The Royal Contract

Chapter 1175  Rebound guy

Adam had been staring at his paperwork all morning. But he had not accomplished any work. Honestly, he barely saw anything. His mind was elsewhere, seemingly strolling around his brain, busy deliberating over things that had nothing to do with the task before him.

He seemed to be getting offers left and right. Although the two proposals were unrelated and had no conflict of interest, the impact could be life-changing. He knew it would probably affect his future.

"Adam, you have a new client. Should I send him in?" His volunteer assistant asked after knocking on his door, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He guessed he had to wake up, or his workload would pile up. He had to focus on his job and worry about the other things bothering him later. He finally looked up and signaled that he would accept the next client.

"I am looking for someone to represent my friend." A small voice spoke from the door. "Are you the right man for the job?" He asked with a question in his tone. It was like he was doubtful of his capability.

Now, he was curious as he looked up from the papers on his desk and stared at a young boy who walked confidently toward his desk. He surmised the boy must be in his early teens.

"It depends on the job, kid. Where are your parents? Let me talk to them." He looked beyond his shoulders, waiting for the elder couple to walk behind him.

"I don't have one. If you want the job, you have to talk to me." The boy walked into the room and sat in his only available chair. "Well, are you the man I should be talking to?" The boy stared at him as if he was studying his face. "Are you Adam Mason?"

He was more amused than annoyed by the boy's behavior. He liked the fight he could see in the young boy's eyes and the stubbornness. But he never dealt with young clients without a parent or a guardian.

"Yes, that is me. And who are you?" He wondered what this boy was doing in his office. He mentioned something about a friend. But usually, a criminal would refer to another person even if the case was about them.

"I am Kenneth, but my friends call me Ken." He introduced himself but did not offer his hand to him. "She said that if I ever need a lawyer. I should look for you because you can help me. And she believes you are one of the best."

Again, he could not help but get intrigued by this young boy. "And who is she, this friend of yours who said I can help you?" He asked the boy again.

It could be anyone of his pro bono clients he had helped in the past. Still, he wanted to know it was so he could evaluate the situation more clearly. And, of course, he still had to hear his case.

"Serena, of course," Ken said like it was the most common answer to his question. "She said all I have to do is say her name."

Now, he could not help but laugh. Well, it was slightly outrageous. He was not judging, but when he scrutinized the boy, he could tell he lived in the street. His clothes were a dead giveaway. He was one of those kids that had escaped the system.

Therefore, he could not help but doubt his words. "Are you telling me that you are friends with Serena? Are we talking about the same person? The one displayed on the billboard outside." He further clarified, hoping to clear up the matter.

He knew that if the boy said it was the same person, he would say that the boy was delusional. How could Serena be friends with him? Not that he was judging since he knew that Serena was one of the kindest people he had the fortune to meet.

Still, how did they bump into each other and become friends? Maybe the boy was referring to another woman named Serena. He jogged his memory, trying to remember a client by that name. But so far, zero.

"Who else. Dum dum." The boy looked exasperated with him. "Serena Anderson, if you want me to spell it out for you." The boy said as he fist-bumped his head to make his point. "Now, are you the man my friend said could help me or not?"

He could see that the boy seemed intelligent despite his living condition. He must have earned his street-smart attitude by living in the street for some time. But he was still skeptical of his claim of being friends with the famous star.

Still, he was here to help anyone who came to his door who needed help, regardless of their background or affiliation. Therefore, it did not matter if the kid told him the truth about Serena. Nevertheless, he was curious about it.

"Let me hear your problem before I decide whether I am the man for the job." He told the young boy, who straightened in his seat, acting like a grown man.

Suddenly, he remembered the struggle he had to go through in the past before he reached this position. He guessed he could see a little of himself in the young boy.

"Ok." The boy answered. "I have a friend. His name is Neil. The police picked him up this morning for allegedly stealing something. But that was not true." The boy narrated the rest of the story.

He claimed that this other character might seem like a bad guy, but he was not. He could not even hurt a fly. But, of course, he was skeptical. He had to see the person and talk to him first before he could judge his character, at least his first impression of the person.

"How long have you known this man? Is he related to you in any way?" He asked, but he doubted.

He knew some of these kids bonded with the people they tagged along with, but some moved along after they found a new home or a place to hang out.

"Long enough to know that he is innocent of their accusation. The police are just looking for someone to blame. They are using my friend as a goat." The boy adamantly argued.

"You mean scapegoat." Correcting the boy.

He concluded that the boy had no relation to the accused. But as he had said, he did not dismiss any case without looking into it, even if it was a homeless man asking for help.

"Yeah, that's it." The boy nodded his head in affirmation. "He did not do it." He insisted.

"Ok, Ken. Let me see what I can find out. But if you can give me more details of the case, then it would help a lot. Or maybe you have any information on who the real culprit is. It might help." He told the boy.

He had to investigate the matter first, speak to the arresting officers, and check their evidence against him. After that, he could decide whether he could take the case.

"Anyway, when was the last time you spoke with Serena?" He suddenly asked, out of curiosity. He wondered what the young boy would tell him.

"We spoke before she left. She dropped by my living quarters." The young boy said while looking at him. "I know it might sound crazy, but she is my friend, whether you believe me or not." The kid said as he looked him directly in the eyes.

"I hope she is ok. Have you heard from her?" The boy asked, seemingly genuinely concerned. "She seemed sad when I last saw her."

Suddenly, Adam could not stop wondering if the boy was telling him the truth. But he guessed it did not matter. Serena was gone. He had no idea if she was ever coming back.

"I am sure she is fine. She will probably be back when she is ready." He answered the boy. "Where are you staying? Who is taking care of you?" He suddenly asked, concerned that a young boy should not be living in the street alone

 "I have my friends. And I am old enough to take care of myself." The boy said as he stood up. "Please, don't report me to the authorities. I will just run away again." Ken told him.

Then, the boy thanked him before leaving his office. He promised he would look into his friend's case and give him an update. But he wondered if the boy had given him the correct address. He would find out soon enough.

"Serena, what are you doing?" He asked, wondering what she was doing with this boy. Somehow, he believed that the boy might be telling him the truth, funnily and outrageous as it might seem.

Then, his thoughts also went to another outrageous idea plaguing his mind all night until this morning. It was about a proposal he received from another attractive woman.

Should he even consider it? It was a proposition for him to act as her rebound guy.