While Qi Cheng took Onita and little Alicia back to country A,Neil spent the day collaborating with Hu Ge to prevent any information about Onita from leaking out.Tired by the end of the long day,he wanted to sleep but just then his phone dinged with the sound of an incoming message.Opening it,he read the contents and let out a string of curses.He had forgotten about the cla.s.s.Of course his arch enemy had to remind him!He was going to force feed all the food he made to Alicia and make her suffer.Make her his guinea pig!Now that would be a perfect revenge!He looked at the time and saw that there was time to get to the cla.s.s yet.He tried to call Mi Rae but her phone was unavailable.Thinking that she was going to ditch him or like him had forgotten,he decided to pick her up from her office and so taking his jacket,he went towards the car park. 

After calling multiple times and seeing that her phone was still unreachable,he decided to call her at the office.She must still be there.A woman answered the call with a polite greeting and asking the name of the person they would like to speak to."Attorney Zheng,please."

"May I know who is calling?"

"Attorney Long."

"Just a moment,Sir."

Mi Rae was in the middle of a meeting with the senior partners.She was itching to bash their faces as they went on to explain how she had missed qualifying for partners.h.i.+p this year even though she had won the biggest case, and since there were no chance of a partners.h.i.+p opening up anytime soon,they hoped that she would continue to work hard on her senior position and lead the juniors with a good example.They were about to continue with their preaching but just then,the phone rang.Normally she would not have answered when meeting these people but today she was angry enough so irritatedly she answered with a,"h.e.l.lo!"

A husky voice answered,"Well h.e.l.lo to you too,Attorney Zheng.So what has you so fired up today?."

The simple h.e.l.lo and query somehow soothed her flared nerves and she calmed down a bit and looking at the partners said,"Nothing much.I am actually in a difficult meeting.What is the reason for this call?"

"You hurt me Mi Rae!You have forgotten our date tonight!I am about to reach to pick you up at the office!And who is being difficult to you?"Neil conveniently did not mention that he had not remembered as well.After all that was not beneficial to him.

"I am the one about to be difficult!You can come straight up when you reach.I'll have them know my boyfriend is going to be here."She stared at the partners who had been listening in as she said this and then put down the phone.Pressing a b.u.t.ton on the other phone,she said,"My boyfriend is going to be here in a couple of minutes.Send him to my cabin immediately."

Neil looked at the phone which had been hanged up and murmured,"Mi Rae is really fast.Tonight is our first date and she has already claimed me as her boyfriend.And I did not even know that!But there was definitely going to be a good show to watch.He knew Mi Rae was not one to shy away from what she wanted.And like him she was not an all black or all white kind of a girl.In their profession,there was more of grey.So even if she had to threaten or blackmail someone to get her goals,she would not shy away from that.After all she had not hesitated in taking up Leona Knight's case. 

The senior partner who was also a founding member of the firm protested,"AttorneyZheng!What is the meaning of this!What are you saying you are goingto be difficult about?And you seem to have forgotten how to treat and respect your seniors!"

Mi Rae leaned back in her chair and said,"Of course I remember.But before I show you some respect,I would like to show you something else."With that she pa.s.sed a file to them which they made no move to accept.

Smirking she said,"What you do not want to know what is in there?I can tell you verbally.The file has an entire a.n.a.lysis of the company's employees and their acheivements.The summary is an independent report of how the HR policy is biased and the benefits and even offences committed by the male members are handled leneiently when compared with their female counterparts.In the other file there are papers stating the requirements for becoming a partned and then a detailed a.n.a.lysis of my and the two junior who actually were able to secure the partners.h.i.+ps.The a.n.a.lysis clearly show I was better qualified both times to get that position but was looked over in favor of the male clooeagues.Other than mine there are also signed statements from some ex female employees who have resigned in the past due to this and some undisclosed present employees who are suffering from this discriminating policy.Now tell me seniors what would you like to say?And lastly,the last is my resignation letter stating the reason for my resignation as well as the termination of the two weeks notice period which I have adjusted against my vacation leave."

The one who had tried to reprimand Zheng was angered and said,"What is the meaning of this!Who is going to believe this cr**!We are a respectable firm and you are trying to malign us or are you trying to blackmail us!the fact is that you now have a boyfriend and like all girls want to get married and so would like to leave the job.But obviously you do not want to leave empty handed so you decide to do this!I'll tell you what!Yes I have instructed the HR to always favor and provide more opportunitis to the male members as they do not leave of get pregnant!So what can you do about it?If you think that you can blackmail us then you are wrong and if you want to sue us you can try!No one is going to fight against a law firm that has some of the best lawyers!I would like to see you try!Good thing you have called over your dud boyfriend to help you pack up your things!We do not need riff raff in our office!"

The partner finished angrily while everyone in the office outside had frozen in shock!Everything that Mi Rae had said had been softly but the partner had shouted out his response letting everyone know what was happening.Those who were aware of the truth behind the HR policy already pitied Zheng knowing the validity behind the senior partner's claim.

But just then a figure in a clean cut suit,walked in through the frozen crowd and opened the door to the cabin.Leaving the door behind open he said slowly,"Attorney Lee,that was a very dangerous confession to shout out in the office.Are you not afraid of the female employees coming after you?"

Attorney Lee(the senior partner) turned around and asked rudely,"Who do you think you are?"

"Oh I am sorry for not introducing myself.Actually I have become so used to being recognozed on sight that I may have become a bit rude.My name is Neil Long.I am a corporate attorney working as Head of the Legal Department at Lance Inc.But I think you meant that why I am here?I also just happen to be Mi Rae's 'dud' boyfriend.Though I take an exception to being called 'dud'."With that Neil who had walked into the office as he spoke stood behind Attorney Zheng's chair and placed a hand on her shoulder.