Chapter 12 : Misplaced Trust

*Adrian*

I woke up before the sun and headed to the gym. When I entered, I was greeted by the familiar smell of disinfectant and sweat and the sounds of treadmills whirring and metal weights bouncing off of rubber mats. Exercising had been my first choice for stress relief since I started law school, and if I missed too many days in a row, my temper became unmanageable. Amelia's demeanor had me riled up, and I needed to unwind if I was going to survive working with her for the next few months.

I took my time stretching, feeling the burn in each of my muscles. Once I was sure I could run without injuring myself, I got on the nearest treadmill and started slow. Every minute I ticked up the speed until I was sprinting, my heart racing and my lungs screaming for oxygen. I felt the exhaustion in my legs begin to set in as I pushed past my discomfort. My muscles ached with fatigue, yet I still didn’t stop until I reached the twenty-five minute mark.

Sweat dripped down my back as I fini