Chapter 124
Patrick was genuinely happy to see Maxine. After a bit of small talk, he invited her to join him at his favorite fishing spot.
The water was perfectly still. Sitting on the bank with a rented fishing rod, Maxine watched the bobber float on the surface. To her surprise, die fett a vare sense of calm. Maybe now she finally understood why people loved fishing so much.
Patrick carefully unhooked a small fish and dropped it into the basket. “Honestly, when you said you wanted to see me the other day, I already had a pretty good idea what you were after.”
Maxine wasn’t surprised. At his age, Patrick was sharp as a tack. It would’ve been odd if he hadn’t figured it out.
“To be straight with you,” Maxine said, “I’m planning to work abroad. I’ve already found a new company, but Rayden keeps sitting on my resignation and won’t approve it.”
Patrick had seen the news about her online these past few days. He smiled knowingly. “Getting out for a bit is a good thing. If you ever need a hand, just
reach out.”
He didn’t bring up Rayden, and Maxine didn’t push. The two of them spent the whole day fishing. It wasn’t until they were about to pack up that Patrick finally said, “Rayden’s holding up your resignation, right? I’ve got some information that might be able to help you.”
Patrick reached into the bag beside him, pulled out a folder, and handed it to her. “Rayden took bribes from a few defendants and deliberately threw their cases. I kept all the evidence.”
by the second. There were not just civil disputes in there. It was clearly a Maxine took the folder and skimmed through it, her face growing more serious one–sided beating, but the defendant claimed it was a mutual fight. For the sake of money, Rayden hid the evidence, and in the end, the judge ruled in favor of the defendant.
“But…” Maxine was at a loss for words.
Patrick looked at her. “You’re probably wondering why I didn’t stop him back then, right?”
Maxine stayed silent. She knew she couldn’t expect others to live up to her own standards.
Patrick put away his fishing rod and looked at her. “I’m almost at retirement age. I’m not like you young people anymore. I just don’t have the energy to get involved.”
Maxine understood his choice. If the defendants could afford to pay that much, they definitely weren’t people they wanted to mess with. If Patrick had stepped in, he might’ve brought trouble on himself.
Patrick met her gaze. “This all happened a long time ago. I’m giving you the evidence now, hoping you can do what I never got the chance to do.”
Maxine didn’t waste any time. She caught an early flight back the next morning, and the moment she landed, she shot Rayden a message.
Just as she’d expected, Rayden called her almost right away to set up a meeting.
They met at the café downstairs from the firm. Raydery, jaw clenched in frustration, demanded, “What did Patrick give you?”
Maxine couldn’t be bothered to argue. “You know exactly what you did. I’m not here to blackmail you or ask for money. All I’ve ever wanted is to quit.” Letting Maxine resign would just cost him his job, but if she reported him with the evidence, Rayden knew exactly how bad things could get.
After a tense pause, he finally gritted his teeth and said, “Fine. I’ll process your resignation.”
Maxine stood up to leave, but Rayden called after her, voice tight with desperation, “You have to destroy that evidence for me.”
She turned and looked at him. “If you didn’t want anyone to find out, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Maybe next time, think before you act.
09:05 FM20 Jun
Chapter 124
Ignoring Rayden’s
n’s powerless fury behind her, Maxine walked out of the café without
looking
back:
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
