Luke had made a good amount of money recently, and it didn't sit right with him if he didn't spend any.
Money, when abundant, is just a number, and only when you spend it does it truly become yours.
During his downtime, Luke planned to buy some quality wines for his collection.
Many types of alcoholic beverages are available in America, including red wine, whiskey, rum, brandy, and champagne.
Luke was not very familiar with these foreign liquors, and moreover, they were not as easy to store as white liquor.
This time, his main focus was on buying white liquor. Once Luke bought a bigger house, he planned to build a wine cellar specifically suited for storage, where he would then start collecting foreign liquors.
Buying wine in Los Angeles differs from back home; here, one doesn't worry about counterfeit products and can simply purchase from large supermarkets and wineries.
Luke bought two cases of red wine and two cases of whiskey; these were normal for personal use and entertaining guests.
In addition, he purchased four cases of Wuliangye, two cases of Guojiao 1573, two cases of Jiannanchun, and two cases of Qinghua Fen 30.
These white spirits all had storage value, increasing in value the longer they are kept.
Luke bought a total of 14 cases of wines on this trip. His house, already small, was packed full in the storage room; buying any more would be impossible to accommodate.
Daisy came over to Luke's house for dinner and to taste the red wine Luke had purchased.
Luke prepared several dishes that paired well with red wine.
Daisy arrived earlier than expected, and after freshening up quickly, she helped Luke set up for dinner.
Luke was not surprised that Daisy was late; it was rare for her to leave work early.
Luke asked, "Not too busy today?"
"I met with a client this afternoon, there wasn't anything else at the firm, so I came straight here," she replied.
Daisy counter asked, "Did you receive Danny Carter's commission?"
"Yes, it was a substantial sum. No wonder you lawyers are so wealthy."
"We don't often come across cases ." Daisy smiled, put down what she was doing, and asked, "Would you like to make another quick buck?"
"You have a new client?"
"No, it's still the Danny Carter sexual assault case.
The plaintiff Billie Warwick has filed a civil lawsuit."
Luke guessed, "Billie Warwick's motive is compensation?"
"Yes, this case will most likely settle," said Daisy.
Luke said, "The police have already dropped the charges due to insufficient evidence. It's clear to anyone that this so-called assault case looks more like a false accusation for money.
If they don't settle, what would a normal trial look like?
What would be the impact on Danny Carter?"
"The police's decision not to prosecute does indeed prove Danny Carter's innocence to a degree," Daisy said,
"but the standards for civil lawsuit compensation aren't as strict, so there's still a good chance they could win.
Moreover, the outcome of the case isn't the most important part. Danny Carter is worried the case might go to a public hearing.
Danny Carter would have to recount the events, specifying times, locations, actions, words, and even positions…
As a celebrity, voluntarily describing these details in court would have a huge negative impact on him.
No matter the result of the trial, he would lose."
Understanding the core issue, Luke said it all came down to avoiding court and settling early. "What can I do?"
"Right now, we can gather more favorable conditions to be in a stronger position during the settlement negotiations, aiming to reduce the settlement amount and minimize Danny Carter's losses," she said.
"How would the commission be handled?"
"If you're interested, I can arrange a face-to-face meeting with Danny Carter."
Luke nodded. It was important to be consistent; last time he had helped Danny Carter escape criminal prosecution, and now it was a civil lawsuit.
Plus, he still held some key information that might give Danny Carter an edge in the settlement.
The key point was, the other party had offered too much last time; it was hard for Luke to refuse.
After eating, Luke went to an outdoor shooting range for practice.
Luke first practiced with handguns. Although they are less powerful, their small size and frequent utility due to being easily carried were substantial benefits.
Luke's handgun skills were already very high. His current practice was not to improve his shooting skills but to maintain a high level of proficiency to avoid rustiness.
Additionally, Luke used a Rifle Learning Card at a simulated combat shooting range for practice.
The range was large and entirely simulation-based, featuring obstacles, criminal targets, hostages, and allies, requiring the trainee to identify each on their own.
The range was divided into two scenarios, one indoors and one outdoors, with the number of criminals exceeding twenty, requiring a magazine change halfway through usually.
If the spare magazine was depleted, one would switch to a handgun, simulating real combat scenarios as closely as possible.
By midday, Luke had finished his training, tired, hungry, and covered in sweat.
Luke grabbed a quick buffet lunch at the restaurant and received a call from Daisy; they were to meet with Danny Carter at two in the afternoon at a hotel.
After a quick shower at home, Luke then met up with Daisy at the law office and they headed to the Marriott Hotel.
Inside a room at the Marriott Hotel.
Danny Carter was working out on a treadmill, periodically wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel.
His footsteps rhythmically hit the treadmill.
"Ding-dong." The doorbell rang.
Danny Carter turned off the treadmill, wiped off his sweat with a towel, checked who was at the door, then opened it with a smile, "Luke, Ellis the lawyer, I'm glad to see this golden duo again."