Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 108: Take Good Care of Your Future Sister-in-law

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Take Good Care of Your Future Sister-in-law

Just as Elias Peyton was on the verge of clawing at the walls in frustration, the door to the office was gently knocked.

"Counselor Peyton, are you busy?" Stella Sterling poked her head through the door.

Today, she wore a light gray business suit, her long hair styled up to reveal a graceful swan-like neck, making her appear both professional and fresh.

Behind her stood Finn Lockwood, hugging a stack of files.

They were at Innovatech to assist in handling a legal matter involving an overseas intellectual property dispute.

Elias Peyton’s eyes brightened instantly, as if he’d seen his savior: "Little Junior Sterling! You’re here just in time!"

As soon as his voice fell, he felt a tall shadow looming behind him.

At some point, Shane Donovan also arrived at the door, first casting his gaze on Stella Sterling, softening for a moment, then sweeping across the office to the slumped Rhys Lennox, his eyes turning cold instantly.

"What’s going on?" Shane Donovan spoke, his voice not loud yet carrying inherent authority, "Still hasn’t been decided?"

Elias Peyton felt as if he had been granted amnesty, quickly moving forward to report the situation in a low voice, tone tinged with helplessness: "President Donovan, Young Master Lockwood... all departments have been briefed, but none have shown any particular interest for now."

Only now did Rhys Lennox lazily move his gaze away from his phone screen, meeting Shane Donovan’s emotionless look with a nonchalant shrug.

Shane Donovan walked to Rhys Lennox’s desk, tapping lightly on the surface with his fingertips, capturing his full attention.

"Two choices."

Shane Donovan’s voice was calm, "One, choose a department again and start work this afternoon. Two..."

He paused, his gaze sharp, his voice lowering with the weight it carried, "I’ll have the driver take you to the airport now, send you back to The Donovan Family manor, and never come to me with anything about entering Innovatech again."

Rhys Lennox’s casual demeanor was somewhat restrained; he sat up straight, furrowing his brows as he engaged in a stare-off with his brother.

After a few seconds of dead silence, he suddenly raised his hand, pointed directly at Stella Sterling standing by the door, looking clueless—

"I’ll go to her place!"

Stella Sterling: "...Huh?"

She blinked, doubting whether she heard correctly.

Shane Donovan’s eyes flickered slightly, turning towards Stella Sterling.

Stella Sterling realized, quickly waving her hands, "What kind of joke is this? A double master’s in finance and medicine, what could he do at my law firm? We don’t harbor idlers there."

"You need to care?" Rhys Lennox tilted his chin slightly, with youthful defiance, "If I’m willing! What’s wrong with law? With my intelligence, I can learn quickly!"

Stella Sterling was choked by his words, utterly bemused.

This young master is truly impulsive.

She subconsciously glanced at Shane Donovan, signaling with her eyes for him to manage his unruly younger brother.

But Shane Donovan’s deep eyes flashed a trace of subtle mystique.

He nodded slightly, surprisingly agreeing, "Alright."

Stella Sterling: "???"

Rhys Lennox: "???"

Elias Peyton: "???"

Shane Donovan shifted his gaze to Rhys Lennox, "Then follow her to Serene Law Firm, do errands, serve tea, water, and make sure you take good care of your future sister-in-law."

"Any slight neglect..."

Shane Donovan leaned a bit closer, "I’ll personally send you packing back to Crestfall, watch as you shave off that golden hair, and lock you in the family manor’s ancestral hall to copy family rules for three months. Understand?"

Rhys Lennox’s mouth twitched harshly at the thought of the scenario, causing his scalp to tingle.

He begrudgingly clenched his teeth, squeezed a word from his throat: "...Fine."

...

Meanwhile, Jude Kensington was also on the verge of a breakdown.

He felt as if he was going crazy.

Clutching his phone, he paced restlessly around his office.

The receiver continued to play, "Sorry, the number you dialed is turned off..."

Two days already.

Jasper Hawthorne’s phone seemed to have been turned to brick, not connected anymore.

This was too unusual.

The Clearstone Law Firm Riveria Branch Office had just started, a pile of things waiting for his decisions, how could he possibly go missing for two consecutive days?

The foreboding premonition inside Jude Kensington grew stronger.

He took a deep breath, stopped hesitating, and directly dialed the Riveria Branch Office’s reception desk.

"Hello? Is Attorney Hawthorne there? I’m Jude Kensington, I have an urgent matter with him."

The voice of the receptionist on the other end was sweet but carried a hint of difficulty: "Attorney Kensington, hello. Attorney Hawthorne... hasn’t been in the office this past couple of days. We’ve called him, but his phone is off, we were about to contact you for insights."

Just as expected!

Jude Kensington’s heart sank heavily. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Send me the address of the apartment he rented, immediately!"

With the address in hand, Jude Kensington glanced at the gloomy sky outside, grabbed his car keys, the jacket casually tossed on the sofa, and dashed out the door.

He booked the next available flight to Riveria, and on the way, his foot was almost glued to the accelerator.

A few hours later, the plane landed at Riveria Airport.

Jude Kensington hailed a cab, giving the address of Jasper Hawthorne’s rented upscale apartment in Riveria.

The car arrived at the entrance of the complex, Jude Kensington almost sprinted towards the apartment building; he first pressed the doorbell forcefully, but upon getting no response, he began banging on the door—

"Jasper Hawthorne! Open up! I know you’re in there!" Jude Kensington slapped the door vigorously, his voice echoing through the empty hallway.

Still no response.

Jude Kensington couldn’t shake the sense of imminent dread swelling in his gut.

This guy... he wouldn’t really lose his mind inside there, would he...

He dared not continue that thought, quickly pulling out his phone, searching for a locksmith company’s number.

Privacy or legality be damned, he only wanted to ensure Jasper Hawthorne was still fucking breathing right now!

The locksmith came quickly, and upon seeing Jude Kensington’s pale face and urgency, didn’t ask much, pulling out his tools to work on the door lock.

With a light "click" sound, the door lock popped open.

Jude Kensington practically pushed the door in immediately—

A pungent smell of alcohol and tobacco smoke, almost tangible like a punch, slammed into his face, nearly blacking out his sight and churning his stomach.

He instinctively stepped back a bit, covering his nose and mouth, but his heart tightened at the sight ahead.

The living room was unlit, with heavy curtains drawn tightly, only a few strands of pale light squeezed through the gaps, barely illuminating the mess.

On the floor, the sofa, the coffee table...

All around, there were empty bottles, red, white, foreign, like remnants left after a wild revelry.

The ashtray was overflowing, cigarettes butts and ash scattered everywhere.

And Jasper Hawthorne, curling up at the center of this trash heap, leaning against the couch, sitting on the carpet.

His head hung low, messy black hair obscuring most of his face, the expensive white shirt crumpled beyond recognition, collar open wide showing his bandaged chest and a stretch of pale skin, even smudged with some unknown stains either from liquor or something else.

His hand still clutched a half-empty bottle, knuckles visibly turning pale blue from the tight grip.

Upon hearing the noise at the door, he slowly raised his head.

Jude Kensington gasped sharply.

In just a few short days, Jasper Hawthorne seemed as if the very essence of him had been drained away, reduced beyond recognition.

With sunken eyes, dark circles heavy enough to be eternal, reddened with disturbing red veins, a patch of stubble sprouting on his chin, cracked dry lips, his face was almost translucently pale.

How could he still be the invincible first attorney of Kenton in the courtroom?

He was practically just...

An empty husk, drained of soul!