bank cards under her name."

The secretary's heart trembled as she quickly nodded and left.

Back in the CEO's office, the assistant who received the order looked completely confused: "Cancel her cards? But... Mrs. Stewart's only source of income is her own salary card. Should we cancel that too?"

The secretary's eyes widened in disbelief: "How is that possible? She's been part of the Stewart family for five years—doesn't she have even one supplementary card from the Stewart family?"

Even for the least favored in a marriage of convenience, she should at least have a monthly allowance and a clothing budget, right?

Seeing the assistant's certain expression, the secretary immediately opened the financial system to check.

A few seconds later, he gasped, his face full of shock.

It was actually true!

The second daughter-in-law of the mighty Stewart family didn't even have a single Stewart family bank card! For five years, she had relied entirely on the salary she earned by working overtime in the legal department to support herself, never taking a single cent from the Stewart family!

"Wait..." The secretary suddenly remembered something. "When Mr. Stewart and Mrs. Stewart got married, I personally went to process an unlimited black card to give to Mrs. Stewart!"

The assistant let out a cold laugh and lowered his voice: "Have you forgotten? That card was processed back then, but it never made it into Mrs. Stewart's hands. Mr. Aiden Stewart grabbed it and kept it for himself that very day!"

The secretary was too shocked to speak: "Does... does Mr. Adrian Stewart know about this?"

The assistant shook his head.

Of course, Adrian didn't know.

At that moment, Adrian was sitting in the conference room, listening to his subordinates' nervous reports while imagining Elodie with nowhere to turn, coming back on her own to beg for forgiveness in tears.

Her cards were canceled, all her sources of income completely cut off.

He coldly curved his lips, thinking, 'In less than three days, she'll obediently give in.'