Chapter 10: The Incident

It was an unusual Monday for Win. Instead of being seated in her office, reading case files, she was off to AYS, an advertising company owned by Asher Yang. That day is the official start of her working for his case. It seemed that Asher has informed the staff she was coming since everyone was a little too warm for her liking. She goes straight to his office to avoid anymore unwanted interactions.

Entering his office, even Asher welcomed her with a little too much enthusiasm which she awkwardly responded to. No matter how much she tried to think of Asher as any other client she used to have, her feelings of indifference towards him kept getting in her line of thoughts.

"So, what can I do for you today?" The young CEO asked. It was interesting to Win how looking at Asher inside his company felt so different when he was in the restaurant with her the other day. She remembered telling him during the reunion that she gave off a professional vibe. She gently chuckled which caught Asher's attention, "Is there something wrong, Attorney?"

"Oh, nothing." She staggered, "I believe your company's legal team has talked you through the details of your case and the more technical side of things. I asked your father they do this for me so I could jump straight into investigating. As you know, we do not have much time."

Asher only nodded as an answer.

"Very well." Win takes out her laptop and a couple of files she related to the matter, "Perhaps we should start off with what really happened on the night of the incident."

The next few moments were silent, Asher was fiddling with his fingers, and couldn't bring himself to say anything. That's when Win noticed he hesitance to speak. She asked him to look at her and softly smiled, "Look, I am here to help you clear your name. But I can't do this alone so I need your help. You have to trust me."

Asher felt a sense of assurance rush through him. The way Win smiled never changed, it was the same smile she used to have to tell him that everything was going to be alright.

"It was during a team building I have led in Shenzhen; it was organized for my employees in the lower departments. I had my secretary establish a three-day-two-night itinerary for all of them. But there weren't many scheduled activities as I really just wanted them to have their getaway."

"Where exactly was the team building held?" Win asked as she was taking down everything Asher was narrating.

"I don't remember the name but it was the only private resort along Jinsha Bay so, it would not be hard to find."

Win nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"Everything was going well until the second night. Actually, it was around 2 in the morning of our final day in Shenzhen. The last night ended quite late for everybody so I had to walk around and check if everyone was back in their rooms." He paused, trying to remember the exact events that happened that night, "Suddenly, I heard a woman screaming not very far away, so it was my instinct to check. We we're the only people there so it could have been one of my employees."

The young lawyer paused and took a deep breath before continuing with her work, she knew something must've happened for Asher to get involved in physical suit. But she silently kept that to herself and listened intently.

"And then there Mr. Wang was, with a young girl around our age, wrestling to break free from his grip. I asked them what was happening but he looked drunk and asked me to leave them alone. I couldn't, of course, especially so the girl was crying for help."

Win had her eyes on him filled with intense curiosity, "And then you hit him?"

"No. I just held him back and told him to stop because he was drunk."

"I don't understand, how did he get badly injured then?"

"The girl grabbed him from my grip and pushed me away. She was so strong that I fell on a sharp rock by the beach." He raises sleeves and shows her a scar probably made by the rock, "And then she beat him up. By the time he was badly injured, the girl ran away and the others showed up. I was the only person present, so it was natural that they assume I was the one who hit him. I held him back for a while, probably why I reeked of alcohol. But I wasn't drunk at all."

The whole time he narrated the incident, Win was very attentive, not even being able to take down whatever Asher said on his computer, "That explains everything!" She declared, eyes glistening in amazement.

Asher sat back and laughed, pleased about Win's reactions, "Why do you look so happy?"

"Because that means you won't be charged of anything, not even for his injuries, you're absolutely innocent." She thankfully replied, "You're actually more of a witness than a suspect." She giggled.

"Why do I feel like you're very amused about this whole situation."

"I find it funny. How the great Asher Yang of Tsinghua University did not even dare lay a finger on a man who was possibly a criminal?"

Asher rolled his eyes, so this is what Win finds very amusing, "He is my employee, Win. I couldn't have harmed him. Plus, I held him back, the girl couldn't have escaped if it weren't for me."

Win shrugged and whispered under her breath, "Or maybe you were just scared."

"You were saying something?" Asher eyed her.

She shakes her head in denial, "I didn't. You must be hearing things." She was quiet for a while, reading and then re-reading the files she had in hand, "If you were this guiltless about what happened, why did you want to turn yourself in?"

"I thought that was the fastest way to end things and save the company. I've brought so much trouble to our family already. I didn't want to add anything anymore." He mildly explained.

Win nodded her head empathetically, "I see. It was a stupid plan but you had good intentions to compensate."

"Hey!" Asher frowned at the statement, "Stop scolding. I'm here answering your questions properly already. At least this time, I listened to you before it was too late."

Win looked at him in confusion, "This time?"

He shrugged, refusing to say anything else.

Win was still examining the papers and statement Asher has just provided her with, "So, do you know who the girl is or whatever she was doing inside a private resort that was supposed to be exclusive to you and your employees?"

He was silent for a while, "Come to think of it, I have never thought about that. How come a stranger is inside of a private resort I paid for?"

Win could not believe her ears, she was speechless, "You've never actually thought of that? You are facing a criminal case because of her and you're telling me you've never thought of it? So, if I were to find her, the only clue I would have is that she was once along Jinsha Bay, and we're not even sure if she lives around there."

Asher nodded nonchalantly in response, making Win groan in frustration, "This is driving me insane." Then she falls into silence again, rummaging through the papers she had.

It was almost half an hour of quiet, Asher, uneasy about simply sitting down and doing nothing. Finally, he decides to speak his mind, "I was just wondering. Why aren't you suspicious that I might be lying about what really happened that night? You know, to save myself."

Win continuously works and casually responds, "From what I remember, you do not tell lies well. I would have known."

Asher grimaced; was he that bad in lying ever since? So, she always knew, when he lied and when he didn't?

"Plus, as your lawyer, I have no other choice but to believe everything you say. Otherwise I could've worked for your employee, right?" She continued, this time looking closely at him.

He settled in his mind. Of course, she is his lawyer and her job is to defend him. It was a thoughtless question, he realized, they'd lose easily if she, in the first place, had suspicions about his statement.

"I asked you to trust me, so it would be fair for me to do the same." Win smiled, a smile so familiar, it made Asher's heart race out of his will.