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Chapter 2

WHAM.

A stack of files were dropped onto my desk as I sat in my cubicle waiting for Emmett Cullen to summon me.

Just after Bella had given me her little speech she made a ceremonious movement to go into her office and close the door in my face.

It was completely pointless, of course. Because her door, and her entire wall, was made from glass.

She sat down in her seat and flipped open one of the files on her desk.

Taking a quick glance at me, she shouted out so I could hear her, "Go sit at your cubicle. Turn on your computer and set up your Cullen Hale account. Emmett should be down to get you sometime soon."

And so, that's exactly what I did.

An hour ago.

I watched a lot of the people around me, and only one of them, a guy called Eric Yorkie, introduced himself. He was another first year, his cubicle was across from mine on my left, and he was definitely one of the geeks.

But he was nice.

And we'd get along.

After approximately 64 minutes of waiting, Bella Swan rounded the corner and headed straight for Eric's desk. It seemed to make sense that she would favour the geeks over the cocky guys.

She was leaning over his cubicle, discussing a file in his hands, when these files were flung down in front of me.

"You Masen?" The deep voice sounded from the front of my cubicle, and I took a long glance at the files before looking at the person in front of me.

And he was like a little boy.

His dirty fair hair was spiked up with far too much gel, and his baby face seemed almost cocky as he took me in.

I lent back in my seat as I studied him, "Considering I'm probably older than you, you can manage to call me Edward."

The boy's face blanched, but he soon recovered, "You may be older than me, but you're still a first year. I'm a second year."

He took a quick look around him to see if anyone was listening to our encounter.

Of course, they were.

Even Bella Swan had turned around from her discussion with Eric to listen.

"These files have to be taken up to Emmett Cullen... Now. You can find your way, can't you rookie?"

He smirked once, raising an eyebrow at me before he moved away from my cubicle.

However, he was only able to take one step before Bella Swan appeared in his place in front of me. She placed her hand on my cubicle wall, tilting her chin up slightly as she stared at him.

"Mike?" Her soft voice called sweetly.

I watched as he turned around, his face lighting up.

He reminded me of a puppy.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"Come 'ere." She grinned sweetly, beckoning him back toward us.

He walked over quietly, looking at me smugly before smiling at her.

Everyone in the first year associate area watched with caution, and I automatically felt that I was missing out on some secret.

Bella was acting like she and Mike were best friends.

But, it seemed like her friendliness was fake.

"You need help with the merger for Carlisle?" He asked curiously.

Continuing to watch them, I saw Bella's smile fall from her face like Mike had just slapped her silly. She suddenly looked angry.

Now I understood what everyone else was waiting for.

"Let's get one thing straight, Mike." She began slowly, holding up one perfectly manicured finger, "Firstly, I would never need help with a merger, or anything for that matter, related to law. Secondly, even if I did, I'd never ask you..." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips at her words, but she took no notice of me as she continued, "Edward is a new first year associate, and I reckon he deserves to be treated with more respect than to have Emmett's files thrown at him, and to be addressed so rudely by a baboon like you."

Mike's face had dropped, and his child like mouth was hanging open as his cheeks grew red, "Bella, I-"

"No no no." She shook her head, "If you want to do the whole 'you're a first year, I'm a second year' thing then I reckon you need to remember that you're a second year and I'm a third year. There is a reason you're dropping off files to Edward instead of working on real cases like us big kids. It's because not only were you just scrapping the top fifteen in your class in Harvard, but you also finished in 12th place after your first year at Cullen Hale. You were the last person to get through to second year and even that was a stretch. While Edward here," she motioned to me with a smile, and I watched as Mike's eyes flickered to mine with embarrassment, "He finished top of his class at Harvard. He was first place. And not only is he older than you in age, but I'd say maturity, looks, and probably brains as well. You better hope Emmett doesn't pitch him against you for a case, cause I'd bet on him to win." Her faced changed suddenly, and she smiled again, "Now, on you go Newton. I have proper work to do."

Every first year associate watched her with amused eyes, every single one of them impressed with her as Mike turned on his heels and walked away from us and around the corner.

I opened my mouth to speak, watching as Bella let out a long breath and smoothed out her shirt.

"I can see now why you're such a good lawyer." I smiled, "So you don't think I'm a typical Harvard guy then, huh?"

She turned towards me, "I haven't made my mind up about you yet. You are probably another Mike Newton. But I hate when he picks on the first years, and I absolutely loathe him." She shrugged, "So it gives me great pleasure to put him in his place."

