One Hundred and Thirty Five

CHAPTER 135

Everyone came out of the courtroom very emotional. Kevin and his family looked sad, mixed with anger. The senior lawyer, who was paid a lot of money by Louis, did not do his job properly. He failed to get Kevin off the charge. Louis was furious with the lawyer. Louis had spent a lot of money, but it was still a loss like this. What the hell!

Meanwhile, from the opposing team, Brittany was seen hugging Alicia happily. She felt grateful for her success in winning the case. Even in this case, Brittany was still reprimanded for consuming alcohol. It was no big deal. She did have to pay a fine and Brittany agreed to the punishment.

They crossed paths outside, and at that moment, Brittany said, "I'm going to talk to Kevin first. You guys can wait outside, I'll be right behind you."

And everyone agreed to listen to Brittany. As for Kevin, his parents who were staring unhappily at Brittany were asked to leave first. Meanwhile, Kevin walked over to Brittany.

Kevin sighed, then started the conversation. "I see you're doing much better."

"Sure. What did you expect? Did you want me to die in that accident?" Brittany crossed her arms over her chest and squinted at Kevin. "What's your plan, Kevin?"

The man didn't answer right away. He just grinned and gave a short snort in response to Brittany's ego-inflating behavior.

Kevin looked around him, the weight of the trial still heavy on his shoulders. "My plan?" he echoed, with a hint of bitterness. "To move on, I guess. To figure out how to pick up the pieces that are left of my life. And... to make you judge who your friends and foes are."

Brittany's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. "Whatever you think about Alicia, all your evil plans, you'd better stop. Everyone is protecting Alicia and... so am I." Brittany raised her face haughtily. "Before we part ways, I want to make this clear. Me and you... we end here. Get out of my sight, asshole!"

She walked away, leaving Kevin staring angrily.

Kevin stood there, watching Brittany leave, with emotions raging inside him. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of betrayal and misunderstanding pressing down on him. But in his frustration, a determination flashed in his eyes. He would not let this be the end of it all. He silently muttered in revenge, "I will get back at you, Brittany."

****

"It's all done. Do you feel relieved now?"

Nicholas looked next to him, at Alicia who now appeared in a slightly formal outfit. She was wearing a gray blazer suit that covered her white tank top and trousers of the same color. He really liked the color gray. It reminded him of the past. She misses her gray hair. But black hair made it look inconspicuous.

Alicia mumbled and nodded slowly. "Um, this is comforting. At least I know that Brittany won't go to jail to pay for someone else's mistakes."

Nicholas turned the steering wheel to the left, passing through a fairly busy street like any other day. "Did you have any problems at the college? They're okay with your dismissal?"

"Of course not. They know I'm having a hard time. Besides... it's Ace's college, whatever I do, it'll probably keep me connected to him," Alicia said with an uncomfortable gesture. Whenever discussing Ace, Nicholas noticed that Alicia seemed to lose interest. "I want to stop everything that makes me think of Ace, and I think that's good for our relationship too."

There was nothing Nicholas could do but put on his best smile to respond to Alicia.

As the car drove down the familiar streets, Nicholas could not shake the uncomfortable feeling that existed between them. Alicia's avoidance of Ace's topic of conversation felt like a silent wall that he could not break through. The weight of her words remained, heavy and unresolved.

She cleared her throat, trying to break the tension. "I've been thinking about the trip we should take. What if we take a vacation after we finish unraveling the case of your parents' deaths?" Nicholas mumbled, "We can take that trip now if you want. How about we go outside the city? The countryside, maybe?"

Alicia turned her gaze towards the passing buildings, a faint smile forming. "The countryside sounds nice. A change of scenery might be good for us. We're tired of these tall buildings, aren't we?"

Nicholas sensed Alicia's hesitation, but he forged ahead anyway, determined to rekindle their relationship. "Ah, do you remember that old cottage I told you about? It was secluded and peaceful. No distractions, just the two of us. We can take a trip there when you're ready. I think it would be good for your mental recovery. I don't want you to feel sad again."

Alicia's smile faltered, her eyes misty with uncertainty. "I'm not sure if this is the right time for that, Nick. There's a lot going on right now." Alicia shrugged her shoulders, looking uncomfortable. "We haven't found Ace yet, and neither has Amanda. My parents' death case is still too complicated to leave behind."

Nicholas sighed inwardly but suppressed softly. "Maybe that's why we should go. A break from everything, time for ourselves. Away from reminders, from everything that tugs at the past."

She hoped Alicia would see the opportunity to start a new life, away from the haunting memories. But Alicia remained silent, lost in thought.

"You can think of this as a refresher course, Alicia."

As the car slowed down and stopped at the traffic lights, Nicholas glanced at Alicia. She looked confused, as if caught between embracing the future and clinging to the past. His heart ached for her, for the pain she was bearing. He longed to bridge the widening gap between them.

The traffic light turned green, and the car sped off. Nicholas is determined to find a way to break through Alicia's walls, to help her heal, to save Alicia's mental health.