Chapter 113: What is Their Relationship?

The next day, when Amanda Vance went to the hospital, she ran into Samuel Ford again.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt like she was running into him more and more often.

Recalling the comments on the post, her gaze darkened for a moment. She walked up to him and said with a smile, "Thank you, President Ford."

Samuel Ford stopped and glanced sideways at her. Seeing her expression, he knew she was aware of the situation. His brow furrowed slightly. If she knew he had helped her, then she must have also seen what those people were saying.

Even he, an outsider, was angered by it—he could only imagine how she felt.

However, she didn’t seem particularly angry.

After a moment of thought, Samuel Ford recalled her past behavior. In fact, she never seemed to react when people said those things about her. She only took action when the attacks were aimed at people she cared about.

Before, it was her son. This time, it was the old headmaster and his wife.

He was somewhat curious, so he asked, "It was nothing, Dr. Vance. You don’t need to worry about it. I was just wondering what you plan to do now."

Amanda Vance smiled. "It’s nothing, really. I’m a law-abiding citizen. When my rights are violated, my first thought is naturally to use the law to protect myself."

’So she’s going to sue them too.’

Samuel Ford thought that was a great idea.

Most of the people making these comments were already working adults; some had even achieved a measure of success in their fields. Yet they blindly believed rumors and hurled insults with such gusto, showing a complete lack of judgment. It was high time they learned a lesson.

As for those who hadn’t entered the workforce yet, it was even more important for them to be taught a memorable lesson.

You can eat whatever you want, but you can’t say whatever you want.

This was the lesson Amanda Vance was about to teach them, and she wanted them to remember it forever.

Since they insisted on slinging mud at her, she would put a stain on their records first.

She didn’t think she was doing anything wrong. She had never provoked any of them. Since they had acted, they just had to face the consequences.

Samuel Ford didn’t think she was wrong, either.

He even offered, "Dr. Vance, do you need a lawyer? I can recommend a few."

Amanda Vance shook her head again. "Thank you, President Ford, but I’ve already found one."

"Mm, that’s good."

After receiving the lawyer’s letter from the Ford Group, the internet trolls never imagined they would receive another one. And this one was from Joshua Sawyer, a man whose legal prowess was on par with the Ford Group’s entire legal team!

One was an entire team, the other a lone wolf, yet both had undefeated track records.

These people were utterly dumbfounded. Why would a top-tier lawyer like Joshua Sawyer take on such a small case?

’Wait, how did Amanda Vance manage to hire him? Weren’t his cases booked through next year? How did she get to cut the line?’

This time, no matter what they speculated, they didn’t dare voice their thoughts. They were afraid that if word got out, their lives would become even more difficult.

Staring at the two lawyer’s letters in their hands, they began to panic in earnest.

This was especially true for the students, who had never dealt with anything like this before. Suddenly receiving a lawyer’s letter sent them into an even greater panic.

Now, they truly regretted getting involved in the gossip.

A few impulsive individuals shot off some nasty messages cursing Amanda Vance, only to immediately receive another notification.

[Evidence collected.]

Damn. Now every single word they said could be used as evidence in court—not just what they said out loud, but everything they posted online too.

After that incident, no one dared to say another word. Even if they secretly wished they could tear Amanda Vance limb from limb, they could only swallow their anger and keep silent.

Amanda Vance had never expected them to genuinely apologize, nor did she need them to. She just wanted to make them shut up.

They repeated the same old stories over and over. They never got tired of saying them, but she had long since grown tired of hearing them.

「At the Ford Group.」

Samuel Ford stared at the update on his screen, lost in thought.

Even Shawn Ford was speechless with surprise. After a long moment, he finally said, "Bro, you’ve got to be kidding me. Who the hell is this Amanda Vance? How did she get even Joshua Sawyer to represent her?"

Joshua Sawyer was Aethelburg’s top lawyer! Not only that, but he came from an excellent background—the Sawyer Family. Most of the Sawyers went into academia or politics, and they all possessed the unyielding pride of true scholars. They lived with a detached nobility and had never been touched by a bribery scandal. Their moral character was genuinely unimpeachable.

In reality, however, people like that were the most difficult to deal with. They disdained to associate with the corrupt, were rigid and old-fashioned, had a mountain of rules, and were insufferably aloof.

Joshua Sawyer was the most outstanding member of his generation in the Sawyer Family. He was doted on, but he had also thoroughly inherited the family’s core principles. He was neither servile nor overbearing, always maintaining a cool, detached demeanor.

He was a bit like you, bro, but not quite. Your coldness is the kind that looks down on the whole world. Joshua’s is more of a purity, untouched by mortal dust.

He helps people with their lawsuits and has seen the worst of humanity, yet he remains untainted. He truly is like a lotus blooming from the mud.

Shawn never got along with the Sawyer kids, but he had to admit, he admired them.

And yet, Joshua Sawyer was actually helping Amanda Vance. Shawn felt like his entire worldview was being shattered.

’He couldn’t stop wondering: was Amanda Vance just that capable, or had Joshua Sawyer gone mad?’

’No matter how you looked at it, there was no reason the two of them should ever have crossed paths.’

Samuel Ford was equally astonished. He never expected that the lawyer Amanda Vance mentioned she had found would be Joshua Sawyer.

After his surprise faded, a slow smile curved his lips. He glanced at Shawn Ford. "So, do you have a better understanding of Dr. Vance’s character now?"

Shawn Ford nodded blankly. In any case, it was clear now that the things people were saying online had to be false.

The reasoning was simple. The only criticism ever leveled at Joshua Sawyer was that he was extremely picky about the cases he took on. There were certain types he would never accept.

For instance, he would never represent a perpetrator just to reduce their sentence. He made an exception for cases like self-defense, but he refused to have anything to do with those who committed premeditated, malicious crimes.

This was consistent with the Sawyer family’s upbringing. They despised evil as if it were a personal enemy, and they had the utmost contempt for people who were utterly devoid of conscience.

However, this was contrary to the professional ethics of a lawyer. According to industry standards, lawyers shouldn’t let personal feelings interfere; they should approach everything from their client’s perspective.

But Joshua Sawyer wasn’t like that.

He only helped people who were worth helping.

The very fact that he had taken this case was proof in itself—proof that Amanda Vance wasn’t the terrible person the rumors made her out to be.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it was highly likely she was the one being slandered.

And if there *were* an unforeseen circumstance? The only other possibility was that Amanda Vance had somehow managed to deceive Joshua Sawyer.

And that possibility was practically zero.

Shawn Ford was completely floored. He wiped a hand over his face, trying to collect himself. Then he noticed his older brother looking pensive, his brow slightly furrowed, as if contemplating some intractable problem.

"Huh?" Shawn said, looking at him curiously. "Bro, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Samuel Ford said, rising to his feet and walking out.

"Hey!" Shawn stared blankly at his brother’s retreating back. ’It’s not even time to clock out yet. Why is a workaholic like him heading for the garage?’

’Where is he going?’