I smiled up at her, watching as she read my expression and slowly began to smile back at me.

Just for a second, I could see her strong exterior wall crumbling down.

"You'd better get up to Emmett with those files. Floor 29." She tapped my cubicle once, before transferring a gaze over to Eric, "Come see me at 11am and I'll help you some more." She told him, "I have a deposition at 10:30 but it shouldn't last too long."

"Thanks, Bella." He smiled at her, and as she walked away from us I saw the overflow of respect for her in his gaze.

I stood up, bundling the files into my arms before I stepped out, bypassing Eric's cubicle with a smile.

His face wasn't looking at me though. Instead, everyone's attention had turned to the elevators, watching quietly as a blonde curly haired male stood talking with a dark haired woman.

I knew from my research of the firm that both Carlisle and Jasper were blonde haired, but I knew that Jasper was the curly haired one.

The dark haired woman he was talking to suddenly got back into the lift, and he turned his attention to the twenty cubicles before him.

By the cold look in his eyes, I found myself taking a step back into my area again, not wanting to be in his way.

We all stayed quiet as he walked towards us all and stopped at one of the first offices, peering down at the first year associate with hard eyes.

"Crowley?" He muttered slowly.

"Y-Yes Mr Hale." The young man replied slowly.

"Have you got the research done for my settlement proposal? I asked for it on my desk at 9am. It wasn't there."

"I uh... I nearly have it finished." Crowley fumbled with a few of the papers on his desk before stopping and looking up at Jasper.

"Does 9am not mean 9am or something now? Have you new kids changed the law of time? I asked for it so I could work on the settlement for my meeting at 2pm. Are you incompetent?"

"No. I-I'm not." Crowley shook his head, his cheeks growing red.

"Well perhaps not." Jasper agreed, "But what if this wasn't just a simple settlement? What if we were going to trial for a murder? Or rape? Or anything more serious? Would you have had it done by 9am? Maybe. Maybe not. But you're definitely not competent enough for this firm. You're fired."

No one in the associate area flinched. None of them even acted surprised.

Except for me of course.

Crowley just lowered his head, swallowing thickly.

Jasper Hale was gone a second later, back to the elevator and up to his office on floor 30.

Glancing sideways at Eric, my eyes held the question I couldn't bring myself to ask, and he just shrugged his shoulders sadly, "It happens. Last week your cubicle saw four new owners before you came along."

I didn't answer, instead I just made quick work of getting to the elevators and making my way to Emmett Cullen's floor.

I was almost running, glancing into each office to find him, or see his name on the door.

All the way at the far end of the floor, I found both Rosalie Hale's and Emmett Cullen's offices.

I stopped in my tracks, glancing at the blonde haired secretary outside Emmett's door, "I'm Edward." I let out quickly.

"Go on through." She nodded, barely glancing up at me before her eyes found her computer again.

I could already see him from outside, and I peered through the glass wall to determine his mood. He was a big bulky man, though his well tailored suit fit him perfectly. His brow was furrowed over some paperwork, and in one hand he held a coffee cup, and in the other he was holding a half eaten bagel.

His door was lying open, and I took a step inside, "Um, Mr Cullen?"

His head snapped up, and he flashed me a brilliant smile, his mouth full of food, "Come in!" He mumbled, chewing loudly as he took another bite, "Edward Masen, correct?"

"Yes, that's me." I smiled at him, walking forward and taking a seat at his desk.

"Call me Emmett from now on." He nodded, holding up a paper bag to me, "Bagel?"

"No thanks." I smiled.

So Alice was right, the Cullen's were a lot nicer than the Hale's.

"Now, obviously you got handed your files today." He motioned towards the pile in my lap, "As it's your first day it's obvious things will be a little topsy turvy, but for future reference; your files will be placed at your cubicle by 8am each morning. I want you to skim over each one of them, get a feel for the cases, and then I want you and the files at my office at 9am."

"Ok." I nodded.

"Then at 9am, we'll have coffee and some bagels while you call out the general summary of each case. With each case I'll tell you whether it'll be a settlement, a trial, an offer etc etc, got it? And I'll expect you to write down what each case will be."

"Yep, that's perfect."

