The following proceedings were predictable. Two hours later, the jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Muriel Lane, and the judge ordered Charlie and Yvonne to return the $2 million lottery winnings.
As soon as the judge adjourned, Yvonne fled the courtroom at lightning speed, so fast that the reporters outside didn't even have time to stop her.
Frustrated, the reporters turned and cornered Charlie at the hallway exit. Amid the chaos, only Hannah, prompted by Jack, quietly followed the poor woman.
---
"By the Hudson River? As long as she's fine. Be careful," Jack said as he hung up the phone, meeting Aunt Didi's concerned gaze. He quickly reassured her.
"That girl's fine. Hannah is with her, and they're at the pier by the river."
At that moment, the people with him included the elderly Hunter couple, Wesley, Black reporter Dupree, and the plaintiff's lawyers, Harvey Specter and his assistant, Mike Ross.
The group had gathered in the suite of the Plaza Hotel. Though Jack and Hannah hadn't rented the presidential suite, the large living room was spacious enough to accommodate everyone without feeling cramped.
The two star lawyers looked a bit embarrassed. Aunt Didi hadn't exactly been kind to them, despite their solid performance in court. But when it comes to an elderly woman with a full head of white hair, logic and reason sometimes don't stand a chance—so they had no choice but to endure her glares.
After about an hour and a half, they had wrapped up discussions about Joe Mason's case. Harvey and Mike officially accepted the case, and bald-headed Frank wrote a check for $120,000 as their fee.
With business out of the way, Jack poured everyone a glass of golden sherry to toast to their success.
But Aunt Didi was still sulking, clearly worried about the unfortunate couple. Dupree, meanwhile, was watching Jack intently, as if silently asking whether they were still on for their little agreement from the day before.
Jack recounted everything he and Hannah had uncovered, from his disguised visit to "Yvonne's Café" to what they witnessed at the bar that night.
The two lawyers, who had just pocketed their check, exchanged glances. While Harvey's courtroom strategy was just that—a strategy to win—it was obvious what tomorrow's headlines would say.
Terms like "gold digger," "con artist," and even "homewrecker" would likely be plastered over Charlie and Yvonne's names.
No matter how materialistic and money-driven this city was, basic moral values still held sway with the general public.
The thought of two genuinely kind-hearted people, now labeled and condemned because of their role in this "helping evil" situation, made even Harvey, who was well-versed in the cutthroat world of the rich and famous, squirm in his seat.
"Maybe we should do something for them... At least we can't just watch them go bankrupt, right?" Mike whispered to Harvey.
Harvey, looking agitated, ran his hand through his carefully styled hair, turning it into a messy bird's nest as he stared at the ceiling, remaining silent.
"I could try that disguise idea again," Dupree finally said after thinking it over for a while. "I'll dress up as a homeless person and visit 'Yvonne's Café,' documenting their good deeds for a clarifying piece."
"I could help them financially under a third-party name. While it might not save their café, at least they wouldn't go bankrupt," Harvey sighed, visibly relieved after suggesting the idea.
"Jack, you must have a better plan, don't you?" Old Hunter, unlike Didi, who was worried, had been keeping his eyes on a certain smug-looking individual who was secretly laughing to himself.
His words made everyone pause in surprise, and suddenly, Jack, who had been leisurely sniffing a large cigar, became the center of attention.
"How about I tell a story first? I can't vouch for its authenticity, but it gave me an idea."
Jack smiled mysteriously. This was a plan he'd come up with after Hannah helped him "clear his head" yesterday. It was based on a true story from his previous life.
"Once upon a time, there was a mother and daughter who were all alone. Shortly after the girl was born, she was diagnosed with 'eye cancer,' technically called retinoblastoma. This condition could be cured in its early stages, but it required a large sum of money.
"The mother could barely make ends meet with her day job and certainly didn't have any savings. She had no relatives or friends to help her."
Jack took a sip of his drink to wet his throat before continuing.
"She sought help everywhere but hit one dead end after another. Even the online plea for assistance she posted didn't gain much attention because hospitals everywhere had a dozen people with similar unfortunate stories.
"But luckily, a guy who was good at stirring up news approached her with a crazy idea."
The others leaned in as Jack continued.
"So one day, this mother took her sick daughter to a busy square and began crawling on her knees toward the hospital. Soon, a crowd of onlookers gathered, followed by the media."
"And then people started donating to help her?" Dupree asked, frowning. He found the story too ordinary. What kind of inspiration could that be?
"Not exactly," Jack said. "When reporters asked why the mother was crawling with her daughter, she told them that someone had replied to her online plea. This person claimed to be a wealthy trust-fund kid who wanted to test her. He said that if she crawled all the way from the square to the hospital, he'd give her a large sum of money."
"Whoa, that guy's a genius!" Dupree exclaimed, slapping his thigh as the realization hit him.
None of the others in the room were dull, and they all understood what Jack was getting at.
"After just a few days of public outrage, people condemned the trust-fund kid while also sympathizing with the mother's plight. She received numerous donations, eventually raising enough for the medical treatment."
"Of course, the guy who orchestrated the stunt became quite controversial, and he wasn't exactly a saint. But just as a plan, it was successful, and it gave me a great idea."
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]