Chapter 759
Once the representation agreement was locked in, Lemira called the Langston family to inform them of her decision.
Lucian answered almost immediately. “Lemmy, did you thoroughly vet this lawyer? He used to be Mr. Alfred’s apprentice. Are you sure it’s smart to hire him?”
“I vetted him. He’s exactly who we need.”
Asher’s overbearing voice suddenly cut through the line. “Lemira, you’re being played and you don’t even realize it. That man has deep ties to the Everhart family! Whatever supposed grudge they have is likely just for show.”
Lemira’s tone turned frigid. “I don’t need you to dictate how I handle my business.”
“You are incredibly naive about how the real world works. You need to listen to your family on this!”
Lemira let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “If I had listened to my ‘family’ about everything, you’d all still be treating Evelina like a precious treasure. You probably would have died without ever realizing who the real murderers were!”
The brutal truth of her words hit Asher like a physical blow, leaving him completely speechless.
Lucian cleared his throat awkwardly. “Lemmy, we’re just worried. The defense attorney has to be absolutely bulletproof, otherwise everything we’ve prepared will fall apart.”
“I know what I’m doing. My legal counsel is solid. Just focus on your end of the plan, and make sure Evelina doesn’t pull any stunts.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. We ran the paternity test-the baby is definitely Evander’s. Evelina has literally nowhere else to go except the Langston estate.”
Hearing the confirmation, Lemira felt a fleeting pang of disappointment.
She had honestly hoped the baby wasn’t Evander’s; the fallout from that scandal would have been spectacular to watch.
But this was fine too. At least Evelina was thoroughly trapped and couldn’t cause any more external chaos.
Still, a lingering doubt gnawed at the back of Lemira’s mind. Could the paternity test Lucian mentioned be faked? Was her family lying just to keep Evelina docile until the trial was over?
She quickly dismissed the thought. Ultimately, she didn’t care whose child it was.
Lemira and Stella headed back to the university campus.
Standing outside the dorms, Caleb debated with himself for a few moments before finally deciding to relay the earlier conversation to Orion Whatever the billionaire chose to do with the information was entirely up to him.
When Orion saw Caleb’s message pop up in their private group chat, he sat frozen for a long time.
Thaddeus scoffed, breaking the silence. “Don’t read into it, man. It’s just Stella cracking jokes. Sebastian couldn’t steal a girl from you back then, and he sure as hell can’t do it now.”
Orion frowned. “I didn’t ‘steal’ anyone from him.”
“Yeah, yeah, we know. The girl was a manipulative psycho who intentionally drove a wedge between you two. Lemon is way too smart to fall for Sebastian’s charm.”
Seeing Orion’s continued, miserable
silence, Thaddeus pressed on.
“Besides, you’re the one who orchestrated her going to Sebastian
in the first place! She signed the contract, the plan worked perfectly. Stop overthinking it.”
Orion’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t reply.
He stared at his phone, endlessly scrolling through his old text threads with Lemira, rereading every message, staring at every cute sticker she used to send him.
Now, she wouldn’t even leave him on read.
Orion finally set the phone down. “Does the Al project have any tasks she specifically needs to handle?”
Thaddeus gave him a knowing look. “Yes, but look at you. You look like a walking corpse. Are you seriously going to show up to a meeting like that?”
He wanted to see her so badly he was abusing his corporate authority.
Orion finally picked up his fork and forced himself to eat.
Watching him, Thaddeus felt a wave of sympathy. Orion had been relentlessly punishing himself for days as if starving himself could somehow alleviate the suffocating guilt eating him alive.
He desperately hoped this nightmare would end soon.
***
After returning to campus, Lemira headed straight for the Orvin University esports base.