"For the bigger cases, we'll arrange depositions, meetings, mergers and such. I'll do my work throughout the day, and I'll also assign you work too, like research, or drafting a settlement, helping prepare for a trial etc. I also know that it's not all about office work and sitting at your cubicle all day, so you'll come to each meeting with me, and trials too."

"That sounds brilliant!"

I was surprised by my enthusiasm... After all, I wasn't actually pursuing a career in law.

"I'm only thirty five." Emmett shrugged, "I understand and empathise with the associates who are stuck in their cubicles all day."

I didn't have the chance to answer, because suddenly Emmett's attention diverted to someone outside the office.

"Hey Rosie!" He called sweetly, "Looking good today baby!"

I turned my head to look outside, my eyes widening at the tall blonde haired woman outside, speaking quietly to her secretary.

Her make up was heavily done, and her hair looked like hours had been spent on it. But it wasn't because of her looks that my eyes widened...

It was because she looked evil.

She glanced in the office, looking at Emmett with a scowl before she walked away and into her own office next door, rolling her eyes and flipping Emmett the bird.

My boss just laughed, "It's common knowledge that Rosalie Hale is in love with me." He nodded confidently.

I raised an eyebrow, "To be honest, it seems like common knowledge that she's going to file a harassment law suit against you."

Emmett just laughed, "True. She and her minions like to make my life hell."

"Minions?"

He leaned closer, speaking low, "My secretary is called Kate. Rosalie's is called Irina. They're sisters. Sometimes I think they play pranks on me, I came in here one day with a client and there was a whoopy cushion on my chair." He laughed, leaning back in his seat, "They have a sister down on your floor. Tanya. She's a second year, pretty rude."

"Pretty rude?" I let out a laugh.

"Pretty. And rude." Emmett grinned, finishing off his coffee before he sighed, "Ok, we'll do the files after this meeting."

Following his lead, I stood up, watching as he grabbed a Manila folder from his desk drawer.

It contained one piece of paper.

"Meeting?"

"Yes." He nodded as we walked out of the office, "AP Marketing are filing a law suit against Ferguson Designs for plagiarism."

"Who is our client?"

"Ferguson."

"Did they do it?"

"Does it matter?" He flashed me a grin as we reached the elevators.

"Uhhhh..."

Not able to find words, I just watched as Emmett got into the elevator, watching as he pressed the button for floor 20.

"Floor's 20-24 are full of conference rooms." Emmett muttered to me, "And no, they didn't do it."

I fixed my tie, coughing a little as we reached our floor. I followed Emmett's lead, and I noticed how automatically his friendly and open persona turned into one that could mirror Jasper Hale.

He stopped outside a room labelled conference room 5, and he didn't stop for a breath as he swung open the door and led us in.

Two people sat at the long table representing AP Marketing, neither of whom got to utter a word as Emmett slammed the folder down into the table.

"This folder holds one sheet of paper. It's a retraction of your lawsuit against Ferguson Designs and I suggest you sign it."

His eyes almost cut through the two men in front of him, and I balked at the sudden "cut throat lawyer" that had emerged.

"And what makes you think-"

"Stop." Emmett held up a hand, "Don't try to press your case anymore. Your relationship with Ferguson has never been nice, but we now have evidence to believe that AP Marketing have destroyed documents which prove that Ferguson Designs came up with their ideas approximately two months before you used them. So, you actually stole them from Ferguson... Not the other way around."

One of the men sat up straight in his seat, and I watched as his face went white with shock.

The other man however, was angry.

"How dare you! Where's this evidence then, huh?"

He was calling Emmett out, and I could feel my teeth gritting in frustration for him.

"I have four employees of yours who are willing to testify that they saw and heard your meeting with Ferguson Designs, and that they also know of the documents being destroyed." Emmett leaned back on his heels, placing his hands in his pockets, "So, do you want to sign the retraction? Or should I bring you to trial, bring my witnesses in, and counter sue you for double the amount you were asking from my client... Now let me see..." He scratched his chin, "I'm a lawyer not a mathematican, but I reckon that amounts to 15 million dollars... You game?"

I watched as the two men looked at each other before the previously angry male nodded his head in defeat, "Fine. We'll sign."

Emmett smiled, "Good." Turning to me, he gave me a pat on the shoulder, "Boys, I'm going to leave and get myself some coffee. This is my associate Edward Masen, he'll wait for you to sign and take the document from you. We'll send a copy to both you and Ferguson Designs." Reaching for the door handle, Emmett flashed me a victorious grin, "Welcome to Cullen Hale."

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