Chapter 263: From Fan to Hater: 2 Broke Girls MAX: Mad Max, You're So Lame!
"We'll see."
Lawyer Emily turned around, confidently meeting the suited Harvey's gaze, before leaving the Pearson Hardman law firm with her assistant and others.
"Did I clear your schedule for tomorrow morning?"
Secretary Donna walked in, smiling knowingly at the suited Harvey, who was facing away from the door, looking down at the New York cityscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Harvey turned around, giving Secretary Donna a "you already know the answer" look.
"It's Emily. I thought she'd changed—no, it's because you two have history—but you're still the same old Harvey... Okay, I'll get on it."
Secretary Donna grumbled as she left.
That evening.
In a luxury hotel suite.
"You heard the recording of Shelly's frantic 911 calls after her daughter Jamie went missing, right?"
The suited Harvey and lawyer Emily sat facing each other, engaging in heated discussion. "Anyone who hears that recording knows that Shelly, as a mother, loved her daughter deeply.
Not the opposite—not even remotely!
Murder her own daughter?
Do you know who would think that?
An antisocial psychopath!
The current outcome proves it!
The jury will definitely not have any sympathy for someone like that."
"Stop showing off."
Lawyer Emily rolled her eyes at Harvey. "The fact that we're sitting in my hotel room means we're still willing to negotiate—at least I am."
"Are you sure you want to talk about the case?"
Harvey teased. "And not about how your tattoo misses me?"
"How do you know I haven't gotten it removed?"
Lawyer Emily smiled.
"Your personality!"
Harvey laughed. "I know it hasn't been removed, and it's probably even bigger now."
"Are you so sure?"
Lawyer Emily's eyes flashed with challenge.
"Please!"
Harvey tilted his head. "Emily, you know me! I read people, and once I've got them figured out, everything becomes easy."
"Don't be so confident. You never know the outcome until it's truly revealed,"
lawyer Emily retorted. "And right now, there's only one way to find out the final result."
As she spoke, she turned around, swept her long hair to one side, and unzipped the back of her dress, revealing a tattoo on her back.
"The tattoo is getting bigger,"
Harvey leaned closer to admire it.
"My own Monopoly board,"
Emily laughed. "I'm constantly expanding my territory."
"How far does it go?"
Harvey chuckled.
"Beyond your imagination,"
Emily said, then turned and embraced Harvey, who was now very close. "So, do you think you can keep up?"
"Looks like we won't be making any progress on the case tonight,"
Harvey teased.
"On the contrary, I think we'll make a breakthrough on the case tonight, plaintiff's attorney,"
lawyer Emily teased back.
"Really? Defendant's attorney, I don't believe it,"
the suited Harvey was naturally not intimidated by this familiar dance.
"Heh."
Lawyer Emily chuckled and took a step back, widening the distance between them: "Sometimes retreating is advancing. Two million dollars plus a private apology—what do you say?"
"Do you know Detective Chuck?"
The suited Harvey remained seated, leaning back strategically, and asked lawyer Emily with a leisurely air.
"Of course I know him,"
lawyer Emily nodded. "But this isn't his case anymore—it's ours now, so we call the shots."
"Sounds like you still don't really know him,"
the suited Harvey shook his head and chuckled. "Otherwise, you wouldn't say something so naive. Max Henson mocked him several times on his radio show, so he drew a line in the sand: $5 million plus a public apology, not a penny less.
So if you really knew what kind of person he is, you'd know there's absolutely no room for negotiation. Either agree or refuse."
"That's it?"
Lawyer Emily was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled again. "If you think you can use that as a reason not to compromise, then you're the one being naive.
What you have now simply isn't enough to win. If necessary, we can afford to drag this out.
And who's going to pay your client's fees? Is your law firm a charity?"
"No, you can't afford to drag this out!"
Harvey asserted. "How many fans has Max Henson lost because of this case already?
How many calls has he received in the past few days during his call-in segment, getting roasted in return?
I heard he was completely humiliated by all the comebacks.
Don't tell me you didn't know!"
"Of course I know!"
lawyer Emily retorted. "That wise-ass caller is Dr. Greg House from Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.
