Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 224

*Shelby*

The babies both slept peacefully in their car seats on the flight back home. I hadn’t slept well the night before because of the tension. The case against Henderson Chemical was taking a toll on not only my mental health but also Michael’s. He worried about the repercussions that may come our way because of my involvement, and his fears weren’t unfounded.

I got my computer out and read over notes that I had compiled from a deep dive on the internet. There was a social media thread with anonymous complaints from people who had worked for Henderson Chemical, and it was frightening to see how many people had reported unsafe working conditions and lacking benefits. The posts mainly criticized the company’s lack of hazard pay, overtime policies, and care for their employees’ well-being.

My heart sank as I scrolled through the comments; people spoke about watching co-workers get injured on the job due to negligent supervisors, employees going unpaid or being cheated out of overtime wages, and toxic chemicals that affected their health in ways that they would never recover from.

There were admissions from many of the commenters that when they tried to come forward with their allegations, they were either ignored, threatened, or retaliated against by the company. It was a horror story in the making, and it fueled my determination to bring justice to those who had been hurt by Henderson Chemical, their employees, and the innocent people that had been affected by the chemical spill.

I shut my computer and settled into my seat. Closing my eyes, I tried to relax. Michael sat next to me, his hand on mine, and I felt comforted by his presence. He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “We’re going to get this figured out, I promise.”

I opened my eyes and looked into his kind, reassuring gaze. He was right. We would see it through together, just like we had everything else life had thrown at us since we met.

I managed to nap for a few hours until the babies woke up and started to get fussy. Michael and I took turns soothing them, but it was a struggle to keep them quiet and calm. Finally, I decided to take them to the back of the plane to give them a change of scenery.

We started to play a game of peek-a-boo with a blanket, which made them giggle and smile. We sang nursery rhymes, and I imitated different animal noises loudly. Our loudness drew Michael to us, and we wiggled in our seats, counting each baby’s toes one at a time until they were both laughing gleefully.

The flight attendant stopped by to check on us after hearing the sounds of laughter, and she made sure that we had enough snacks and drinks for the remainder of the trip. Michael and I were so thankful for her consideration that I told him to make sure she got a bonus for agreeing to fly with us on the jet.

We continued entertaining the babies until, finally, the plane landed, and we were home. Michael and I packed the babies up and headed toward our car where our driver was waiting to take us back to our house. We both agreed that it had been a long day, and we were exhausted.

“I know you’re ready to get a jumpstart on interviewing your client tomorrow. Why don’t we grab something fast to eat when we get home and then get the babies down? We can call it a night early,” Michael suggested, knowing exactly what I needed as he usually did.

I agreed with a nod, grateful for his thoughtfulness. Michael always knew how to take care of me, and I loved him for it.

As we made our way through traffic, I couldn’t help but think about the case awaiting me. Henderson Chemical had been a disaster, and the victims of their toxic spill were still suffering. I knew it would be a tough case to take on, but I was ready for the challenge.

Finally, we arrived home, and when I walked through the door, the tiredness hit me hard. Michael took one look at me and knew that I was done for the day. He took the babies to the nursery, and I slumped onto the couch.

I had dozed off for a few minutes when Michael nudged me gently, “Hey, I got Chinese food and a bottle of your favorite red wine. Let’s eat, put the babies down, and go to bed.”

“My god, I love you so much right now,” I groggily whispered and followed him to the kitchen. We ate in silence, enjoying each other’s company. Once we were finished, we checked on the babies, who were sleeping peacefully in their cribs, and then got ready for bed.

I desperately needed a shower, so I quickly jumped in and rinsed the travel off me. Then, I pumped and stored my breast milk and headed to the bedroom. Michael was already asleep by the time I crawled into bed beside him. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the life I had. Despite all the hardships that had come our way, Michael and I had each other, and that was everything.

The next morning, Michael helped me get the babies ready for a morning with Miss Constance, and I drove to meet with the client and the full legal team. As I walked into the conference room, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

The client was a man of small stature, maybe five foot six. He had graying hair and wore a tweed sweater and slacks. He looked nervous, which was completely understandable. I took my seat at the table and glanced around at the assembled legal team.

“Good morning, everyone,” the head of the team said. “As you all know, we’re here to discuss the case against Henderson Chemical. We have a solid case, and we have amassed a wealth of evidence to support our claims that their company was responsible for the toxic spill that has caused so many people so much pain and suffering. And we have the best legal minds in the business on our team.”

I turned my eyes to our client, and asked him, “Would you like to tell us about what has happened to you since you spoke out against Henderson?”

He cleared his throat nervously, then began, “Well, I decided to sue Henderson Chemical after my father, mother, and two brothers were diagnosed with cancer. The cancer diagnosis stemmed from an ill-maintained Henderson facility that exploded and sent toxic chemicals into the air surrounding our homes.”

He wiped tears away from his eyes with a handkerchief, then continued, “My family wasn’t the only one that had health effects, I was just the first one to come forward, spurring the class action lawsuit. I believe you all have about twenty people willing to move forward, though that number may drop after they hear what I’ve been through.”

I watched him think about what he wanted to say next and reached over to reassuringly pat his arm, urging him on.

“Ever since I decided to take a stand, we’ve been receiving threatening phone calls. The number is always blocked, and the person on the other end tells me to keep quiet or else.” Our client bristled and looked at the table of attorneys, then said, “We got one of those calls three days ago, and I just ignored it like I was told to. We had left to grab dinner, and when we pulled back onto my street, our house was engulfed in flames. I lost everything.”

My stomach dropped as the client told us his story. The weight of the case felt like a heavy stone on my chest, and I looked at the team of lawyers. They had all paled visibly and their eyes were wide with worry. This job was never easy, but the kind of evil that can not only disregard human life and safety within their business practices but also break the law and threaten a witness and commit arson.

“I’m so sorry for what happened to you and your family,” I said, my voice low and empathetic. “We will do everything in our power to bring Henderson Chemical to justice and hold them accountable for the harm they’ve caused.”

Our client offered a tight smile and tipped his chin up in acknowledgment of our response. His eyes were glistening, and he looked down at the floor quickly to compose himself before speaking.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice strained with the effort it took him to keep from breaking down completely. “I just want to make sure that no one else has to go through what we’ve been through.” He stood up slowly, shoulders slumped in resignation, turning toward the door. As soon as it closed behind him, the rest of us began talking all at once with a flurry of emotions–anger, worry, outrage.

We spent the next several hours going over the details of the case, poring over evidence, and strategizing our approach. Finally, we decided that the best course of action was to protect our clients until the day of the trial.

We discussed putting the clients into a safe house until the case was heard and agreed on some protocols that would ensure their safety. The lawyers and I agreed to assign a security guard to each client, with specific instructions to monitor their location at all times, to ensure no further harm would come to them.

We also discussed coordinating with local law enforcement to provide additional protection if necessary. It was a long and exhausting discussion, but we knew it was necessary. We had all seen what happened when Henderson Chemical felt challenged, and none of us wanted any more innocent people getting hurt in this process. There were plenty of other logistical concerns that needed to be addressed, so we planned a meeting for later in the week and adjourned.

As I drove home, I pressed my foot a little harder and accelerated the car. The engine roared in response to my desire. An idea had been budding in the back of my mind since our meeting, and with some help from Michael, I was sure it could work.

I wanted to get home to my husband and our beautiful babies more than anything else in the world. After all that we had been through, they were the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Hearing the devastation in my client’s voice put the importance of family into perspective for me, and I vowed to always make sure they came first for me.