?Chapter 370:


    But Zoey defied every expectation.


    Zoey had taken great care of herself. Her thick, glossy hair, wless skin, and confident posture made her look like a stunning woman in her early thirties, not someone in her forties.


    And surprisingly, Zoey wasn’t wearing a prison jumpsuit. Instead, she wore a designer outfit, the fabric and stitching hinting at a hefty price tag.


    For a second, Rnd wondered if he had walked into the wrong room. Was she really a prisoner?


    Before he could untangle his thoughts, Zoey’s voice sliced through the air, tinged with impatience. “What is the matter, Rnd? Cat got your tongue?”


    Snapping back to the moment, Rnd inclined his head in apology. “Forgive me, Ms. Cooper. That was out of line. Yes, my mentor sent me. He is critically ill… and he does not have much time left. Even now, he cannot stop thinking about your case. He specifically asked me to take over. It is his final wish.”


    Years ago, the bitter inheritance battle within the Cooper Group had shaken the entire city to its core. What began as a family feud had spiraled into scandal, ending in the grim tragedy of Kyle Cooper’s death and the imprisonment of Zoey.


    Back then, the one who had stepped up to defend her was none other than Neville Thompson — the legendarywyer and founder of Zenith Legal, a man who had built an empire on his unbroken string of victories.


    Neville had been a giant in the legal world, a force to be reckoned with, his name whispered with awe in every courtroom. That was, until he took on Zoey’s case. It had be the one blemish on an otherwise spotless legacy — the sole defeat that cast a shadow over his towering career.


    Across the room, Zoey sat motionless, a faint gleam of curiosity in her eyes. When Rnd spoke, his voice was low, weighted with the burden he carried. Zoey’s brow lifted in a quiet challenge. “His final wish?”


    “Yes.” Rnd dropped his gaze, gathering the right words before meeting her stare again, unwavering. “He wanted me to clear your name.”


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    For a moment, silence hung between them like a fragile thread. Then a soft, bitterugh slipped from Zoey’s lips, slicing through the stillness.


    “After all these years, he still refuses to let it go,” she said, her toneced with a sardonic edge. “Even on his deathbed, he sends his favorite student chasing after a lost cause.”


    Rnd’s jaw tightened, though he kept hisposure. “The case back then,” he began, his voice steady, “was riddled with inconsistencies. The reason why my mentor lost wasn’t that hecked skill or conviction.” He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle between them. “He lost,” Rnd said, each word deliberate, “because you changed your testimony in court.”


    Years ago, during the trial, Zoey’s sudden change of testimony to confess her guilt led to a devastating defeat for Neville.


    “If you’re amenable, I could help you file another appeal—” Zoey rose from her seat, cutting Rnd’s words short.


    The cigarette between her fingers had dwindled to nothing but a fragile stub and a dying ember.


    “I don’t need it.” Zoey crushed the cigarette against the table’s surface. Her eyes met Rnd’s one final time as she rasped, “I made it clear to him long ago — don’t squander time on my behalf.” Her voice trailed into silence as she pivoted to depart.


    Rnd surged to his feet, his voice rumbling with intensity. “But Neville insisted this is the only path to your freedom. He’ll find no peace, even beyond the grave if I can’t help you get released! He remains absolutely convinced you couldn’t have murdered your own brother!”


    Zoey’s footsteps faltered. After a weighted pause, she released a bitterugh without turning. “Still stubborn to the core. Does he truly believe the walls of Wront Prison could ever contain someone like me?” She cast a sidelong nce over her shoulder. Her eyes — narrow and prating — gleamed with an arctic darkness that belonged to the underworld. Despite his years interviewing countless suspects, Rnd felt an involuntary chill race down his spine.


    A sardonic smile twisted Zoey’s lips while loneliness threaded through her words. “The only chains that have ever truly bound me were—” She recoiled as if struck, the words dying on her tongue. Her brow creased as she drew a measured breath.


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