Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
My silence compels him to spell it out for me.
“Go easy on her. Lob her softballs. That’s it.” He has the audacity to smile at me before adding, “Have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
With a nod, he turns toward the door. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
I pick up my phone the second he’s out of my office and down the hall. My assistant, Lucy, picks up on the first ring.
“Whatcha need?” she asks, no formality necessary.
“Figure out when the first-years get in today. Are they already here? Have you seen them around the building?”
There’s shuffling on her end. “Oh, they start today? Let me just…”
“Call me back,” I say then hang up.
At a sprightly 79 years old, Lucy Sadler is likely the oldest person in this building, and she’s been my trusty assistant since my first day as a senior associate. I inherited her from a partner who retired ten years ago. Lucy might have retired alongside him, considering she was his great aunt, but she chose to stay and now we’re best friends, though neither of us would ever admit that.
My phone rings.
“Whatdoyougot?” One word, spoken fifty times a day.
“You said first-years?”
I rub my eye sockets. “Yeah, Luce. First-years.”
“On it.”
While I wait for her to get back to me, I reclaim my seat and open a fresh internet tab. I type Scarlett Elwood into Google. Like any good lawyer, I need to do my research.
I didn’t know the Elwoods had spawned a fourth child. How many children does one couple need? Oh shit—who’s to say there aren’t more than four?
A shiver rolls down my spine.
Before the search results load, I picture Scarlett as a female version of Anders replete with white hair, sideburns, and whiskers sprouting from her nostrils. Then the first page of Google appears, and there, at the top of the screen, is a high-resolution headshot of the youngest Elwood. Huh, I was wrong. This girl—girl, because she can’t be a day older than twenty-three—is a brunette bombshell. She takes after her mother, I suppose, same as Barrett. She has gorgeous hair, thick chestnut brown waves surrounding her demure face. Her eyes shine with hopeful youth, and her smile is seductive, though not in a come-hither way. She’s chock-full of that dimpled charm you’d expect from your childhood crush.
When I realize my stomach has squeezed tight with something, I wince and scroll down until I land on what I’m really looking for: intel. There are a million law forums online. Even just searching “Reddit” and “Scarlett Elwood” pulls up plenty of results. Apparently, people really enjoy discussing her.
I read and scroll fast. There’s no time to waste. I have a full day of work ahead of me that doesn’t include stalking a stranger online.
Anonymous134_x: This girl is so obnoxious. I was in her same year at Columbia Law and you should have seen the way the professors fawned all over her. I doubt she had to study for a single test because of who her *DaDdY* is…ugh. Barf.
* * *
LawGirlXO: I heard it’s been like that her whole life. She grew up in this elite private school. A total pampered princess. It’s just so annoying that people like her take spots away from lawyers who really deserve to practice.
* * *
Anonymous134_x: Exactly! She’d never have made it into Columbia without her family’s legacy.
* * *
Throwaway13339990: @Anonymous134_x Proof or shut up.
* * *
Anonymous134_x: Uhh…I saw it with my own eyes. A professor gave her an extension on a paper because Scarlett wanted to go on vacation in San Trope with her family or something. That would have never flown for the rest of us. There was other stuff too…but trust me when I say, we were all aware of her privilege. There was an understanding among the staff that she was untouchable, like her dad was pulling the strings or something. Meanwhile, the rest of us were actually working our asses off…
I scroll a few more pages then decide I’ve seen enough. While the idea of people anonymously spewing hate online reeks of cowardice, the sentiment behind all these posts still stands. It’s not hard to parse out the pertinent information from the mean-spirited vitriol. Furthermore, I don’t need to wonder if there’s truth behind any of these stories; I just had it confirmed for me by her own father. He waltzed into my office and made himself very clear: go easy on Scarlett. Smooth out the path before her…or else.
This isn’t daycare. This is the top law firm in the nation. People fight tooth and nail to be here, sacrificing everything, putting themselves into debt up to their ears—all so they can watch someone like Scarlett breeze through, no problem? Infuriating.
I’m actually glad Anders has asked me to bring her onto my service. I’d love nothing more than to take Scarlett Elwood along for a day in my life. I bet she doesn’t even survive the morning. I’ll give her until 10:00 a.m., then she’ll go running for the hills. Sure, maybe her dad will want my head on a platter for going against his wishes, but something tells me he understands the score here. If his daughter isn’t capable of being a real lawyer, that’s going to become apparent sooner rather than later, no matter her team placement.