Hey Everyone!

Here's another update, and it focuses more on the case than Harvey/Max. Not to fret! The next several chapters revolve around them both, and I want to focus on the case to finish it up quickly.

Hope you enjoy this next installment of TAOP.

P.S. Don't own Suits

Mike was chewing on a hot-dog, sitting across the street from a gym, where Max was supposedly talking to Lisa Lahrey. It had almost been an hour since Max went in, and Mike was getting bored. Oddly enough, Harvey, who was also chewing a hot dog, decided to tag along. Harvey never did dirty investigative work unless he was sure he had all the answers, but as of right now, there was barely enough information to answer one question, so Mike should have known Harvey was just there to see Max. Mike shuttered at the thought; Max was his best friend that he was 'engaged' to, but he never thought of her as girlfriend material. They were friends who had seen each other naked...which meant that it was another story for another time. Harvey was standing beside Mike, leaning against the brick wall of the salon as they waited for Max to leave the gym.

"I'm curious," Harvey said, with his mouth half-full.

"I'm shocked," Mike said sarcastically.

"Humour me," Harvey said, wiping his mouth with his napkin, "I'm curious to know how the hell you two are friends."

Mike shrugged, "We just understood each other when we first met, I guess."

"Wise beyond her years," Harvey mentioned, mostly to himself.

Mike snorted, "More like childish."

The older man turned towards the younger man.

"Just how old is Max?"

Mike hesitated, "She'll kill me..."

"Mike," Harvey said threateningly.

Mike sighed, he'd find out anyway.

"She's turning twenty-eight in a couple of months."

Harvey's jaw dropped. No way she was five years younger than him. She looked younger than Mike, and Mike looked like a child, even at twenty-four years old. Harvey though that he had a good ten years on her, eleven at the most. But twenty-eight? No wonder she was smart and witty.

"So why did you have your pants down?" Harvey said changing the subject, leaning towards Mike.

Mike's eyeballs shot out of his head, "She didn't tell you?"

"She wouldn't budge," Harvey said disappointed, "the only way she'd tell me is if I took her on a date."

"But you're not taking her out on a date... are you?"

Harvey didn't say a word; he just look at Mike.

The younger one of the two clumped his napkin together harder than he should have. Chucking it towards the garbage can, and miserably missing, Mike couldn't help but get a little mad at his boss. Of course Harvey would go after his hot best friend. He had no shame, that man. A head's up would have been nice. He knew Max for five minutes, and he already asked her out on a date. Max was going to be pissed when she spent more that five minutes than him. They were way too similar.

"You know, it's really great that you don't care about anyone, otherwise you would have noticed that really pissed me off."

Harvey was taken back.

"Wait, so you and Max-"

"Oh, God no. I'm just pissed that you hit on anything and anyone. Plus, she's not my type." Mike said, shaking away the disgust.

Harvey nodded, "Understandable. She's a lawyer."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mike questioned.

"Well, isn't it obvious," Harvey said, bunching up his napkin and throwing it in the trashcan perfectly. He turned to his associate with a smug smile on his face, "You're clearly attracted to paralegals."

Mike would have come up with a great sarcastic remark if Max hadn't picked this opportunity to finally leave the gym. As she left he doors she quickly scanned the crowd, spotting Mike and Harvey directly across the street from her. She ran through the street, ignoring the honking horns that she left behind her, and rushed towards the two. She probably knew that Harvey was checking her out so many times he'd have to pay taxes three times over. After all, she did look good in yoga pants.

"Did you find anything?" Mike asked her hesitantly.

She nodded with excitement in her voice, "Holy shit did I ever, and before I even tell you this, Harvey, you better tell Louis I need a raise, cause this information is worth it."

They quickly sat down at the local restaurant, not interested in food, but privacy.

"If you keep this secret any longer Nancy Drew, you can kiss your deal goodbye," Harvey said, not amused with waiting for her to speak.

"Now can you please tell us what the hell happened?" Mike demanded.

Max nodded and leaned in, beginning to tell her story.

"She was literally sitting on the bike, ready to burst into tears. I just hopped on the bike beside her and just started talking to her. Soon enough, she shed a few tears, and excused herself to go to the locker rooms. I followed her, and she just started pouring her heart out, how she recently became a single mother and how her life was so screwed up-"

"Maxine," Mike warned.

"I know, I'm rambling, but it's getting good, let me have my moment."

"As I was saying," she continued, "I blew my cover, telling her that I was Anastasia's lawyer, and she lit up like a Christmas tree. She told me about a story where she met a really nice guy from her work. He was sweet and charming, and he wooed his way into her pants. But the moron hadn't heard the invention of condoms, and nine months later her son is born. A few weeks after her baby was born, he got married. He was two timing her while she was pregnant."

Harvey was getting frustrated, "I don't care about clients and their shit, get to the good part Maxine-"

"And if you would let me finish, my stories always make sense at the end," she continued.

