Chapter 403: Chapter 298: Professional 2
’A celebrity divorce? What’s that got to do with me?’
Director Roland grumbled to himself and shook his head speechlessly. "For something like this, it’s best to consult a lawyer first. The laws are different in every state, so you have to follow the proper legal procedures."
’Then what good are you?’
Feng Mountain couldn’t help but roast them in his head as his gaze swept over Director Roland, Nash, and Cook.
He’d hoped they could all brainstorm together and come up with a useful plan or some advice.
But to his surprise, not a single one of them had an idea to offer. He sighed in resignation, took out his phone, and dialed Frank’s number.
Speaking of which, ever since they parted ways in Noiksoth Village, it was as if Frank had vanished into thin air. All contact was lost.
Feng Mountain had tried calling him several times before, but he could never get through. He wondered if he’d be able to reach him this time.
After dialing, the phone rang a few times, and then, surprisingly, someone picked up.
Before Feng Mountain could even say a word, Frank’s weary voice came through the line.
"Look, man, I’m busy right now. Whatever it is, make it quick."
His tone was thick with impatience, making it clear he had no time for idle chit-chat.
Feng Mountain was taken aback for a moment, then quickly told him everything about Yves’s situation from start to finish. He figured that since Frank was a lawyer and had seen it all, he might have a good idea.
The result? After listening, Frank paused for a moment before unleashing a torrent of curses.
"Bullshit! You’re bothering me with something this simple? What am I, your Aladdin’s Lamp or Santa Claus? Fack, hang up the phone. Someone will contact you in a bit. I’m really busy right now. Unless someone’s dead, don’t call me again. Hanging up!"
With that, a BEEP BEEP BEEP filled the line. Frank had hung up on him.
Because the call had been on speakerphone, everyone around had heard Frank’s voice crystal clear. Feng Mountain was mortified, sheepishly putting his phone away.
「Five minutes later.」
The phone rang again with a clear, crisp tone.
Feng Mountain quickly answered the call. A cold woman’s voice came from the receiver, sounding detached and professional.
"Hello, am I speaking with Feng Mountain, Mr. Feng?"
"Yes, this is he," Feng Mountain replied quickly.
The woman’s tone was unhurried as she clearly and methodically stated her identity and purpose.
"I am Kalina Peyton, a civil lawyer with the Dallas Henry Law Firm. I was retained by Mr. Frank to assist you with Mr. Yves’s case."
"Oh, right, yes," Feng Mountain said, a surge of joy in his heart as he quickly responded.
Lawyer Kalina Peyton continued, "Where are you located now? I need to meet with you in person."
"I’m in... Baird, Texas."
"Okay, I’ll book the next flight over. However, time is tight, so we can discuss the case over the phone in advance. There are some things we can work on simultaneously to improve efficiency."
’See? Now *this* is what you call a professional.’
’Her service is so much more enthusiastic and reliable than that big jerk Frank.’
So Feng Mountain recounted Yves’s story in detail from beginning to end, sparing no particular, even bringing up private matters like Valerie’s drug addiction and her attempts to seduce him.
Over the phone, after listening to Feng Mountain’s account, Lawyer Kalina Peyton thought for a moment before speaking in a steady voice.
"Mr. Feng, based on the current situation, this case doesn’t seem to present any major problems. However, it will likely take a rather long time. I’d like to ask first, are you—or rather, is Mr. Yves—on a tight schedule? I preliminarily estimate it will take about three months to reach a final verdict."
Three months?
’We’ll be waiting forever.’
Hearing the timeline, Feng Mountain couldn’t help but worry. Yves definitely couldn’t wait that long, and Fiona couldn’t keep living in such a terrible environment.
Besides, too many things could go wrong in three months. Who knew what that woman, Valerie, might do to harm Fiona.
"Can it be done any faster? We really don’t want to drag this out for too long. It would be best if we could resolve it as soon as possible. Are there any other options?"
Then, the sound of a pen tip scratching on a notebook came through the receiver—SCRATCH SCRATCH. Lawyer Kalina Peyton must have been taking case notes while she listened.
"In that case, the only option is to pursue an out-of-court settlement. Before I arrive, I’m hoping you can gather as much relevant evidence as possible to prove that the child’s current living situation is indeed very poor."
"This includes medical records showing problems with the child’s physical or mental health; feedback from school teachers about declining grades or abnormal behavior; and photos or videos of the child’s poor living environment. If the child is frequently sick due to crowded or unsanitary living conditions, you can also collect the relevant medical records and photos of the home as evidence."
"At the same time, we need evidence that the ex-wife is an unfit parent."
"This includes proof of the ex-wife’s bad habits, such as drug use, alcoholism, or gambling—police records, records from rehab or alcohol treatment centers, witness testimonies, and so on."
"We also need evidence of any abuse or neglect toward the child by the ex-wife, such as photos of the child’s injuries, statements from neighbors or teachers who witnessed incidents, or reports from child protective services."
"Also, proof that the ex-wife has serious financial problems and is unable to provide a stable life or necessary material support for the child, such as records of bank debt or proof of unemployment."
"Finally, as the plaintiff in the case, Mr. Yves will need to file a motion to modify custody with the court of appropriate jurisdiction. He must detail the reasons for the change in custody and attach all the evidence collected. In the motion, he must clearly express his love for his child and his determination to provide a better life for her."
Feng Mountain held a pen and cradled the phone on his shoulder, listening intently to Lawyer Peyton and jotting down each piece of required evidence on a napkin. Then he said:
"Okay, no problem. I’ll take care of getting this evidence."
After hanging up the phone, Feng Mountain looked up at Cook, only to see him wearing a gossipy expression.
With Yves completely focused on his daughter, he was in no state of mind to think about gathering evidence. And here in Baird Town, Cook was the only local Feng Mountain knew.
As the local fixer, Cook was extremely familiar with the town’s goings-on. He was the perfect person to help gather evidence.
"Mr. Cook, I need your help," Feng Mountain said to Cook with a sincere expression.
But who would have thought, Cook immediately started shaking his head like the wooden windmill across the street. His expression was a picture of reluctance as he hastily said:
"Sorry, buddy. Valerie is Bao Wen’s woman. Bao Wen is that guy you just saw. After he sent Black Eye to prison, he started the Zorro Gang. All of Baird is his territory. If I cross him, I won’t be able to survive in Baird anymore."
"What if I paid you for your services?" Feng Mountain said, unhurriedly taking out a checkbook. He picked up a pen and looked at Cook as he continued.
"For this job, I can give you 50,000 US dollars for your trouble, plus another 100,000 US dollars for evidence-gathering funds. I need you to get me everything you can on Valerie and Fiona within three hours. That includes their private lives—as long as it’s useful, I want it."
50,000 US dollars for his trouble.
100,000 US dollars for expenses.
Fack.
’Are all Indians this rich nowadays?’
Cook’s reluctant expression instantly morphed into a fawning smile. His eyes lit up, and his attitude did a complete one-eighty.
"No problem! I know everything there is to know about Valerie. It won’t even take three hours. Don’t you worry, you can count on me."
"Nash, you go with Mr. Cook. If you run into any danger, you can help."
As he spoke, Feng Mountain picked up his pen, wrote out the amounts in his checkbook, and briskly tore out two checks. He handed them to Nash and added, "Have Mr. Cook take you to the nearest bank. Cash the one for evidence funds first, so it’s easier for him to do his work."
.....
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