Bonus chapter. :)
Emmeline stood frozen in the middle of the living room.“Richard called earlier to inform me you insulted him in front of everyone. He claims you’ve been conspiring with one of your neighbors to set him up. And now, he’s threatening me. He said if we support this divorce, he’ll have his father dissolve our partnership.” her father’s voice was cold and sharp.“You should’ve at least told us what you were planning,” he continued. “Instead, you’ve thrown us all into this mess without warning! Do you even understand the consequences of what you’ve done?”“You should’ve talked to us first,” Emile’s tone came softer but no less firm. He stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, his jaw tight. “You’ve put us in a difficult position, Emmeline.”Emmeline’s fingers tightened around the handles of her suitcases, her knuckles turning white. Her father’s words stung, and her brother’s calm rebuke only added to the weight pressing down on her.For a moment, guilt flickered in her mind, but it w
Emmeline’s room was exactly as she had left it. The soft pink walls, the neatly arranged bookshelves, and the faint scent of lavender from an old candle on her desk all felt familiar, yet distant. It was as though the room belonged to someone else entirely.She dropped her suitcases near the door and stumbled toward the bed, collapsing on it face-first. Her arms crossed over her head, shielding her from the world.Why did she feel so disappointed? She had expected their reaction, had known deep down that they wouldn’t stand by her. Yet, the weight of their rejection still crushed her.Their hearts were made of stone, stone that never softened.Tears pricked Emmeline’s eyes no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. The dam broke, and tears came in waves, soaking her pillow.How could two parents love money more than their daughter? How could they sacrifice her so easily for their own gain?Emmeline’s sobs grew stronger though swallowed by the pillows.“What am I going to do now?”
Emmeline woke up early the next morning to get ready for the meeting. She choose a beige blouse tucked into tailored trousers, paired with a long brown coat.She wanted to look professional yet comfortable. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she stared at her phone, waiting for Zavian’s message.Finally, “I’m outside.” His message came.Emmeline’s heart fluttered as she jumped to her feet. “I’m coming down right away,” she typed back. “I just hope my mother doesn’t get in my way.”With that, she grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and left her room quietly. To her relief, the house was still silent. Her mother must still be asleep.She slipped out the front door, closing it softly behind her and let out a sigh of relief.“Looks like I’m lucky today,” Emmeline murmured.Taking the elevator to the ground floor, she stepped out into the crisp morning air.Her excitement boiled over when she immediately spotted Zavian’s car parked by the curb and her steps quickened.‘Why do I feel l
Emmeline glanced at him as the car finally pulled away from the curb. “Tell me about the lawyer you’re introducing me to. How skilled is he in divorce cases?”“He’s one of the best lawyers in the company. He’s handled countless cases and is better than anyone in the field of divorce,” Zavian replied, shooting her a quick, pointed look. “But stick to your limits with him. No being overly friendly.”Emmeline's eyebrows knitted together as she studied Zavian's profile. Her fingers drummed restlessly against her thigh, unable to contain her mounting frustration any longer."So these brilliant tips come from some man who thinks women need protecting?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "How progressive! I suppose next you'll tell me I need a chaperone to check my mail?"Zavian's jaw tightened visibly as his hands flexed on the steering wheel.Emmeline wasn't finished. She straightened in her seat, drawing strength from her indignation. "Let me get this straight, you don't trust me to sit in a
"This is quite unprecedented, you know." Brody leaned back in his leather chair, a predatory gleam dancing in his dark eyes. "Zavian never introduces me to his acquaintances. He's rather famous for keeping his personal and professional lives strictly separated. You must be... special."The pause before his last word was deliberate and loaded with insinuation."Even the tiniest secrets matter in court." He drummed his manicured fingers on the polished desk. "I pride myself on crafting flawless arguments, but surprises?" His lip curled. "Those I cannot tolerate. In my experience, Ms. Lawson, hidden truths have a way of surfacing at the most inopportune moments."A sharp ringtone pierced the tension.Zavian glanced at his screen and his expression shifted in a heartbeat. "I need to take this." He offered Emmeline a reassuring smile before slipping out."Ms. Lawson." Brody's voice drew her attention like a puppet master pulling strings.His tone had shifted, becoming more businesslike. "Th
Droplets trickled down her neck, seeping into her clothes but she didn't flinch.Around them, the usual lunch crowd chatter died to shocked whispers."My Richard," Margaret's voice took on a sickeningly sweet tone, "Has never raised his hand without cause. If he did something, you must have pushed him to it." She adjusted her Hermès scarf elegantly.Emmeline dabbed at her face with a pristine white napkin as a bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Is that what helps you sleep at night? Believing your precious son is incapable of cruelty?" She lowered the napkin, meeting her mother-in-law's gaze. "Tell me, did he learn to break spirits before or after you taught him to break bones?""How dare you!" Margaret's face flushed an ugly shade of red."No, how dare YOU!" Emmeline's voice cut through the air like a whip crack. "You raised a monster, Mrs. Maine. A charming, well-dressed monster who knows exactly where to leave bruises that won't show under designer attire’s"Margaret's hands trembled a
