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Liam Pov
The elevator doors slid open with a dull chime, and I stepped into the familiar, humming atmosphere of the DA's office.
The fluorescent lights washed the halls in sterile white, and the muted clatter of keyboards and ringing phones filled the air.
My suit jacket still felt warm against my back from the ride on the bike.
Outside, autumn's chill had crept into New York, but here it was business as usual—cases moving, lives changing, reputations being built or destroyed.
Beth was waiting at her desk outside my office, her eyes catching mine the moment I stepped in.
She had that gentle, composed smile that rarely gave away much, but today there was a spark in it, almost like she'd been holding it in since the morning.
I raised a brow as I walked toward her.
"Surprised?" I asked.
"Indeed," she replied softly, her voice carrying that professional calm. "Congratulations on the case, Mr. Harper."
I set my bag on her desk and asked "So the news has already reached here?"
"It's been ringing through every corner of this office since the hearing ended. The moment you walked out of Judge Harrington's chambers, it was only a matter of time before word spread. You did what most thought impossible."
I gave a small nod, not letting too much pride show.
I had my reasons for keeping a cool exterior. "What else came in?"
Her tone shifted, more businesslike. "Hale's lawyer, Gregory Stone, called a few times. I told him you weren't available."
I didn't even blink. "Good. Let him wait."
Beth tilted her head, curious at my reaction.
"Anything else?" I asked
"Cameron Dennis wants to see you the moment you get in."
I sighed lightly through my nose. "Of course he does but there is something else much more important that meeting Cameron"
"What's more important than meeting your boss?" She asked brows raised
I pointed at her and smiled
She was confused and I continued "Should I assume you will be my permanent secretary?"
Beth realised what I was talking about and replied with a smile "Of course"
Beth stood and took my bag, and without another word, she carried it inside my office.
When she returned, I was already walking toward's Cameron's office.
His assistant spotted me immediately, looked up from her screen, and said, "He's waiting inside."
I nodded and walked in.
Cameron Dennis was standing by the window, a glass of scotch in hand.
His smirk was already there before he even spoke.
Standing next to him, also holding a glass, was Harvey Specter—sharp suit, sharper eyes, confidence radiating from every angle.
Harvey wasn't someone you had to be introduced to; his reputation preceded him.
Cameron turned when he heard me. "Nice job, kid," he said, striding forward, patting my shoulder as though he'd been the one who secured the ruling.
Then, with a sweep of his hand, he gestured. "Meet Harvey Specter. My right hand and one hell of a lawyer."
Harvey extended his hand, his smile quick but assessing. "Nice work on the Hale's case. Didn't expect that ending."
I shook his hand, firm but cool, my expression steady. "Appreciate it."
Cameron, still smirking, reached into his pocket. "You dropped this?"
When his hand came out, my Rolex glinted under the office light.
The same watch Cameron thought he won believing I will lose The Hale's case but as if I'd lose.
I studied it, keeping my face unreadable.
There were a dozen things I could have said, but instead I simply smiled.
Taking it from his hand, I held it up, inspecting every inch as though I were just admiring it.
In truth, I was looking for scratches, signs of misuse.
Finding none, I unbuckled the temporary watch from my wrist and slid the Rolex back where it belonged.
Both Cameron and Harvey exchanged a glance—maybe thinking this watch carried some deep sentimental value for me.
For me, it wasn't sentiment. It was the principle.
The three of us spent the next hour talking.
Well—mostly Cameron and Harvey, trading war stories from past cases, half the time speaking in shorthand only seasoned lawyers could understand.
I listened, contributing only when necessary, measuring them, cataloging how they moved, thought, and tested people.
They were predators in their field. If today proved anything, I was now part of their ecosystem.
Finally, Cameron downed the last of his drink and set the glass on his desk. "We should celebrate. Dinner tonight. Liam, join us."
I knew what this meant. An invitation into the inner circle and after what I'd pulled in court today, I'd earned my chair at that table.
"Where?" I asked.
"Del Posto," Cameron replied smoothly, naming one of Manhattan's finest restaurants, the kind where tables were booked out months in advance—unless, of course, you were someone like Cameron.
As a regular, he had privileges. Probably knew the manager and the head chef preparing meals specially for him.
It wasn't just dining; it was status on a plate.
I nodded. "I'll be there."
"Good." Cameron clapped my shoulder again. "See you at seven."
With that, I excused myself and returned to my office.
Beth was on the phone when I arrived, her posture straight, her voice professional. She caught sight of me, pressed the hold button, and looked up. "It's Hale's lawyer—Mr. Stone. He's been calling nonstop."
I gave a small nod. "I'll handle it."
She handed me the receiver.
"Harper speaking."
Gregory Stone's voice came sharp and direct. "Why are you harassing my client?"
I leaned back in my chair, playing clueless. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
We both knew exactly what he meant.
After court, Detective Cross had walked out with a paper in hand—the search warrant I had requested from Judge Harrington immediately after the dismissal hearing.
A strike while the iron was hot.
Hale and Stone had left the courthouse before they realized the damage was already multiplying.
Stone's tone hardened. "Don't play games. Let's not waste each other's time. My client is ready to make a deal. He'll plead guilty in exchange for reduced sentencing. Three years, rehab, a five-hundred-thousand-dollar fine, and three years community service."
I chuckled softly into the receiver. "Mr. Stone, you and I both know I can take this case to trial and easily secure nine years, maybe more, plus millions in fines."
Across the desk, Beth tilted her head, studying me.
This was the first time she'd seen me negotiate like this, and I could tell by the slight nod she gave that she approved.
This was how the game was played. When your hand is strong, you push hard and make them lose or fold.
On the other end of the line, Stone went quiet for several seconds. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, sharper. "Eight years. Rehab. Two million in fines. That's as far as we go."
I didn't reply right away. My instincts screamed at me.
This wasn't normal.
Defense lawyers fought tooth and nail to chip away at every month, every dollar yet Stone had almost rolled over, conceding nearly everything I might have demanded.
It was too quick, too easy which meant someone else was pulling strings, shoving Hale into the pit to bury the scandal before it grew worse.
I finally said, "I'll think about it," and cut the call.
Beth leaned in slightly and asked about it and I told her
"That was close to everything you wanted. Why stall?" she asked with a hint of curiosity
I smiled faintly. "Because when someone folds that easily, it's never about the case. They're afraid of something bigger."
Her eyes widened a little. She understood.
From inside my HUD, Eve's voice chimed in, sharp as always.
[That was slick, Liam. You could have had Stone by the throat, and you let him breathe.]
'Sometimes' I murmured back in my mind, 'you learn more from letting someone breathe than from choking them out.'
[Or you're stalling because your gut tells you the real storm hasn't even started.]
I smirked. 'You know me too well'
[Of course I do but let me just say, if you had agreed to that plea, you'd have tied this case up neatly. Safe. Predictable.]
'Safe is overrated' I replied in my mind.
[Spoken like a man who enjoys dancing on landmines. Just don't trip, Liam. Even your crimson eyes won't help you then.]
Her sarcasm earned a faint chuckle from me.
Beth leaned forward, curiosity in her gaze. "So… Will it be over soon?"
I shook my head slowly. "Not sure."
Because deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.
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