Too Late to Love Her: When She Divorced, He Fell Apart-Chapter 10: Who Are You to Tristan Lockwood?

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Who Are You to Tristan Lockwood?
Claire said apologies to the client and then walked back to the office, saying leisurely, "She had the chance to complain so quickly? Haven’t you been busy with surgeries lately and haven’t returned home? Still, you managed this kind of affair?"
Tristan Lockwood: "She just had surgery, and the wound is still in the recovery period. You shouldn’t have said those words to stimulate her."
"Stating facts is called stimulation?"
Claire didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she said that day.
"Besides, I merely told her to seek timely medical treatment, just gave a bit of concern. Why is that wrong?"
Tristan paused and said, "Previously when you played tricks with me, I could go along. But she is different from you. Don’t use your dirty little calculations on her."
Claire was stunned for a moment, then sarcastically said in a calm voice, "You seem to value her more than yourself."
Tristan directly hung up the phone.
This temperamental behavior was nothing new to Claire, and she put it out of her mind completely as soon as she walked out of the office.
The client she was chatting with earlier was already standing up now, with a wide smile, saying to her, "Attorney Hale, we really have you to thank for winning this lawsuit and making my ex-husband suffer!"
Claire: "Ms. Walton, you are too kind. It was because you preserved evidence of his domestic violence that we were able to succeed."
Mrs. Walton, full name Chelsea Walton, was the client who requested her husband to leave with nothing last time. At that time, Claire wasn’t very confident about the case, but the client was determined to sue regardless of the cost.
Chelsea’s ex-husband did not leave with nothing, but Chelsea ultimately got eighty percent of the assets. Their daughter has already grown up, so there were no custody disputes, and things have settled.
Chelsea: "Tomorrow night, I’m holding a party to celebrate the successful divorce. You must come, Attorney Hale."
Such an invitation from a client was a great opportunity to expand social connections, especially in the circles of rich wives, whose marriage issues could circle around Riverbend entirely. Claire quickly nodded and agreed.
She didn’t expect to run into Tristan at the party.
He was dressed impeccably, with a suit perfectly arranged, standing tall among the crowd.
Given Tristan Lockwood’s distinguished family background, he was naturally the center of attention in such upper-class circles.
Beside him stood a female companion with a waist as slender as a snake, twisting here and there.
Claire found her familiar, scanned carefully, and recognized her as the woman with Tristan at the hotel last time.
"Last time you refused to touch her even when she cooperated with you in acting. Tonight, you’ll have to make it up to me, right?"
Lucy York tenderly clung to Tristan’s arm, acting coy.
Distractedly, Tristan took a sip from the glass of red wine in his hand: "How should I make it up?"
Lucy leaned closer to him, purposely letting her softness press against his firm arm, blushing shyly: "What position do you like? I can do anything."
Tristan raised an eyebrow: "Really?"
"Mm~"
Seeing he didn’t refuse, Lucy thought there was a chance and came even closer.
However, Tristan subtly drew away, stating politely, "I only promised to be your male companion, nothing more."
Lucy also noticed Claire by this time, her face turning a little unpleasant, asking, "You wouldn’t really have feelings for that woman, would you?"
Her gaze frequently fell upon Claire, obviously hostile. Had it not been for this woman’s interference last time, she might have already captured Tristan.
Tristan also glanced coolly at Claire; Claire was looking their way with a hint of disappointment in her aloof eyes.
Lucy sensed the aura around her suddenly chilled, clearly affected by that woman’s presence. Every time she glanced at Claire, she felt provoked.
Had Claire known how these two were feeling, she might have felt wronged.
Her uninterested expression had no other intention; just slightly disappointed Tristan didn’t bring his previous "Pea Princess" companion.
Just as she was thinking this, Lucy already walked right up to her, arrogantly questioning, "What exactly is your relationship with Tristan Lockwood?"
Claire glanced at her without much expression and said, "Aren’t you quite familiar with him? You even shared a hotel room, and he didn’t tell you what I am to him?"
She always spoke indifferently, which in Lucy’s eyes, only seemed condescending, fueling her anger even more: "Show me your invitation!"
"I don’t have an invitation."
She was personally escorted in by Chelsea.
Upon hearing this, Lucy was even more convinced that Claire was one of those roadside women scrambling to cling to the powerful, speaking more rudely, "A roadside hen dares to figure herself against me! Without an invitation, what right do you have to stand here?"
Claire paused, holding the wine glass, her voice turning icy, "If you want to know my qualification, ask your mother. Of course, if you are close enough to Tristan, you can let him tell you."
Her tone was calm, yet her presence was intimidating, with cold threads seeping from her eyes, somewhat daunting.
Lucy felt a tremor in her heart, subconsciously taking a step back.
Claire had no intention to argue further, she took a bite of dessert then turned to leave. Lucy, ashamed and outraged, picked up a wine glass from the table and splashed it at her back.
Claire wore a backless dress today, feeling the cool liquid sliding down her back, turning around to see Lucy’s fearful face.
In front of her was Tristan, who had his back turned.
His broad shoulders completely shielded her from sight.
"Tristan, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it."
Lucy grabbed a few napkins, attempting to wipe the stain off Tristan’s suit, only to have Tristan stop her hand.
His gaze toward her was cold, making Lucy involuntarily shiver, and she tentatively tugged his sleeve saying, "Shall I accompany you to the room to change your clothes?"
Tristan ignored her and instead looked in another direction: "Is this how the Walton family treats their guests?"
Chelsea hastily ran over, eyes sweeping over the red wine on Tristan’s clothes, then over to see a few drops on Claire’s.
One was the rare guest from a prestigious family at the party, the other having painstakingly helped her win the lawsuit, both were people she couldn’t afford to offend, yet her daughter somehow managed to antagonize both.
Chelsea raised her hand and slapped Lucy.
She then bowed towards Claire and Tristan, "Dr. Lockwood, Attorney Hale, I sincerely apologize; it’s due to my lack of discipline that my daughter has offended you."
"I’m fine."
Claire replied indifferently.
Her dress was dark-colored, and only a few drops of red wine were visible, it wasn’t too noticeably dirty unless looked closely. Tristan’s suit, however, had a long streak of red wine on the front, looking quite unsightly.
"Dr. Lockwood, I’ve arranged clean clothes upstairs; perhaps you could change in the hotel room?"
Chelsea spoke cautiously, her heart anxious. Tristan’s suit appeared to be custom-made, not only costly but time-consuming. Although she could afford the compensation, offending the Lockwood family was not an issue money could solve.