"How's Aiko?" Reina asked as she observed the two most important men in her life cook.
They had gone home, where Giovanni had challenged his son to a cooking contest to celebrate. It was something he enjoyed doing and that helped him unwind after a stressful day. Ironically, he was truly a chef, only being able to relax while in the kitchen. Reina had fallen in love with Giovanni's food a long time ago, and it was his passion that pulled her in and broke through the iron walls she had built through her profession.
"She's fine, but I'm sure you know that already," Adriano answered.
Thanks to his mind, Adriano could memorise any cooking recipe he had read or seen his father perform, making him the best in theory. But cooking wasn't solely about theory and knowing what to do and when. There was a part that seemed fuelled by passion, which was the sole reason his father was still the better cook between them, at least according to Reina. However, if Adriano were interested in pursuing a career as a cook, he would make it to the very top easily. If only he weren't so lazy.
"Yes, I know. But you almost never call, so what am I supposed to do?" Reina asked.
"I called you 28 times last month. That's almost once every day."
"But it wasn't February, so why are you arguing that way?"
"You want to know what I'm planning now?"
"We both are, son. Are you planning on continuing with Mattei Kurogane or will you join another top law firm in New York?" Giovanni asked.
Adriano didn't answer right away. He filled three plates with rice and then added the Kaigun Curry to them. Kaigun Curry Rice was called "Kaigun" because it could trace its roots back to the end of the 19th Century, when Japan was building its own modernised navy. Many naval personnel had developed vitamin B1 deficiency syndrome. To introduce a nutrition-rich dish to their diet, the Japanese navy started serving curry rice. Later, curry powder became available for consumers and was now a mainstay of Japanese household cuisine.
After that, he focused on the other dish he was preparing.
"Funny that you should mention that. Something did indeed happen, which made me think that it might be interesting to switch places for a short while," he said.
"What do you mean?" Reina asked.
"Jessica Pearson, the managing partner at Pearson Hardman, will approach me soon."
"Huh? Why would she do that, and why do you know that?" Giovanni asked.
Reina, who was more versed in her son's analytical prediction, wasn't as surprised as her husband.
"Because I'm going to crush her golden boy in two days, during the next court hearing," Adriano revealed. "And after that, she will approach me and offer me a job."
"Personally? I haven't known someone of her station to approach a lawyer personally, and especially not someone as unknown as you," Reina said.
"She most likely already gathered everything she could on Adri and now wants to see whether he can pull off a win against her 'golden boy'. Is that right?" Giovanni said.
Giovanni wasn't as well-read or educated as his wife, but he knew people. He knew them, knew how to read them and how to handle them. It came with the way he grew up in Italy. An alcoholic, abusive father and several siblings, it was his job as the eldest son in a poor neighbourhood in Sicily to take care of his family. It was the very rare smile that his food brought his family that fuelled his passion for cooking. But it was his strong build, combined with that special talent and the willingness to use his fists, that also helped him gather loyal subordinates.
"You're right. She called the Head of Admissions for Harvard University, Shiela Sazs, to get everything she could on me. But not only that, she used her personal information gatherer to find out anything else possible."
"Quite thorough. And you think that will be enough to approach you?" Reina asked.
"Naturally. She is looking for a way to educate Harvey Specter, since his ego has grown far too much. And hiring the very person who beat him as an associate will do that."
"Associate? Are you serious? You won't agree to that, will you?"
Giovanni finished the different spaghetti dishes and presented them. That was when Adriano finished the Hitsumabushi. Hitsumabushi originated in Nagoya. It used grilled eel chunks on rice and was served in different ways: as an eel donburi, with onions and seaweed, or with warm water like a soup.
"Of course I will."
"What?! Why?" Reina asked.
"Are you underselling yourself, son?" Giovanni asked.
"No. But I have found something out that makes me believe I won't be an associate for very long. A big opening will present itself in Pearson Hardman very soon. And by accepting to become an associate will allow me to present some conditions of my own."
"You mean like not signing a non-compete?" his mother asked with a smile.
"Indeed."
"And what have you found out?"
"Daniel Hardman's wife is about to die."
"..."
"..."
"What?"
"Huh, what what?"
"What are you talking about? Why would it matter that Hardman's wife is about to die? And why do you know that anyway?" Giovanni asked.
"I checked, obviously," Adriano stated.
They sat around the table and started eating the different dishes. It was a mix between Italian and Japanese dishes, like their family.
"Yes, but why did you do that?"
"Well, when the former Managing Partner of a large firm like Pearson Hardman left to 'take care of his wife', I looked into it. Turns out, he stole money from the firm. Jessica Pearson and Harvey Specter found out about it. He used that money for his mistress, Monica Eton. So the two used this information about his extramarital affair to blackmail him into leaving the firm and handing the reins to Jessica."
"So that means..."
"He will return since his wife is about to die."
"Precisely. And when he does, he will be looking to manipulate partners to get him back into his old position," Adriano finished.
"And with the knowledge you hold, you can get rid of him as soon as you get what you wanted. Quite brilliant indeed."
"Elementary, mom."
