Paul took a deep breath before stepping into the prosecutor’s office. He had managed to gain entry easily thanks to a friend working there. Knowing exactly where Rain’s office was, he made his way directly to her departnt.
He knocked on the door and entered. "Excuse , how can we help you?" a woman at the front desk asked.
"I’m here to see Prosecutor Rain Clayton," Paul replied.
"I’m sorry, but Prosecutor Clayton is on leave right now. You can co back on Monday if you’d like to see her," the woman inford him.
Paul’s face darkened. "On leave?" he echoed, disbelief lacing his voice. It was unlike Rain to take ti off, especially when she had just started. "Why?" he demanded.
His raised voice caught the attention of everyone in the room. A man approached him, trying to defuse the situation. "Can I have your na so I can let her know you stopped by?" he asked politely.
Paul ignored the question, his frustration growing. "Why is she on leave when she just started? Is this office so irresponsible that a newly hired prosecutor can just take off like this?"
"Excuse ," a young man with a stern expression interrupted, "Miss Rain was forced to take leave because she had an accident while working in the field. It’s only natural for her to rest and recover properly. If you don’t have anything urgent, I suggest you leave."
Paul’s expression shifted, concern overtaking his anger. "What hospital is she recovering at?" he pressed.
"We’re not permitted to share that information unless you’re family," the man responded coldly. "But you can call her if you’re close enough to Prosecutor Clayton."
Paul gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. "No need! I’ll leave now!" he snapped, storming out of the office. Once outside, he grabbed his phone to dial Dina.
Back in the office, Matt cursed under his breath. "What an annoying jerk."
"Do you know him?" Jane asked.
Before Matt could answer, Anna entered the room. "Looks like the Director of Smith Law Firm is looking for Prosecutor Clayton," she remarked.
"That’s Attorney Paul Smith? The heir of Smith Law Firm?" Marlon asked, surprised.
Anna nodded. "Probably here to convince Clayton to co back to their firm. Or maybe it’s sothing personal," she mused, turning to Jane. "So did he say a thing?"
Jane shrugged. "He just asked for Prosecutor Clayton. It sounded like she might be avoiding him."
"She should be," Anna smirked. "He’s engaged to her half-sister. I’m even invited to their engagent party next week."
Anna’s face soured as she mumbled, "This is so annoying. She hasn’t even started working properly, and she’s already on leave. We hire more prosecutors to lighten the workload, not to add to it. Seriously!" She let out a frustrated sigh before turning to Marlon and instructing, "Give so of her cases, just pick the easy ones."
"Right away, Prosecutor Miller," Marlon replied, watching as Anna turned and left the office.
As soon as Ana was out, Marlon turned to Matt. "Did Prosecutor Clayton say when she’ll be back?"
Matt sighed. "She said she’ll report on Monday. That woman... Even on leave, she’s working. She’s still monitoring the Obsidian Order case."
Marlon nodded thoughtfully. "Isn’t that a good thing?" His eyes shifted to the vacant office next to Rain’s. "Prosecutor Wayne will be back on Monday too. I wonder if those two will be able to work together. No one’s managed to last long in our departnt with him around."
Matt frowned. "Yeah, Wayne’s got a reputation for being difficult. Let’s hope Prosecutor Clayton can handle him."
"She probably won’t back down," Marlon mused, half-smiling. "But I guess we’ll find out soon enough."
*****
At Lancaster Ancestral Mansion
Rain busied herself with Chef Sarah, finally taking the ti to learn cooking, a skill she had always resisted, despite Sanya’s persistent encouragent. Rain had always preferred eating to cooking, even now, but she was determined to try for Alexander’s sake.
"You’re quite skilled with a knife," Chef Sarah remarked, her tone genuinely impressed. Rain smiled at the complint, knowing it was true. She had always been good with knives—among other things like guns and various self-defense tools.
However, when it ca to cooking, peeling and cutting were the only things she excelled at. Rain knew well that balancing and mixing flavours was not her forte. No matter how much she tried, the dishes she attempted to prepare never quite hit the mark. The subtle nuances of seasoning seed to elude her, leaving her often frustrated.
She was slicing carrots with precision, enjoying the thodical task. She had volunteered to help with dinner under Chef Sarah’s guidance because she didn’t trust herself to handle the kitchen alone just yet.
"How long have you been serving here, Chef Sarah?" Rain asked, her curiosity piqued. The kitchen was practically empty with her and Chef Sarah only.
"I’ve been here for about ten years now," Sarah replied.
Rain’s smile tightened as she responded, "Oh, I see..."
Her mind raced as she replayed the earlier interaction, recalling how Chef Sarah had subtly criticized her behind her back, calling her a substitute and a rebound for Alexander. Now, standing here with this seemingly kind woman, Rain couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface.
"So you also know well what my husband’s favourite dishes are and what he dislikes?" Rain asked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp.
"Of course, I know everything about Sir Alexander and the whole family," Sarah replied with a bright smile, seemingly proud of her knowledge.
Rain’s expression didn’t waver, but internally, her thoughts were anything but calm. ’And yet you gave peanut butter to add to the beef stew?’ she mused, realizing that Sarah had deliberately tried to sabotage her. If she hadn’t read the notebook Alexander’s father had given her, she might have unknowingly put Alexander at risk.
Rain carefully asured out the spices, her eyes flicking to Chef Sarah with a seemingly innocent question. "Do you think this is enough peanut butter, or should I add more?" she asked, feigning ignorance.
Sarah, with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, nodded. "You should add more because it will make the stew tastier, and Sir Alexander prefers his stews rich in flavour!"
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