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Chapter 4

Penulis: Nameless
The box flew three meters across the room, landing with a thud.

A bloody, mangled mess tumbled out, leaving a crimson streak on the carpet.

The housekeeper, trembling, stammered in horror, "A dead rat... how could it be a dead rat..."

At that moment, Westley walked out of the kitchen, holding a plate of pasta.

He froze at the sight, dropping the plate immediately, and rushed toward Elena.

“Elena, are you alright?”

He knelt in front of her, gently holding her hands, his expression as tender as if he were handling the most precious treasure.

Elena offered a sweet, coquettish smile. “I’m fine, Westley.”

Glancing toward Yara, she suddenly pouted, her face full of grievance. “But Yara... she bought that dead rat on purpose to scare me. It nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Westley frowned and turned to Yara. “What’s wrong with you? Did prison twist your mind?”

Robert’s voice cut through sharply. “How could you be so cruel? Apologize to Elena immediately!”

Yara lifted her head, her expression numb. “What makes you so sure I bought the dead rat?”

Elena’s voice rose, shrill and indignant. “Who else could it be? Your name was on the box!”

Yara’s voice remained calm as she countered, “Have you never received a package from someone else? Just because my name is on it doesn’t mean I ordered it.”

Elena hesitated, her expression faltering before twisting into disdain.

“Are you saying someone sent it to you? Please, you just got out of prison. Who would bother sending you anything?”

Yara let out a sarcastic laugh. “Maybe you can answer that. Without your little stunt, would someone have sent me a dead rat?”

Elena’s face flushed crimson. “You’re saying someone else sent it? I say you bought it yourself! Prove it wasn’t you!”

“And why should I prove anything?”

Yara tilted her chin slightly, her gaze steady.

“Under the principle of presumption of innocence, if you think I’m guilty, it’s your job to prove it, not mine to prove my innocence.

“Elena Cullen, you’re a lawyer, aren’t you? Don’t you even understand this basic principle?”

Standing in the morning light, her figure seemed to glow with an almost sacred aura, exuding a quiet yet commanding dignity.

Westley watched her, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as if he were seeing the Yara of the past—the undefeated lawyer.

Sharp in her words, clear in her logic, armed with evidence and reason.

Every time she spoke, she left her opponents with no room to fight back.

Robert stood up, slamming the newspaper onto the coffee table with a loud thud.

“Is this a courtroom or a home? Your law license has been revoked! What’s with the act, pretending to be some hotshot attorney?”

Yara’s straightened back suddenly sagged, and a faint ache spread through her chest as she stared at her father, whose bias knew no bounds.

He was right—she could never be a lawyer again.

But wasn’t it because of them that she’d lost everything?

The housekeeper nervously pointed to the box. “There’s a note inside… it looks like someone wrote something on it.”

Westley strode over and picked it up. His expression shifted, a trace of unease flickering across his face.

Elena pressed eagerly, “Westley, what does it say? Read it out loud!”

His jaw tightened as he read the note aloud. “Disgraced lawyer Yara Cullen, you’re nothing more than a rat scurrying through the streets. You’ll end up just like this one.”

He set the note down and glanced toward Yara, who stood not far away.

Her head was bowed, her face as pale as a sheet of paper.

Her frail figure looked like it could dissolve into the light at any moment.

Something inside Westley twisted sharply.

Robert let out a cold snort. “I told you long ago not to become a lawyer. If you’d listened, none of this would’ve happened.”

Elena chimed in, “Exactly! This is all your fault! You scared everyone half to death.”

Without a word, Yara turned and headed upstairs, her shoulders slumped, her back hunched slightly.

Westley’s feet moved on their own. “I’ll go check on her.”

“Westley!” Elena pouted, her tone full of grievance. “I was the one who was scared just now…”

But her words did nothing to stop him. He disappeared around the corner without looking back.

Elena’s gaze darkened. Picking up a throw pillow, she hurled it to the floor in frustration.

