He looked over at the table. "A game of Go?" Bridges asked surprisingly. Though he seemed surprised, it didn't show in his face.
Typical game one would expect an old man to be playing.Just then, Madeline returned with the tea and refilled their cups."So, are you ready to play?" the old man asked.Bridges frowned. "I've never played Go before, but I've heard it's a game that requires skill and strategy," he said.The old man chuckled. "I understand," he said. "It is a Chinese game, and kids these days don't play games like this. All the younger generation thinks about is money and fame." He said it with a pained, serious look on his face.Bridges could sense that there was something deeper going on, something the old man was trying not to tell but it was hurting him inside.Bridges didn't want to make the old man uncomfortable by pressing the subject, so he decided to change the topic. "But I do play chess," he sai"Come, take a seat, young man," the old man said, motioning to Ivan, who had been standing by the side, watching the conversation.Ivan hesitated for a moment, but then walked over and sat down in the empty chair next to Bridges. The old man smiled at him, and Ivan felt a sense of calm wash over him."It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Ivan said, bowing his head slightly in respect.The old man chuckled. "No need for formalities here," he said. “What's your own story?” He asked Ivan.Ivan took a deep breath and began to speak. "I grew up in a small village on the outskirts of London," he said. "My father was a farmer, and my mother worked at the local market. We were not rich, but we were content."He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "When I was a young boy, my father was injured in an accident on the farm. He could no longer work, and our family fell on hard times. It was a difficult time, and my dad died making everything wo
SWANSEA, WALES2014...A FLASHBACK OF SOME MONTHS AGOThe headlines on TV and in the newspapers were always about 'The Ace Attorney of L&J Law Firm'. More specifically, everyone in Swansea was talking about the 'Ace'. He was considered one of the best lawyers in all of Wales, and people never stopped talking about him, both positively and negatively. But none of these talks and happenings mattered to a certain man. He said, 'Oh, what a beautiful day! It's the perfect weather to win a case.' He then crushed an insect under his black polished Chelsea oxford shoe and straightened his crooked red tie, which seemed to be the only distinct color in his outfit, but it blended in well. Anybody could guess he was a perfectionist by the way he dressed. He was wearing a gray three-piece suit in a British style that fit his body perfectly, along with a pure white shirt underneath. His hair was covered by a gray flat cap, giving him a look that combined the modern and the old days, although
2015THE SWANSEA CROWN COURT..R. Bridges, who had been absorbed in his thoughts during the court proceedings, suddenly snapped back to the present moment. His mind was racing with thoughts of the past, when he was a prosecutor, not a defense attorney. Just seven months ago he was a prosecutor, now a defense attorney. The change had been his own decision, not something his firm had pressured him into.Turning his attention back to the courtroom. The witness had just been sworn in, and she began to give her testimony. "My name is Jane Smith, and I'm here to tell you what I saw on the night of the incident. It was a cold, rainy night, and I was driving home from work. I saw a car swerve into the oncoming lane, and it struck another car head-on.” She continued. “The crash was so loud, I pulled over to the side of the road to see if anyone needed help. That's when I saw Mr. Hardin, standing over Shayna. I could see that she was unconscious, and that Mr. Hardin was attempting to take
L&J LAW FIRMThe elevator dinged again, signaling that someone was coming up from the first floor. The doors opened, and Bridges emerged, heading back toward his office. As he approached, he noticed his secretary's office, which was located just outside his own, and heard laughter coming from within. He could hear her giggling with two other people, and he wondered why she wasn't working.His eyes narrowed as he reached the door to his office. He pushed it open, his expression flat and unreadable."Ivan, I need to know what's so funny," he said, looking pointedly at his assistant, who was standing with his secretary and another person, all of whom looked mortified. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" he asked, his tone brusque.Ivan stammered, "I-I'm sorry, Attorney Bridges. I just..." He trailed off, glancing nervously at the other two people in the room.Bridges' gaze shifted to the other man who was with his secretary. "And who are you?" he asked, his voice stern. "I'm Molly," t
AT A CLASSIC RESTAURANTBridges walked alongside Mr. Lambert and Attorney Malcolm, their faces serious as they made their way into the upscale restaurant. Bridges decided to break the ice by asking, "Are we back at this place again?"He tried to keep his tone light, but he couldn't help but feel a bit of trepidation. He had a lot riding on this dinner, and he hoped it would go well.Lambert looked at Bridges with a pout on his face, then turned to Malcolm, who was still silent. He turned back to Bridges and said, "Yes, we're here to see a client, and that's why we're here again."Bridges shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Why are the three of us going to see this client?" he asked. "Why can't you go with someone else? Why do I have to come along?"Lambert sighed and said, "Well, the client said he wanted to see the two best lawyers at L&J, so I told him we had an ace, and I also told him we had someone who was very good. And that's you and Malcolm."Bridges still looked unconvinced, b
(L&J LAWS)It was early morning, and Bridges was getting ready for work. He pulled out a baby blue shirt and a crisp black suit from his closet. As he scanned his tie collection for one that would match his outfit, he thought about the week-long vacation he had just returned from. He needed to get to the office early to catch up on what he had missed.Dressing quickly, he headed out the door. The morning air was crisp and fresh, and he felt a sense of anticipation as he walked to the subway station. His car had been broken down for over a month, and he had been relying on the subway to get around. It had its pros and cons - he liked being able to people-watch and observe the city around him, but he didn't always enjoy the stares and attention that came with being a celebrity. To avoid any unwanted attention, he would often wear a face mask on the subway.Today, he made his way to the office, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. He was determined to catch up on everything
Bridges wondered what his uncle could possibly want. His uncle was his father's younger brother, the baby of the family. They had never been too close, but they had spoken a few times. He felt a mixture of apprehension and curiosity as he waited for his uncle to arrive..ATTORNEY MALCOLM'S OFFICEMalcolm's desk was immaculately arranged, his papers neatly stacked and organized. He was all set to go speak to his client. Malcolm straightened his tie and checked his appearance in the mirror. He wanted to look his best, as he was about to meet with a client. The case Lambert had assigned to him was a serious one, involving a sexual assault, and he wanted to be sure he was prepared. He took a deep breath and opened the door to his office.As soon as Malcolm opened the door to his office, he saw Laurie, the secretary, and Molly, a junior associate, walking past. Laurie was leading the way, while Molly followed closely behind. It seemed that Molly was trying to follow in Laurie's footst
The day had almost come to an end, and Bridges was at the door of his house. He turned the doorknob, and the door opened easily, since it wasn't locked. Bridges was not a forgetful person, so he wondered why the door was unlocked. However, he reasoned that whoever might be inside the house must have a key, so he did not panic.He entered his house and recognized the first voice he heard. It was his mother. He took off his shoes and placed them by the front door. He walked fully inside his luxurious yet small and comfortable house. There, he saw his mother, who was bending over to pick up a book from the floor. “Hey, Mother,” Bridges said. “Good evening. What are you doing here?” Bridges asked, not sounding happy to see her, but not angry either.He wasn't surprised that she was in his house. She often showed up without telling him first. He walked past her and went into his room. He dropped his bag, changed his clothes, and his mother ignored him. He knew that when she showed up at