Caroline #2
That confuses me because why are they scared of a mail room clerk? I don’t have time to ask more questions because I have to return to work. Aiden is expecting me for a meeting in thirty minutes. I probably shouldn’t be drinking this coffee. It’s only going to make me more jittery. Too late now.
“Have you reviewed the assets disclosed by each party?” Aiden asks, as soon as I walk into his office. It’s three times the size of mine and it’s a corner office so he’s got large windows behind him and to the left.
I take a seat on the couch in the corner of his office and open my laptop on the coffee table.
“Yes, I’ve outlined those already. The trickiest one I can see is the production company. Our client started it and did the initial investment, but it became a joint asset after marriage. Now they both want it.”
The light from his desk lamp reflects on his glasses.
“Nothing can ever be easy, especially when it’s a multi-million dollar assets division. The good thing is there are no children involved so we don’t have a custody battle on top of everything,” Aiden says.
“I was thinking we should hire a third party forensic accountant to review the assets properly,” I say. “Something about what’s in these files just doesn’t seem right.”
Aiden smiles softly, which makes me think maybe he was waiting to see if I got this far on my way.
“Good thinking. Sarah can give you the contact of the person we use,” he says.
“What about the media? This news is going to spread like wildfire.”
Aiden shakes his head. “We’re going to keep the exposure minimum. We’re not fighting this case in front of the public or media and their opinions don’t matter to us. When it comes to it, the firm’s PR is going to handle the questions.”
I nod in understanding, looking back at my laptop and the notes I’d made.
“There’s something else. They both had significant assets before the marriage and I was looking at the timing between the wedding and the prenup.
While the prenup is ironclad, we can argue that our client wasn’t given enough time to review it, which means she could be unaware of all financial assets. ”
Aiden hums. “That’s good. At the end of the day, we have to prove in court that full transparency wasn’t provided. How are you in court?”
“I’ve never had to argue a case,” I reply honestly.
“That’s fine for now. I’ll be taking point anyway, but you’ll have to get in front of a judge eventually.”
I nod and we continue discussing the case. I make notes as Aiden and I talk and before I know it, the work day is over.
“You did good today,” Aiden says, as I get up to leave his office. “You definitely deserve a drink to celebrate.”
“Thanks. Let me get my bag and we can go.”
I put my laptop in my bag and pull my compact out to make sure my lipstick hasn’t rubbed off.
Taking my phone out, I see that there still isn’t a message or call from Killian.
It’s not like I’m expecting him to be sitting by his phone and messaging me all the time.
I haven’t even had the time to look at my phone until now.
It’s just that, he’s always so worried about me. He worries when I’m around the neighborhood with Lilith. He worries when I’m sitting in the park, which is literally five minutes from our apartment. Why isn’t he worried today?
Old insecurities surface and I worry that Killian isn’t happy with my job.
That maybe my being independent and being able to get around the city on my own is upsetting him.
As soon as the thought occurs to me, I feel guilty.
Because the one thing I know for certain is that Killian will never want me to depend on him and be helpless.
“Caroline?” I look up when Aiden appears at my office door. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, I was just letting my…friend know.” It feels wrong to call Killian my friend when I literally woke up to his face between my legs this morning.
“Why don’t you ask them to tag along? Honestly, it’s a great excuse to get out early because the people I’m about to introduce you to can be a lot. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
He leaves before I can say anything else. Killian will hate every second of being surrounded by lawyers. When I said he doesn’t belong in this world, I meant it. He hates the pretentious conversation and the legal jargon. If they start talking about their college days and their frats? Good lord.
I still remember the time when he told a partner at our parents firm that he was mentally constipated because he’d never grown out of his frat days and in ten years, he’d be the kind of man who looks at young lawyers and thinks they’re idiots because it’s acceptable to treat interns like shit.
Killian was in law school then, and I’m just as surprised now as I was then that he finished it.
I call him. If he doesn’t want to come, that’s fine.
“Caroline,” he answers on the first ring.
The sound of his voice warms me from the inside out.
“Hi.”
“Hey.”
Why am I acting like I’m talking to him for the first time? I roll my eyes at myself.
“Do you want to come out for drinks?” I ask quickly. “There will be other lawyers there and I know you hate being around lawyers and they’ll be drunk so there will be lots of legal talk and they might even—”
“Caroline?” He interrupts.
“Yes?” My voice is a squeak.
“Do you want me to come?” He asks the question point blank.
I close my eyes. He’s been inside me, but something about admitting that I want him here makes me feel vulnerable. “Yes.”
“I’m on my way. Text me the address.” That’s it. No second thought, no hesitation. I asked, and he’s doing it.
“You probably won’t have a good time,” I warn. “I don’t want you to come all the way to the city and have a bad time.”
“Baby, I absolutely won’t have a good time surrounded by lawyers. But I’m going to love seeing you shine. I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”
His words make me glow. I have to make myself remember that Killian isn’t Beckett or our parents. My success and independence doesn’t equal defiance to him.