"A lawyer?" Matthew quickly looked over the woman standing in front of him. He didn't recognize her.
She had long, deep brown hair that cascaded like a waterfall, with Middle Eastern features but the tall, elegant figure of a Western woman. Her mixed-race face was flawlessly made up, making her look incredibly beautiful.
At first glance, she bore a slight resemblance to Anne Hathaway.
She was dressed in a stylish and sophisticated manner, with an orange snakeskin-pattern blouse paired with a camel-colored pencil skirt, nude pointed heels, and a black handbag. Her mature wardrobe choice highlighted her poised, elegant demeanor, the perfect image of a professional woman.
Such a woman would definitely turn heads on the street. No one would be surprised if she was mistaken for a Hollywood star.
Matthew's gaze quickly scanned her, and with a hint of caution, he asked, "Whose lawyer are you?"
James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing: Had Matthew's interests now extended into the legal profession?
"I'm Amal Alamuddin from Doughty Street Chambers," she introduced herself with a smile, seeing the confusion on Matthew's face. "I'm a colleague of Mr. Watson."
Matthew nodded slightly. "You're here representing the law firm? I have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Watson and Mr. Kane tomorrow."
Amal Alamuddin smiled gracefully. "I'm here tonight on my own behalf." She added, "Can we talk privately?"
Matthew turned to look at James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. James immediately spoke up, "Go ahead. Don't worry about us."
He pulled Michael along into the restaurant.
Matthew thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright."
Amal smiled warmly again. "Thank you."
"Give me a moment," Matthew said, pulling out his phone. "I'll get a meeting room from the hotel."
Though he didn't know why she was looking for him, he figured it had something to do with last night's incident. It certainly wasn't a conversation suitable for a restaurant.
Given that she was a female lawyer, inviting her to his room would be inappropriate as well.
Matthew stepped aside and called the hotel to reserve a meeting room upstairs. Afterward, he discreetly took a photo of Amal Alamuddin and sent it to Emma Watson. He then called her. Emma, who was having dinner with her father, immediately asked him about it. Mr. Watson confirmed that Amal Alamuddin was indeed his colleague and one of the more capable young lawyers at Doughty Street Chambers.
"She's smart and bold," Mr. Watson said before hanging up.
Men sometimes don't need to say much when talking about women. From just that single comment, Matthew formed a general impression of this lawyer named Amal Alamuddin.
Shortly after, he led her to the meeting room upstairs. Before they entered, Brown-Williams made sure to check the room.
"Just a precaution from last night," Matthew said as he invited Amal into the meeting room. "The paparazzi in London are way too aggressive."
Amal Alamuddin elegantly sat down on a single sofa and asked, "Mr. Horner, aren't you planning to use the law to protect your rights?"
Matthew didn't beat around the bush. "Of course I am. That's why I've been looking for a law firm."
His lawyer, Wilson, only handled his legal matters in North America. The UK legal system was different from the US, and this case might be a long one. Hiring a British lawyer seemed like the best option.
"Pardon my forwardness, Ms. Alamuddin," Matthew said bluntly, "but I have a meeting with your firm tomorrow. Why did you come here tonight?"
"Please, call me Amal. May I call you Matthew?" she asked, smiling as Matthew nodded. "Thank you."
She maintained her elegant smile and continued, "Matthew, you don't have a lawyer in the UK, do you?"
Matthew smiled but didn't answer—it was an obvious fact.
Amal continued, "Tomorrow, when you discuss the case with the firm, could you designate me as your lawyer?"
Matthew wasn't surprised. He had guessed she had an agenda.
He glanced at Amal again. She was about his age, which in the legal field meant she was still early in her career.
Amal opened her briefcase, took out some credentials, and placed them on the table. "These are my licenses, my firm's credentials, and other related documents."
Matthew's eyes briefly scanned the documents, noting degrees from Oxford University and NYU Law School.
If these were real, she was certainly an academic powerhouse.
Amal then pulled out a stack of case files. "These are some of the cases I've handled."
Matthew didn't bother looking through them. For a case this small, any competent lawyer could handle it.
But what intrigued him was why this woman had come to him directly.
Seeing Matthew's lack of interest in the case files, Amal said, "If I'm not mistaken, you want to use this case to send a message to the British media, warning them not to overstep, correct?"
Matthew couldn't help but laugh. She was certainly sharp.
Of course, as a high-profile Hollywood star, this wasn't hard to guess.
Realizing this, he suddenly understood why Amal had sought him out.
Though he hadn't followed up much on the incident since this morning, from the way James McAvoy had described it, the media was having a field day with the story.
Becoming his lawyer would provide endless opportunities to face the press, and with his fame and influence, it would be an easy way to gain significant exposure.
Even without much knowledge of the legal field, Matthew knew that top lawyers needed not just skills but also a reputation.
Amal, ever composed and professional, was starting to feel a bit anxious. She only had this one evening—tomorrow, when Matthew met with the firm's senior partners, they might not consider her at all.
More importantly, in the legal profession, male lawyers often inspired more trust and confidence.
Though she had achieved some success in her career, she was far from her ultimate goal.
If she continued on the traditional path, it would take at least another 10 to 20 years to reach her ideal position.
But how many women have that much time?
Moreover, there were legal shortcuts—ethical and legitimate ones.
She had studied the careers of many top lawyers, and in most cases, representing a high-profile client or handling a celebrity case was the turning point in their careers.
This was undeniably a legitimate shortcut.
After learning about the case today, she had spent hours deliberating before deciding to seize the opportunity. She had pulled many strings just to locate Matthew Horner.
Since he didn't know her, she could introduce herself!
In fact, after doing some brief research on Matthew's personality, she had even prepared an ultimate weapon.
From today's media reaction, it was clear that merely becoming Matthew Horner's representative would instantly make her name known across both the UK and the US.
If the subsequent lawsuit was handled properly, she could become a renowned lawyer.
Amal Alamuddin had long awaited such a high-profile case. Now, it was right in front of her. How could she pass it up?
She had come fully prepared, including bringing her ultimate weapon.
"Matthew, I'm more than 90% confident I can get those two paparazzi sentenced to at least a year in jail," Amal said confidently, "with no chance of parole."
She had done her homework before coming here. With the two paparazzi already fired by The Sun, it was clear that Matthew had made his move. On one side was a billionaire, and on the other, two lowly paparazzi. The case wouldn't be difficult.
But she knew that wasn't enough. "I will achieve any outcome you desire," she added, "within the bounds of the law."
She had clearly come well-prepared. She placed another document in front of Matthew. "These paparazzi sometimes earn hefty sums for major scoops, but they're often lax about paying taxes. I can also push for a tax investigation against them."
Matthew didn't bother looking at the document. If she had taken the initiative to do this, it meant she had confidence in it.
"As long as there are tax issues," Amal continued, "the fines alone could bankrupt them."
Matthew stared at her exotic, beautiful face. "Other lawyers could do the same thing. Why should I choose you?"
Amal fell silent for a moment. Without the firm's recommendation, she was at a disadvantage. But the firm was unlikely to recommend a lawyer like her for a high-profile client like Matthew.
"I'll waive my fee," Amal offered. What she wanted was more than just this case. If she could become Matthew Horner's regular lawyer in the UK, that would be invaluable. She smiled elegantly. "I'll represent you for free."
As expected, this woman was just as shrewd as Emma Watson's father had hinted. Matthew's instincts were spot on.
Still, Amal noticed Matthew hadn't fully agreed yet. She bit her lip slightly and decided to deploy her ultimate weapon. "Anything Emma Watson can do, I can do too. Once we sign the contract, I'll be at your beck and call."
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