As far as I know, he's a friend of Detective Chuck's. If you're going to use that as an example, I can only say you're grasping at straws."
"Still! Regardless of whose friend he is, at least he made your client lose face with his sharp tongue—on the very thing your client prides himself on."
Harvey chuckled. "Once Chandler's late-night talk show airs, how many of Max Henson's fans do you think will remain?
Bingo!
There won't be many left!
And don't just talk about Dr. House!
Dr. House isn't the only one who's called in front of all the listeners to verbal-spar with your client!
There's another Max with the same name!
She's a long-time radio listener, a frequent caller, and a regular participant on your client's show. She's been a huge Max Henson fan and was considered his most loyal supporter!
Even when Max Henson viciously slandered a mother who was a victim, she—as a woman—didn't push back. She even joined Max Henson in mocking Detective Chuck.
You wouldn't assume she's also Chuck's friend pretending to be a fan, would you?
But if I remember correctly, after Detective Chuck actually rescued Jamie from the kidnapping, Max called in again, and her first words were, 'Mad Max, you're such a loser!'
Then she launched into a three-minute-long tirade of scathing insults.
Your client tried to fight back repeatedly, but he was no match for this former fan. Finally, overwhelmed by the verbal assault, he had to disconnect the call.
In this situation, how long do you think your client can hold out?
Can you really afford to drag this out?"
Lawyer Emily's expression shifted several times.
She knew perfectly well that the fan MAX—who shared the same name as her client—turning against him was one of the catalysts for the radio station changing lawyers and bringing her in.
"And you?"
Emily sat back in Harvey's lap, smirking. "Do you really want to go to court?
You're Pearson Hardman's top lawyer, known as New York's best closer!
Are you so bored that you don't have time for other cases, but instead insist on sticking with this one and going head-to-head with me?"
"You know, the client's demands are our objective..."
Harvey chuckled.
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by lawyer Emily: "Cut the BS! You, Harvey Specter, dare to say that?
You're notorious for not listening to what your clients want—whatever you say, they have no choice but to agree!
In this case, no matter how many advantages you have, winning the $5 million compensation will be very difficult!
Don't tell me you don't know the implications!
If you force the compensation to such a high level now and set a precedent, are you going to make everyone else pay that much in the future?
So lowering the compensation to $2 million is in both our best interests.
As long as you agree to persuade your client, I guarantee I'll handle the public apology clause.
We can all close this case and go do something more... interesting~ What do you say?"
"You make a compelling argument."
The suited Harvey closed his eyes, enjoying the defendant's lawyer's persuasive tactics, but what he said next instantly cooled the explosively flirtatious atmosphere: "But unfortunately, this is Detective Chuck's bottom line."
"So you can't handle him?"
Lawyer Emily stopped what she was doing and scoffed. "Can't even handle an outsider who's not even your client?"
"This outsider you're talking about isn't someone you can just casually dismiss,"
the suited Harvey sneered. "He's also footing the bill... You'd better try to persuade him yourself! I'm not underestimating you, but you definitely won't succeed!"
"..."
Lawyer Emily's face went pale.
Detective Chuck's high standards for romantic interests were well-known through gossip news.
Of course, she understood that the suited Harvey was mocking her looks—suggesting they were only relatively attractive within the legal profession.
Even with the added advantage of her professional attire and lawyer's mystique, she probably still wouldn't catch Chuck's eye.
Moreover, she had grasped a crucial piece of information: the outsider she thought she could ignore was actually willing to spend over two million dollars just to make a point.
At this moment, she had completely figured out the suited Harvey's position.
Unfortunately, this position wasn't favorable to her.
So she stood up, pulled up the zipper of her dress, straightened her clothes, and changed her expression as she looked at the strategically-positioned Harvey: "In that case, see you in court!"
"As you wish."
Although the suited Harvey still had ideas, being as proud as he was, he naturally wouldn't beg in this regard. He watched lawyer Emily go into the bathroom, calmed his frustration, stood up, straightened his suit, and walked out.
A few days later.
Courtroom.
"Judge Abernathy is here! All rise!"
With the bailiff's announcement, a judge walked in, gestured to the standing courtroom attendees to sit down, and said with a very affable smile: "No need, everyone please sit."