"What about Aiko? Will you take her with you?" Giovanni asked.
"No. I have enough other business to keep her busy and will be in the office often. She can work from home anyway, so it doesn't matter."
.
Once again, the 'best closer of New York' and the no-name Adriano met in the courtroom. Harvey was already planning the appeal when Adriano spoke again.
"Your Honour," he said, almost as an afterthought, "one procedural matter, if the court will indulge me."
The judge paused and looked at Adriano. She knew him personally, as did many judges. She nodded.
"Briefly," she said.
Adriano nodded.
"During the argument, Mr Specter made several representations regarding the completeness of his legal research and the controlling state of the law."
Harvey stiffened. There was something with the way Adriano handled himself. His lazy attitude seemed to put everyone around him at ease and underestimate him, until he opened his mouth.
"I did," he said flatly.
"Yes," Adriano agreed. "And I believe them to be… inaccurate."
Harvey turned to the judge.
"Objection--"
"Overruled," the judge said, eyes narrowing slightly.
Harvey was surprised by how quickly his objection was overruled. He suspected foul play, but that was only natural for someone with his ego.
"Go on," she nodded at Adriano.
Adriano didn't look at Harvey.
"Six months ago, the New York fiduciary statute was amended," he said. "The amendment was public, non-ambiguous, and cited in multiple continuing legal education bulletins."
He held up a thin exhibit.
"This bulletin was distributed to Pearson Hardman partners. Including Mr Specter."
Harvey felt a cold line trace down his spine. Things were slipping out of his hands at an astonishing pace for some reason. Where was this coming from? He had prepared to strike back at the rookies' arguments from the last courtroom meeting, and yet here he was attacking from another direction.
Harvey made a terrible mistake underestimating Adriano, because he hadn't heard of him before. Had he paid a bit more attention or dug a bit deeper, he would have found out that he wasn't as young as he thought initially. And he wasn't by any means a nobody.
"I move," Adriano continued, "that the court take judicial notice of the fact that Mr Specter argued controlling law that had been superseded."
Jessica Pearson, who sat next to Harvey, rose halfway from her seat. She wanted to attend this hearing in person and see how things went.
"Your Honour," she said carefully, "this was an oversight, not misconduct."
Adriano turned to her. He didn't look disrespectful or arrogant—quite the contrary.
"I don't allege misconduct," he said. "Only professional negligence."
His words had the desired effect. The judge looked directly at Harvey now.
"Mr Specter," she said, "did you review the amendment before today's hearing?"
Harvey hesitated. One second too long.
"…Your honour, we--," he said, but stopped.
"Well?"
Harvey looked at Jessica, who didn't say anything. After Adriano made it clear that he wasn't targeting the firm but Harvey himself, she understood that this wasn't personal in any way. He didn't care about Harvey at all, or their firm for that matter. His words held merit, and Harvey had to see how to get out of this himself.
"Then this court will make a finding for the record," the judge said.
She picked up her pen.
"That Mr Harvey Specter appeared before this court without having reviewed the current controlling statute relevant to his own argument."
Harvey's face turned stone cold.
"This finding does not affect Pearson Hardman's representation," the judge continued. "But it will be entered into the transcript."
Harvey opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Adriano spoke one last time.
"Thank you, Your Honour."
Adriano picked up his briefcase and was about to walk out when Jessica Pearson called out to him.
"Mr Mattei, my name is Jessica Pearson," she said, and they shook hands.
"Ooooh, what can I do for you, Mrs Pearson?" he asked.
"That was impressive work in this case."
"..."
Adriano didn't say anything and waited for her to continue, uninterested in her praise. This wasn't anything special to him at all. He had taken this case because he was asked and came up with a strategy to win, which he did. That's all there was to it from his perspective. The fact that Jessica Pearson would approach him was already within his predictions, so it would have been weirder for him to react at all.
"I looked into you a bit after the last hearing, and I have to say that you have a very impressive resume. Even though I didn't believe it when I first saw it."
"That's natural. Anything else?" he asked.
Jessica narrowed her eyes slightly. Usually, everyone was willing or even desperate to get to talk to her, but here was a lawyer, a relatively new one, who seemed to count the minutes that he could leave here. This was interesting to her.
"No, that's everything. Thank you for your time," she said.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs Pearson. Good day."
Jessica watched Adriano leave the courtroom. A moment later, Harvey stood beside her.
"Weren't you interested in him joining you for lunch?" he asked bitterly.
Harvey was beyond pissed right now. He had his ass handed to him by someone who looked like he'd rather take a nap.
"I was."
"Then why didn't you?"
"He wouldn't have agreed to it."
"How could you know that? Lunch with you is something most lawyers dream about. Weren't you going to hire him or something?"
"I was, and I still am. But it has to be worth his time."
"Whatever."
Jessica Pearson was a very competent political player. She knew how to see the bigger picture and could read others well. Had it been anyone else, her thought process would have been right. But Adriano was different. If he agreed to meet her for lunch, he would be like everyone else. If she wanted to hire him, which she now wanted more than before, she had to work for it. That's the paradox Adriano counted on.