"What I forgot to mention was that the woman he married..."

They both nodded.

"...was Anastasia Mathers."

Mike gasped, while Harvey's grin grew wider.

Max mirrored his smile, "Lisa Lahrey is Harrison Holtor's mistress."

Mike couldn't hide his excitement, "No wonder they didn't want us snooping. This story is huge."

"Wait," Max said, getting comfortable, "there's more."

She leaned in again, "The reason Harrison was always at work at the beginning of their marriage is because he was spending 'time' with Lisa. He actually fell in love with her, which lead to their illegitimate love child. Harrison hates kids, so you know he just dropped the kid like Mike dropped his pants."

The comment earned her a look from her friend, and a chortle from her friend's boss.

"I had to. You make it too easy. Anyways, Anastasia had no idea that he was cheating on her. But we had the entirely wrong. We thought that Anastasia was the gold-digging whore, wasting all his money, when really, the only reason that Harrison married Anastasia is because he's the gold-digging whore."

Harvey's jaw finally dropped.

Mike turned to Max, "Harrison's broke? How?"

"Bad investment on a technological study for the make of eco-friendly cellphones. Paperwork can back that story up instantly. And no wonder he was so pissed at Anastasia wasting all his money. He didn't have that much to begin with."

Harvey shook his head, "What possessed him to marry Anastasia? She's not that rich."

"Wrong. She is," She continued, "I knew Anastasia looked familiar. Have you heard of Laughlin Motors?"

"One of the richest companies in electric scooters," Harvey said without missing a beat.

"Remember the woman who was giggling as she was riding her scooter from the commercials? That was Anastasia," she paused, letting it sink it, "Well, the only reason she was in the commercials is that she's related to the owner. I found out that Anastasia's mother is the late Evangeline Mathers, who married Mark Laughlin and had Anastasia a year later."

"She's Laughlin's daughter?" Harvey said, shocked.

Max nodded, "What's even more twisted is that Mark passed away two years ago, ironically around the same time Harrison started dating Anastasia."

She smiled at the faces they were making.

"He left her his entire empire." Max whispered.

"Worth?" Harvey asked.

She smiled, "Four hundred million dollars."

Mike whistled, "Told you there was a secret trust fund no one knew about."

Harvey's eyebrows furrowed, "How does Lisa know about the trust fund? And why did she sign as a witness for Anastasia both times?"

Max licked her lips, "I can answer both of those questions: Lisa and Anastasia are cousins, through her mother, and the only blood relatives they have. Lisa must have always been on Anastasia's side."

She didn't wait for their reaction, she wanted to finish the story.

"Mark stated in his will that when his daughter turns twenty four, she will inherit all of her four hundred million dollars. That's why Harrison didn't sign a pre-nup, because he knew that Anastasia would make it so that she kept what was hers and he kept what was his. When Anastasia filed for divorce the first time, Harrison freaked out because she wasn't twenty-four yet. The same thing happened the second time. Ironically enough, the day Harrison filed for divorce is the same day as Anastasia's twenty-forth birthday."

She leaned towards Harvey, "That's why you let me finish a story."

Harvey smirked. He had to admit that this girl was good. Almost as good as him. Almost.

"So, since you're found out almost everything, tell me, where did all of the money go that Anastasia was accused of stealing?"

Harvey, thinking he was smarter than her sat smugly in his seat. But Mike knew that Max always hid an ace up her sleeve.

"Since Harrison left Lisa high and dry with a newborn son, she demanded that he pay child support, otherwise she'd go public with her story. She still supported Anastasia through the two divorce papers, but she still took money from Harrison. Since Harrison couldn't afford to pay child support by himself, he 'borrowed' from the company. Couple of thousands every month over the span of two years, it's close to a hundred thousand dollars. But when Lisa finally found out about Harrison's plan to steal all of Anastasia's money, she told him that she was going to side with her cousin. But he needed to look good in front of the law, and if her own cousin was against Anastasia, he would look better. Of course, Lisa said no, but after he threw some money at her, she reluctantly agreed."

"Let me guess," Mike said quickly, "five hundred thousand dollars."

"And Pretty Boy steals the show," she said, smiling back in her seat.

She spoke before Harvey could interject, "Don't worry. Lisa wants Harrison to pay and she's willing to cooperate with us to the full extent."

It was in the back of his mind the entire time she was explaining the story, she was didn't give up on getting the truth, and how resilient she was. She was like him in so many ways. She was like just as good as Mike, but he could actually kiss this one for being amazing at her job. This woman in front of him was probably the greatest thing that walked into his life.

Except...

"Let me ask you this then," Harvey said leaning in, "if Anastasia inherited four hundred million dollars several months ago, then why is her case pro-Bono?"

Max's face furrowed in confusion.

And just like that, Harvey stole the show. Again.

I know, it's short. But the next chapter will be up before you know it.

Don't forget to review!

xoxo N.