A Grudge Against Me

Lana watched Liam and Gale's interaction with each other and felt something was weird between them. The entire conversation between the two of them was just a few sentences long, but the ambiguous looks they passed each other and the contempt with which Liam looked at her, made Lana feel a little uncomfortable. 

Liam, on the other hand, had divulged no information about his personal relations with Gale. Looking at the entire scene, Lana narrowed her eyes, confused with the way the two were acting. 

But, more or less, she could tell what was going on. So her hunch was right, after all? Liam did know Gale from the start and that was the reason he accepted her case, even though it looked so hopeless. They both had quite some personal bygones between them based on the exchange of their words.

Lana could no longer endure the weird tension in the room and couldn't help but break the maddening silence. With crossed legs, she straightened her back and comfortably leaned on her chair. She crossed her arms and restlessly echoed, "Alright… You two snap! snap! Let's get this work done first, what we came here for. Minutes are running away for this visit, so please stop staring at each other and using telepathy to talk and reminisce about some past."

She turned to Liam with raised eyebrows and candidly said, "If you want to visit the client for any personal reasons, kindly do it alone. I'm here to learn and assist you on this case so can we all skip personal greetings and get the ball rolling now? Let's get started with our initial investigations and her side of the story. Shall we?"

Gale was shocked to hear the bossy tone and commanding words of Lana. Never had she imagined any woman could talk to Liam like that and to top it all, he would not mind those words even a bit. 

Though she was at her lowest in her life and was grief stricken after losing her loving husband in such a tragic way, she was really amused by Lana's way of talking. 

Gale suddenly burst out in a fit of laughter upon hearing Lana speak. She was almost crying of laughter. It had been awhile since she laughed like this and she wanted to kiss the woman in front of her for making her jaw locked right at that difficult moment of her life.

Lana's lips twisted while she gave Gale a look that was saying, 'Is she nuts? Laughing at a time like this? Is there even something funny with what she said?'

Gale understood her expression so still chuckling, she commented, "Oh, I'm sorry. Just that it's a breath of fresh air to hear you talking so informally like that to Liam."

Liam was a very serious man and Gale used to find it hard sometimes to communicate with him, especially whenever Liam would have that blank expression all over his face. Gale could recall how frustrated she felt for not being able to read him well.

Lana gave Gale a forced awkward smile and turned to Liam who was still zoning out from under his own radar. He looked to be dazed and had no intention to introduce her properly, so Lana herself took the initiative and introduced herself to Gale, extending her hand for a handshake on his behalf. 

She wondered what was going on between the two because she had the feeling that they had some rancour between them, but also knew Liam was very keen on saving her from getting convicted falsely. 

'This ice statue can be really difficult to deal with when it comes to his secrecy codes.' Lana muttered in her mind

"Hi, Miss Gale. I'm Lana Huang, an intern under Atty. Liam Sy. I will be assisting him in your case. Don't worry because Atty. Sy never loses any case so I'm pretty sure you'll soon be free and acquitted from this false allegation," Lana encouraged since she could see how the woman looked hopeless and depressed the moment she entered the waiting room.

"I know Miss Lana how capable Atty Sy is. He was the best and is known for taking cases with a hundred percent winning rate, and that's why I am wondering why he would take a hopeless case like mine. You see, Miss Huang, my worry is not about the capability of Liam, I know he is the best, but because he holds a grudge against me, so I have a reason to doubt your words. Maybe he just wants to confirm that I rot in jail and that is the reason he is keen to take up my case." Gale commented wryly.