The Counterattack Begins
"You're off your rocker, Tamara. Do you really think you're an actual heiress just because you pretend to be? Divorce? Please, Yvonne's my one and only wife."
Salazar was clenching his teeth. The man was stuck in a sticky situation, and he had to lie his way out of this.
I crossed my arms and watched the circus show unfold. The people around me were changing their opinions, and they showed respect for me.
Though they were whispering, their voices were loud enough to pierce through the silence.
"Tamara's a Sheffield. Maybe Yvonne's the real mistress here."
"And if the stories are true, the Sheffield heiress lives a very low-profile life. Yvonne, though, wears designer goods from head to toe. It's like she's overcompensating for something."
Yvonne noticed the discussion, and that wiped the smile off her face immediately. She was glaring at me now. "Tamara, I have a PhD in law from Bullings University, while you don't even have a high school diploma. How dare you insult me! I'll call Mr. Sheffield right now. I'll show you how a pro handles closings!"
Her confidence swayed the crowd again, and they kept watching.
"I can't believe you, Tamara! You knew Mr. Sheffield wouldn't just take any calls from anyone, and you pushed Yvonne into calling him! I can see why you almost fooled everyone. You're a sly fox! Tell me, which of my clients specified you as their principal?"
My heart sank. That just hit me. No wonder Salazar kept telling me to give him the spot as principal for every single case I took. "It's for the firm. We want people to know about it," he said.
No, that was not the real reason. This was. He was waiting for this moment, when he could steal all my credit and give it to Yvonne.
He would take everything. My identity as heiress, Bullings' PhD holder, his wife, and even the principal for his cases.
I laughed at myself. The old me must've been blind. I could not believe I spent five years hopelessly in love with this bastard.
The lawyers took my silence as an admission of guilt. And the lackeys started attacking me.
"And I thought she was telling the truth, but she can't even show us any evidence. Yeah, that's what she gets for posing!"
"Where are the guards? They ought to throw her out. She's nothing but a poser. Disgusting!"
Some of the lecherous guests exchanged a look and came forth. They surrounded me.
"Don't have to call the guards. We can handle her. A little lesson, and she'll be quiet."
They did not bother hiding the lust in their eyes. The leers alone were making me shiver, and my feet were taking me backward.
Salazar frowned. He was wondering if he should let this go on.
"Eh, it's just a lesson. We're all lawyers in this city. They won't do anything too… egregious."
That convinced Salazar. He turned his attention somewhere else.
One of the leering men, a bald one, grabbed my wrist, and he laid his eyes on my chest. He never looked away again.
With all my strength, I barked, "Let go! I'm the granddaughter of Hereward Sheffield, the richest man in this city! Let go, or you're dead!"
Everyone froze, and then hilarity climbed. They burst into raucous laughter.
"Wow, she really is serious about the part, huh?"
"Honestly, she does look like an heiress now, if only for a moment."
The bald man was dragging me away, and his friends were touching me inappropriately.
"Okay, you keep on this rich girl act while we have our fun."
With tearful eyes, I looked at Salazar, and I shouted, "Salazar, tell them to stop right now! My family gave yours the rise it wanted, and we can take it away just as easily!"
Salazar looked at me again, but his eyes were devoid of emotion. He grunted. "Don't get mad at me, Tamara. You're nothing but a servant's girl. You can never be my wife, much less replace Yvonne."
That was the bald man's cue to go further. He slid his hand into my clothes and started to…
"Mr. Sheffield has arrived!"
