Chapter 3

Fine.'

I let out a cold laugh and yanked the flash drive straight out of the computer.

If you all think my proposal is too dense and too vicious, then go pitch Evercrest in plain, dumbed-down language yourselves.'

I turned and walked out of the conference room, shutting out Edward Quinn and Sophie's startled cries behind the door.

That bid fell through without a shred of suspense.

Before leaving, Evercrest's legal director dropped one last line. 'Your intern seems to have more power than the head of your firm.' Then he walked out.

Even though Edward Quinn was formally criticized at the partner meeting, he still managed to pin the whole thing on me for 'refusing to cooperate with the handoff' and protected Sophie from losing her internship.

I thought that was as shameless as they could get.

Three days later, the whole firm exploded.

Are you people at this firm completely useless? If that bastard moves my money out, I won't let any of you off the hook!'

I had just come back from court when I saw a middle-aged woman collapsed at the front desk, hair disheveled, crying so hard her voice was nearly gone.

She was Ms. Williams, the client in a divorce property division case our firm was handling, one worth 17 million dollars.

The firm's director stood nearby with a face like thunder, and at the center of it all was Sophie, hiding behind Edward Quinn and crying even louder than the client.

What happened?' I asked, frowning as I walked over.

What happened?!'

Ms. Williams lunged at Sophie.

This damn intern was supposed to submit the property preservation application to the court yesterday afternoon. And what happened? She didn't file it. This morning, the whole 17 million dollars in my ex-husband's account got transferred to some offshore shell company!'

A 17 million dollar property preservation filing missed its deadline?

That wasn't just a major professional screw-up. It was enough to bankrupt the firm and get the attorneys involved disbarred.

I stared at Sophie in disbelief.

I told you over and over that the materials had to be filed before four yesterday afternoon. Where the hell did you go yesterday?'

Sophie's eyes reddened on cue. She clutched Edward Quinn's sleeve tightly, her carefully manicured nude ombre nails trembling.

I... on my way to court yesterday afternoon, there was suddenly a sandstorm warning...'

She sniffled. 'The wind was so strong it shifted my contact lenses. I couldn't see anything, so... so I went to the mall first to wash my eyes...'

I pointed at her sparkling manicure and laughed in pure disbelief.

So because of this so-called sand in your eyes, you just happened to get a three-hour French manicure and missed the court's closing time completely?'

Sophie's face went pale, and she immediately turned to Edward Quinn with those watery victim eyes. Her crying shot up another level.

Mr. Quinn, I really didn't mean to... Summer told me yesterday afternoon that this preservation filing would still be fine if I turned it in this morning. I thought it wasn't urgent, so I only delayed it a little...'

Summer Lynn!'

Before the client could explode, Edward Quinn whipped around and shot me a vicious glare.

You knew this was a 17 million dollar case. How could you tell a new intern to delay filing the documents? Are you trying to destroy the firm?'

The people around us sucked in sharp breaths, and every eye on me filled with shock and suspicion.

I looked at Edward Quinn like I'd never seen him before.

He didn't even bother verifying anything before dumping the blame straight onto me?

The director was shaking with rage.

Whose responsibility is this, exactly? I want an answer. If I don't get one, the lawyer involved can pack up and leave, and they'll be paying the full damages too!'

Faced with the furious director, Sophie cried so hard she looked like she might faint. Edward Quinn wrapped an arm around her protectively, then grabbed my wrist.

Summer, come with me.'

Without giving me a choice, he dragged me into his private office and locked the door behind us.

Summer, when the responsibility meeting starts, take the fall for Sophie.'

I thought I'd heard him wrong. 'What did you just say?'

Don't look at me like that.'

Edward Quinn tugged irritably at his tie.

You're a candidate for senior partner and the firm's biggest revenue generator. Even after a screw-up like this, the worst the director will do is dock half a year's bonus. He won't fire you. As long as you admit it was your failure in guiding her, we can keep this from blowing up.'

He pressed both hands onto my shoulders, his eyes full of calculation wrapped in fake tenderness.

But Sophie can't survive this. She's just an intern. If a fatal mark like this ends up on her record, her whole legal career is over. She's so innocent and fragile. How could she take that kind of blow?'

Summer, you've always known how to see the big picture. Just do this for me. If you help Sophie get through this, we'll get married.'