Everyone sat down.
"My goodness, this is quite a turnout today."
Judge Abernathy glanced at the packed courtroom and couldn't help but comment.
"Your Honor, I think that's because of me."
The defendant present today, Max Henson, leaned back in his chair with a very arrogant, wide-angled tactical lean.
"Yes, Mr. Henson, you are very popular."
The judge smiled.
"Thank you, Your Honor."
Max Henson smiled. "I only want a fair judgment, even though our political views are diametrically opposed."
"Your Honor, is Max Henson trying to testify on his own behalf already?"
Harvey, dressed in his suit, stood up and sarcastically objected.
As shrewd as he was, he naturally saw through Max Henson's intentions.
On the surface, he was acknowledging their different political views, but his real intention was to use a public statement to subtly pressure the judge—not only to refrain from targeting him, but to ensure a fair judgment, and ideally to favor him.
But this Judge Abernathy was a liberal judge, and as everyone knows, liberal judges love to appear impartial by finding middle ground.
And how to compromise?
Naturally, by following the tide of public opinion!
Max Henson himself had enormous media influence, and now that he was saying this publicly, it was easy to imagine how far this compromise would tilt if he didn't intervene.
"It's alright, Mr. Specter."
As the suited Harvey had predicted, the judge directly stated his position: "A little informality is no big deal."
Harvey smirked inwardly. If it weren't for Max Henson's immense media influence, the judge would have simply said that the court's authority could not be violated in the slightest.
"Mr. Henson, I admit we have different political views, but this court is not influenced by politics, and I will do my utmost to ensure impartiality."
"Thank you."
Max Henson thanked the judge, then glanced smugly at the suited Harvey and Tim, the plaintiff.
Tim smiled back.
This made Max Henson's smile freeze.
He didn't like that smile!
Under normal circumstances, a regular guy like Tim should be trembling with fear under his smug gaze.
"That damned Detective Chuck!"
He immediately thought of what lawyer Emily had told him: Chuck, as a detective, had used his financial power—something even he himself struggled to leverage—to provide Tim, the plaintiff, with ample confidence.
This was the root of Tim's bold response!
And his recent humiliating situation was also due to Detective Chuck!
This wasn't the first time he'd slandered someone, but never had it been this problematic!
If Detective Chuck hadn't found the missing key figure, Jamie, so quickly, and solidified the truth about Jamie's mother, Shelly, leaving him with little room to maneuver, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state!
Now even ordinary citizens don't respect him!
He withdrew his smug gaze and looked at the female lawyer sitting beside him.
Lawyer Emily nodded to him, then stood up and addressed the judge: "Your Honor, based on the First Amendment, the defendant requests that this case be dismissed, as the plaintiff is attempting to deprive Mr. Henson of his freedom of speech!"
"No! Your Honor!"
the suited Harvey retorted, standing up. "We are suing Mr. Max Henson for defamation and knowingly spreading falsehoods—I think everyone is perfectly clear on that point!"
"Your Honor, this IS about defamation and false statements!"
lawyer Emily stood up and countered.
The plaintiff and defendant's lawyers then resumed their heated debate, which they hadn't fully explored that night in the hotel.
The judge, feeling overwhelmed, lowered his head and thought for a moment before interrupting them: "Mr. Specter, you say that based on the First Amendment, people have the right to free speech, but that doesn't include lying!
I agree with your point!
But the verdict in this case will depend on a simple criterion.
That is, you must not only prove that Mr. Henson lied, but also prove that he knowingly lied with reckless disregard for the truth."
Lawyer Emily and her client, Max Henson, exchanged a confident smile.
Such fact-finding is extremely difficult.
You can prove someone lied, but proving someone knowingly lied with reckless disregard is incredibly difficult.
Even the supposedly mind-reading Detective Chuck, without direct involvement in Max Henson's actions, couldn't convince the judge and jury with his testimony alone.
Therefore, Max Henson believed that as long as he stood his ground, no one could stop him.
Not even Harvey Specter, New York's best closer!
Not even Detective Chuck!
He said so himself!
(End of Chapter)
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