บท 120: She grew up well

"I would be busy with Jenny's case from here onwards. Tell my daughter that I would pick her up as soon as possible," said Layla as the trio made their way to the cars that were waiting for them.

A truck stops right behind their fancy cars.

Han Ye was talking on the phone as he checked the clipboard that the truck driver handed him.

When he saw them walking towards the car, he bowed before returning back to his work.

"Urgh..." Layla massaged her tense neck as she glared at DX.

When she woke up and saw him in the bed, she knew that he was the reason why she ended up in the couch.

When she thought about how he might have defiled her favorite protege in her presence, she tried to punch him but DX managed to wake up in time to dodge her sneak attack.

Unlike Layla, who was often dead to the world the moment she fell asleep, Kai Xin was a much lighter sleeper.

Naturally the movement made by DX caused her to wake up earlier than intended.

Luckily, she did. Otherwise, she might wake up to a bloody scene.

Those two were glaring at each other as if they wanted to skin each other alive.

It was only after she threatened to stop talking to either of them that they called it a truce.

Layla looked at her watch and told Kai Xin, "I have to meet someone in the city. So I would have to go first."

Kai Xin nodded, "Don't worry about Jenny. Tian Le would look after her until we find someone who can take care of her."

She went forward and hugged Layla, "We will have a dinner before you leave."

Layla grinned, "Of course. I won't leave my favorite protege without a goodbye."

"Mama Zhen! Are you leaving already?" one of the children shouted from the door.

Kai Xin went to the bunch of children waiting at the door and had a chat with them while Layla and DX watched on.

"Have you found out what happened to her?" asked Layla as she watched Kai Xin picked up the little one named Caleb and tossed him up high before catching him again.

From the way the children surrounded her, it was obvious that all of them loved their Mama Zhen very much.

DX nodded as he leaned back against the car that was here for Layla, "Almost."

More than 4 years ago, when he talked to Layla about his succeed in getting Kai Xin to agree to signing his contract, she had warned him about mistreating her protege. She had told him,

"Kai Xin is not like those women you dated in the past. She's been hurt before and I don't want to see her go through any pain again. So, don't you dare hurt her."

DX recalled questioning further about what she meant but Layla had merely told him to find out himself.

Layla turned to look at Kai Xin who was still playing with the kids.

As she thought about how Kai Xin was when they first met, she could not help but thought, "She grew up well..."

....

Roughly eight to nine years ago, Kai Xin had joined Layla's firm as an intern. At first, Layla did not paid much attention to her.

After all, most of the interns left after working with her for a few weeks.

However, Kai Xin managed to stay for 4 months and she even applied for a permanent position at the firm.

Layla agreed to take her on as her paralegal.

However, she limited Kai Xin's role to a part-time role as she wanted her to focus on her studies.

As they spent more and more time together, Layla noticed that Kai Xin despite the young girl's excellent work attitude, she refused to have anything to do with her male colleagues.

She would avoid sitting near them or even go out on errands with them.

The male colleagues were annoyed by it and some of them made a complaint to Layla.

They felt wronged, as if they did something to the new paralegal.

One night, Layla took Kai Xin out to have a chat over Korean barbeque.

Downing a cup of soju, Layla explained, "So you see, Kai Xin. You are making them uncomfortable."

Kai Xin looked down at her fingers. She muttered, "I don't mean to, but they...I'm afraid of them."

"Why? Have they done anything to you?"

Kai Xin shook her head and sighed heavily, "They are men..."

"Kai Xin..."

Kai Xin turned away from her. For a short moment, she had a pained look in her eyes.

Layla knew that look. She had enough experience to know what it meant.

She had to do this carefully or she might lose this kid.

After a while, she asked, "Did someone..."

"No," lied Kai Xin as she interrupted her. Then, she turned away and said abruptly, "I don't want to talk about it."

Layla understood. They never did.

She started off her career working for the Attorney General and back then, she used to deal with cases relating to minors.

The victims that she talked to, no matter what was their gender, or their age, they were often ashamed by what had happened to them.

Even when they knew that it was not their fault, most of them were unable to open up to anyone and some of them would even blame themselves.

The worst thing was, the legal system would sometimes failed to protect them.

Due to overcrowding, rapists were often released on probation after serving a short term.

Or the court would set them free because of insufficient evidence and because the child was too young to be considered as a reliable witness.

Often threatened into silence by those that should have protected them, some of them ended up as dysfunctional adults, constantly plagued by their nightmares.

Some of her young clients had ended up committing suicide before they reached adulthood.

Layla sighed as she downed another cup of soju.

Glancing at the young girl in front of her, Layla knew that if what she had suspected was true, then what Kai Xin needed the most was a way that can help her deal with her trauma.

She had enough experience to know that sometimes unorthodox methods were needed.

A week later, Layla had took Kai Xin to a hotel, saying that it was for business.