Everyone was shocked at Kang Huizhong’s revelation. He, the famed corporate lawyer of Jin Corporation and personal attorney of CEO Jin Liwei, was playing assistant in a mere custody case for a toddler? Not only him, but even His Excellency Deng Gui? The former jurist of the international court of justice previously presided over cases involving conflicts between sovereign states and various organizations on the world level. And now someone in the top leagues like him was handling a child custody case?
What in the world?! Wasn’t this supposed to be a simple case? The parents involved weren’t even married, so the case shouldn’t be too complicated. If it wasn’t because the reporters were paid to bully Jiang Ying Yue and tarnish her image in the media, the reporters wouldn’t even bother covering such a small case like this.
Then why did two bigshot lawyers suddenly involve themselves in this custody case? Were the reporters missing something? Perhaps the child was actually royalty?
“It’s Iris Long. She must’ve asked her fiancé CEO Jin to invite Atty. Kang and His Excellency Deng to help her friend. Remember that Atty. Hong who’s representing Jiang Ying Yue in this case is originally Iris Long’s personal lawyer. Also, the child involved is not only her nephew but her godson as well. CEO Jin is the godfather.”
“That makes sense. Only someone with CEO Jin’s status and influence could move bigshots like His Excellency Deng and Atty. Kang to waste their time in a small family case like this. Iris Long is a very lucky woman to have CEO Jin as her future husband. If this was the ancient times, she would be marrying an emperor.”
“Yeah. But speaking of the two opposing sides in this case, I just find it intriguing that Iris Long is supporting the child’s mother instead of the father. Long Hui is her brother, you know. Even if they’re only half-siblings, you’d think that blood is thicker than water but by the look of things, Iris Long and Long Hui have become enemies because of Jiang Ying Yue and her child.”
“Now I feel motivated to follow this custody case and cover how it will turn out. The court hearing hasn’t even started yet but so many things happened already.”
“Same here. I just feel sorry for Long Hui now. I initially thought that he’ll win custody of his son without any problems because he’s the heir of the Long clan and Jiang Ying Yue is only a mere bodyguard, but with the appearance of His Excellency Deng and Atty. Kang supporting Jiang Ying Yue, things aren’t looking good for him. He needs to have a secret weapon of the same calibre as the two bigshot lawyers if he has any chance of winning this case.”
“I can believe if there’s someone in the same calibre as Atty. Kang in this country, but His Excellency Deng? Are you kidding me? If His Excellency claims to be number two, nobody in our country would dare claim to be number one.”
The reporters made their own conclusions based on their observations just now. Their original mission to make it difficult for Jiang Ying Yue today was already forgotten, as they focused on the appearance of the big guns protecting Jiang Ying Yue’s side in this case. They all glanced at Long Hui standing in front of the courthouse’s main entrance with his lawyer.
Long Hui’s expression turned darker when he saw the way the reporters were looking at him. Useless bunch! He shouldn’t have bothered listening to Elder Long Meng. He ended up only wasting his money on these incompetent fellows.
But more than the reporters, he was concerned more about the appearance of Kang Huizhong and especially Deng Gui. Even he could sense his own lawyer’s anxiety now that they knew for sure that they would be dealing not only with the tough Hong Shaoqiang but also with the two bigshot lawyers.
Long Hui felt worried. Extremely worried. However, the worry was only secondary to the hatred he felt for his youngest half-sister Xiulan and her fiancé Jin Liwei. His hatred for them was only growing more intense every time they did something to oppose him.
‘So they decided to play dirty by using their status and influence to bully me. Hmph!’ He felt indignant and mentally cursed the couple’s “dirty tactics”, forgetting the fact that he also employed dirty tactics by hiring reporters to bully Jiang Ying Yue. In his mind, it had nothing to do with him. It was all Elder Long Meng’s idea. All he did was pay the money. After glaring at Jiang Ying Yue’s group, he turned and entered the courthouse with his sweating lawyer.
###
[This novel is a contracted work with W e b n o v e l . c o m (remove spaces). If you’re not reading this chapter on W e b n o v e l, it has been stolen. It’s very discouraging to see thieves profitting from my hard work. Please read this novel on W e b n o v e l. Thank you! -Arria]
###
The tension was very high in the courtroom. Both Jiang Ying Yue and Long Hui, the main characters in this custody battle, had grim expressions on their faces. Most of the talking was done by their respective lawyers.
Normally, small cases like this were done in a small courtroom and received judgment on the same day. If concluding on the same day wasn’t possible, then the case would be extended. It would all be up to the judge and how long he or she would take to make a decision.
This time, however, the original venue of the hearing was moved to a bigger courtroom all of a sudden. The judge presiding over the case also granted special permission to a select number of major news outlets allowing them to document the hearing. All of these were done a few minutes before the hearing’s official start time.
Nevertheless, the judge still managed to maintain an air of impartiality as he officially started the hearing. But with the media’s presence, what should have been a simple proceeding became more like a performance between the lawyers and the judge.
Accusations were thrown against each other. Skeletons in the closet were exposed. Malice were being shot like a flamethrower.
There was a moment when everything became too much for Jiang Ying Yue and she just broke down, bursting into heart-wrenching sobs. The lies about her cheating…she could still take.
But the accusations of her being a bad mother? Of prioritizing her own desires over her son’s? Too much. Long Hui was being too much!
At that moment, she truly realized that it was really over between them, that he had completely changed, and that the Long Hui in front of her right now had become a total stranger…no, an enemy.
When the photos and a video of her and Lin Yehan were shown, the reporters stirred with renewed interest. Jiang Ying Yue was sure that the media would blow this out of proportion and drag Lin Yehan’s name in the mud with her. She stopped crying. Her heartbroken expression was replaced by fury.
She shot a cold glare at Long Hui. He really dared to drag an innocent man in their ugly battle!
Poof!
The last remaining small shred of love for him was finally killed in her heart.