Emmeline narrowed her eyes, fighting the warmth creeping into her cheeks and the strange flutter in her chest that had nothing to do with fear. "I locked everything myself. Triple-checked it, actually. Every door, every window."Zavian leaned forward with his elbows finding their place on the polished wood as if they belonged there.The movement brought a whiff of his cologne - something expensive and subtle with notes of cedar and something darker she couldn't quite place. "You were lost in your own little world," he murmured. "Wearing that charming expression of concentration, completely oblivious to everything around you." His finger traced an idle pattern on the bar top, drawing her eyes to his elegant yet strong hands, with a signet ring glinting on his right hand. "I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to... drop in."Emmeline huffed. “Well, congratulations. You’ve officially startled me out of my skin.”“You don’t look very happy to see me,” Zavian remarked, arching an eyebro
Their kiss deepened, growing wilder and more desperate with every passing second.Emmeline’s hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as though she needed something to anchor herself.She tugged at the material, pulling him closer with her body arching into his. Every time he leaned into her, the pressure of his body against hers grew more intense.Her spine curved back as their lower bodies pressed together.She could feel him… the hard, insistent, and unyielding…The sensation sent a wave of heat coursing through her.Zavian groaned low in his throat, the sound vibrating against her lips. Without breaking the kiss, he lifted her effortlessly, his hands gripping her thighs as he placed her on the bar.Emmeline gasped against his mouth as her arms wrapped around his neck for balance.The friction between them was unbearable, igniting a fire that burned hotter with every movement.She could feel the damp heat pooling between her legs,
The word "impotence" reverberated like a thunderclap. Several jurors visibly recoiled, while others exchanged shocked glances. In the gallery, a murmur of disbelief rippled through the spectators before Judge Harrison's gavel cracked once more, restoring order without breaking the dramatic tension of the moment.Richard's transformation was immediate and visceral. His features contorted first in shock with his eyes widening, mouth falling open before shame washed over him like a visible wave, coloring his neck and face a deep crimson. But this humiliation lasted only seconds before morphing into something far more volatile: unbridled rage.Richard shot to his feet with a strangled sound that was half-roar, half-howl. The explosive force had his heavy wooden chair topple backward.It crashed against the floor with a reverberating clatter that echoed through the suddenly silent courtroom."WHO'S IMPOTENCE, YOU SANCTIMONIOUS BASTARD?" Richard bellowed, spittle flying from his lips. He lu
Brody’s attention shifted to Yuna with an almost predatory focus. The slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth suggested he knew exactly how damaging the doctor's testimony had been to the prosecution's case.Yuna’s frustration was evident in both her expression and the defeated slump of her shoulders. The case that had seemed so straightforward was unraveling before her eyes, and there was little she could do to stop it.After Dr. Ross was escorted out, Brody moved to the center of the courtroom with confident strides.He stood facing the three-judge panel, reflecting complete confidence in his position that lent him an almost theatrical presence as he prepared to deliver his argument."From what the doctor said, we can safely conclude that the marriage of the two parties was not consummated.” His voice carried easily through the hushed courtroom, commanding attention from every corner.He gestured briefly toward Emmeline, drawing all eyes to her momentarily before continuing
The courtroom remained utterly silent as the weight of Dr. Ross's revelation settled over the assembled crowd.Brody knew this was the perfect moment to press his advantage."Dr. Ross, I'd like to clarify a few points about your testimony," he said. "When Mrs. Maine came to you for this examination, what was her emotional state?"Dr. Ross's expression softened slightly. "She was visibly distressed. Anxious. Her hands were shaking when she filled out the intake forms, and her blood pressure was elevated beyond what I'd expect from routine appointment nerves." Emmeline was stunned. She never expected Dr. Ross to lie so smoothly for her sake."And did she explain why she suspected her marriage had not been... consummated?" Brody’s next question snapped her back.He carefully choose his words to maintain professional decorum while ensuring the jury understood the implications."She didn’t say," Dr. Ross replied."And in your professional opinion," Brody continued, "Would these behaviors
