Chapter <b>58 </b>
Just <b>as </b><b>the </b>knife <b>was </b>about <b>to </b>strike Yasmine<b>, </b>she yanked someone else in front of her as <b>a </b>human shield.
<b>That </b><b>“</b>someone<b>” </b>was Jenny.
<b>Jenny’s </b>face wentpletely pale. She shook like a leaf<b>, </b><b>tears </b>streaming down her cheeks as she froze in fear. The man <b>lunged </b>at her <b>with </b>the knife<b>, </b>and she squeezed her eyes shut<b>, </b>bracing for pain.
But it never came.
Instead<b>, </b>gasps <b>of </b>disbelief rippled through <b>the </b>crowd.
Jenny slowly opened her eyes and what she saw left her stunned.
Charlotte had thrown herself into the fray<b>. </b>She was unarmed, yet now locked in a fight <b>with </b>the attacker.
The man, wild–eyed and frenzied, swung the knife wildly in all directions,pletely unhinged. Charlotte dodged each strike with sharp, quick movements<b>, </b><b>but </b>not without cost. The de shed across her arm, <b>and </b>blood instantly soaked through the sleeve of her white blouse. “You wanna die <b>that </b>bad?!” <b>the </b>man roared, charging at her again.
Gritting her <b>teeth</b>, Charlotte pivoted just in time<b>, </b>grabbing the wrist of his knife hand and twisting it hard.
A loud snap followed by a blood–curdling scream rang out.
The attacker dropped the knife.
Without missing a beat<b>, </b>Charlotte kicked the de across <b>the </b>room. A male colleague scrambled to pick it up and remove it from reach.
Now that the man was disarmed, he was <b>no </b>match for Charlotte. She struck him with a series of clean, rapid punches, forcing cries of pain from him. Then<b>, </b>without hesitation<b>, </b>shended a powerful kick to his head.
The man stumbled, dazed and disoriented<b>, </b>barely able to find his footing. Before he could recover, Charlotte spun,nded a flurry of kicks<b>, </b>and mmed him to the ground with a wless over–the–shoulder throw.
Everyone stared, stunned.
No one had <b>expected </b>the calm<b>, </b>soft–spoken attorney to fight like a trained fighter.
Just as the attackery defeated on the floor<b>, </b>the police and paramedics arrived. The man was quickly taken into custody. Paramedics lifted the blood–soaked Max onto a stretcher and rushed him to the hospital.
Only then did the rest <b>of </b><b>the </b>firm dare to <b>step </b>forward and speak.
They <b>weren’t </b>celebrating survival. Fear and shock hung thick in the air.
Jenny, her face streaked with tears<b>, </b>could barely speak. <b>“</b>Miss Riley… <b>I </b>thought I was going <b>to </b>die… If it <b>weren’t </b><b>for </b><b>you</b><b>, </b>I–I wouldn’t be <b>here </b>right now. Thank <b>you</b>, thank <b>you </b>so much…”
Yvonne’s face was ashen<b>. </b>“In ten <b>years </b>of practicingw, I’ve never <b>seen </b>anything like this… Being awyer is bing a high–risk job.”
Yasmine was still shaking. “Is<b>… </b>is Max going to make it?”
Yvonne answered sharply, “He’ll <b>be </b>okay.”
A few of the male associates<b>, </b>finally snapping <b>out </b><b>of </b>their <b>daze</b>, turned to Charlotte in admiration.
“Miss Riley, that was insane. I didn’t know you had that kind of skill. You were incredible.”
“Seriously<b>, </b>thank you for saving everyone.”
Calling <b>you </b>quiet was the biggest misunderstanding of my life.”
Charlotte <b>didn’t </b>respond to the praise.
She walked straight up to Yasmine<b>, </b>her expression hard.
“Miss Carter<b>,</b>” she said <b>coldly</b>, “were you trying <b>to </b>use Jenny as a human shield just now?<b>” </b>
Yasmine couldn’t meet her eyes<b>. </b>She stammered<b>, </b>“I–I panicked. It was self<b>–</b><b>defense</b>…”
<b>Everyone </b>had seen it. And <b>now</b><b>, </b>hearing her excuse<b>, </b><b>their </b>faces twisted with disgust.
Chester Be
<b>+25 </b>Bonus
Yasmine <b>felt </b>the weight of their judgment. But in her mind, <b>it </b>made sense. If she hadn’t <b>pushed </b>Jenny in front of her, she would be the one bleeding out right now. Wasn’t that just survival human instinct<b>? </b>
<b>“</b>Some <b>excuse </b>for self–<b>defense</b><b>,</b><b>” </b>Charlotte said coldly<b>, </b>her <b>voice </b><b>devoid </b>of warmth<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>And </b><b>you </b><b>call </b>yourself awyer? You should know better than anyone that you can’t use someone else’s life to protect your own<b>.</b>”
It was a basic point ofw. Anyone with <b>even </b>the slightest legal training should know.
<b>2</b>