The brief interval that followed Judge Harrison's order was filled with the whispered conversations as spectators discussed the unexpected developments among themselves.The low murmur created a background hum throughout the courtroom, punctuated occasionally by a sharp intake of breath or a muffled exclamation as someone shared their theory with a neighbor. Several journalists scribbled furiously in their notepads, while others leaned toward colleagues, exchanging hushed speculations about what this new witness might reveal.Emmeline could feel Richard's eyes boring into her from across the room, his gaze heavy with anger and humiliation. His shoulders were squared defensively as though preparing for a lethal blow rather than testimony. The muscle in his jaw twitched visibly even from this distance, betraying the tight control he was exerting over his emotions.Brody remained standing as he waited for the witness to arrive. He adjusted his tie with ease, the gesture betraying none o
A wave of shock rippled through the courtroom at Brody's unexpected revelation.The effect was immediate and electric, as though a live current had suddenly coursed through the room.Mouths fell open, eyes widened, and a collective intake of breath seemed to momentarily suspend time itself. Even the Judges appeared momentarily stunned, their normally impassive expressions slipping to reveal genuine surprise. Then the room fell into a stunned silence as all eyes pivoted sharply to stare at the defendant.Emmeline felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment at the gazes directed at her, this time with undisguised curiosity and surprise.Richard sat frozen at the prosecution table, his eyes bulging with disbelief and mounting horror as the implications of what had just been revealed sank in.His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the table until the veins in his temples visibly pulsed with each rapid heartbeat.Yuna stared across the courtroom with an expression that cycled rapi
Brody returned to Emmeline's table, his shoulders squared with confidence. Though his expression remained professionally neutral for the benefit of the court, there was an unmistakable energy radiating from him—the triumph of an attorney who knew he'd just scored crucial points with the jury."That went better than expected," Brody whispered as he settled into the chair beside Emmeline, his voice low enough that only she could hear.Emmeline shifted in her seat. Beneath the table, hidden from the watchful eyes of the judge, jury, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, she flashed Brody a quick thumbs-up. Relief softened the tense lines that had been etched around her eyes for weeks."You're brilliant," Emmeline murmured with genuine appreciation warming her voice. "The way you handled that recording... I never thought..." She trailed off, unable to fully articulate how it felt to finally have someone believe her… to have her truth laid bare before the court after months of suffering in silence
Brody handed the recording to the court technician, then stepped back to stand beside Emmeline.He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as the technician inserted the memory card into the courtroom's audio system.The weight of his palm provided a small comfort as Emmeline braced herself for what was to come.Her heart hammered against her ribs, each beat a reminder of what she was about to relive while the courtroom seemed to hold its collective breath.The tension was thick enough to slice with a knife as everyone waited for the recording to begin.A moment of tense silence fell over the courtroom before Richard's voice suddenly filled the space."You think you can just leave me? After everything I've done for you?" Richard's recorded voice growled through the speakers. Each word dripped with venom and threat. "You're nothing without me, Emmeline. Nothing. And if you try to leave, I swear to God I'll make you regret it. No one will want you when I'm done with you." The raw hatred
Brody approached the witness stand. His expression remained serious but composed as he faced the highest-ranking judicial officer in the country.He maintained a respectful distance from Zavian, adjusting his posture to appear confident without seeming arrogant."Chief Justice Blackthorn, how long have you known Emmeline Maine?"Zavian’s broad shoulders relaxed as he settled into his role as witness rather than judge. His hands rested lightly on the polished wooden arms of the chair. "We've known each other for three months. Since she and her husband moved into the neighborhood."His tone remained matter-of-fact, betraying nothing of the complex relationship that had blossomed between them during those months. Brody nodded thoughtfully, taking a few steps to his right. "On November 10th, your wife received a call from Mrs. Kim, asking for help. You went to the Maine residence together. Is that correct?"His question established the timeline with clinical precision, laying groundwork
The words sent a jolt through Emmeline's body. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Zavian's name, and she found herself gripping the edge of the table to steady herself.The familiar warmth that always accompanied thoughts of him spread through her chest, mingled now with anxiety about what his appearance might mean for her case and for them.The courtroom erupted in murmurs of surprise and confusion. Spectators exchanged bewildered glances, their whispers creating a rising tide of sound that filled the high-ceilinged room.Reporters in the back row leaned forward with sudden interest, pens poised over notepads, while even the typically stoic court officers looked startled by the announcement."Silence in the court!"The judge's gavel came down sharply.Judge Harrison's face bore the stern expression of someone who wouldn't tolerate disruption, no matter how unexpected the development.The murmurs faded quickly under her commanding presence, though the tension in the air remained