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  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 5

    Yara sat quietly in her room. The door opened behind her, and Westley stepped inside. “About today… we were wrong to blame you.” Yara didn’t respond. It was as though she hadn’t heard him, or maybe she just didn’t care. She didn’t care about the three of them, so she didn’t care about being wronged or about his apology. Westley felt a hollow ache in his chest. “Yara…” But she remained turned away from him. “Westley, where’s my mattress?” He froze. Yara’s mattress had been a custom-made piece that cost a significant amount. As a lawyer, she spent long hours sitting and reviewing case files, often for stretches that lasted hours on end. Her back injury was severe—so much so that she’d sometimes wake up in pain. On her doctor’s recommendation, she’d had the mattress specially designed to provide corrective support. Westley said nothing. Yara wasn’t surprised. “Elena took it, didn’t she?” Her voice was so calm, like a stagnant pool or an empty well, devoid of

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 6

    A low gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by murmurs and stifled laughter.The man threw the wine glass to the ground, the shattering sound sharp and piercing."Yara Cullen, because of you, all of us lawyers have been dragged through the mud. You’re a disgrace to the profession—a rotten apple spoiling the whole barrel!"The commotion caught the attention of Westley and Elena, who hurried over, both momentarily stunned by the scene.Amid the chaos, a hand emerged from the crowd and gave Yara a hard shove from behind.She stumbled and fell to the ground, her gaze meeting the mocking stares around her, her eyes clouded with confusion and hurt.Elena’s voice dripped with mock sympathy. "Yara, how did you manage to get wine all over yourself? And then you tripped. That’s so clumsy of you. “Honestly, you’re always so careless. No wonder you caused such a disaster with the Crestwood Estate case."Westley cleared his throat, feigning a mild reprimand. "Elena, we’re in public. At least sh

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 7

    Yara returned to her room, took a shower, and didn’t go back downstairs.The noise from below gradually faded—it seemed the banquet had come to an end.Just as she was getting ready to sleep, her phone buzzed with a message from Elena.“Yara, come to my room. I have a gift for you.”Yara left her room and approached Elena’s door, but before she could knock, she heard hushed voices from inside."Elena, don’t do this. Your sister is right next door.""She’s asleep. What are you afraid of? Ever since she came back, you haven’t touched me. Westley, I’ve missed you.""Elena, it wouldn’t be good if your sister overheard.""Westley, are you really that scared of her?"It sounded like Elena was crying now, her voice thick with emotion."Westley, tell me the truth. Since she came back, have you been sleeping with her again? You promised me I was the only one...""I haven’t touched her," Westley said, his voice a mix of helplessness and tenderness. "Elena, don’t cry. You’ve seen the scar on her

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 8

    In the pitch-black room, Yara lay staring blankly at the ceiling. Scenes from the past few years flashed before her eyes like a movie reel. She had long since lost the concept of having a father. And now, she had no intention of keeping her husband either. …That night, Yara slept exceptionally well. The next morning, sunlight was streaming through the windows by the time she finally got up. After taking her time washing up, she headed downstairs. The first thing she heard was Elena wailing hysterically: "Who told you to come here? Why are you digging up my chamomile plants? I still need them for my tea!" At the villa’s front gate, a group of workers was busily digging up the lush chamomile plants, pulling them out by the roots with practiced efficiency. Elena screamed, but the workers didn’t so much as glance her way, acting as though they couldn’t hear her. Yara strolled into the living room, crossed her legs, and settled onto the sofa. Taking a sip of the freshly

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 9

    Yara turned to face her father, her expression cold and unreadable. "Then there’s nothing I can do. The chamomile plants have been thrown out like trash. How do you expect me to replant it?" Robert clutched his chest in anger. "You ungrateful daughter! You’re doing this on purpose to defy me!" Elena rushed to his side, tears streaming down her face as she supported him. "Dad, Yara’s gone too far this time! She’s trying to push you to the brink!" Robert coughed heavily, his trembling hand pointing accusingly at Yara. "I’ll pretend I never had a daughter like you. Get out! Get out of this house right now!" Yara shrugged nonchalantly. "If you don’t want me as your daughter, that’s fine. Honestly, I don’t want you as my father either. But as for leaving this house? Sorry, that’s not happening." She took a step closer, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Dad, you must be getting old and forgetful. Have you forgotten? This house is in my name. It’s part of the inheritance my mother lef

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 10

    Michael finished reading the supplementary clause of the will. For a long moment after he finished, Robert stood there, utterly stunned. Elena looked equally dazed as if someone had hit her over the head with a heavy blow. It turned out that Yara’s mother hadn’t given her assets to her husband and daughter in a lump sum. Instead, the funds were distributed monthly. The supplementary clause stated that if it were ever discovered that her husband had been unfaithful in their marriage or had harmed their daughter, his inheritance rights would be immediately revoked. Unfaithful to his wife and disloyal to his daughter—Robert managed to tick both boxes. Still unwilling to accept the truth, Robert clung to Michael’s arm, throwing a tantrum. "I don’t understand a word of what you just said! It doesn’t count!" Elena joined in, flailing angrily. "That’s right! I’ve never heard of a will having a supplementary clause like this. It can’t be legal!" Yara couldn’t help but laugh at

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 11

    Elena clenched her teeth so hard it seemed they might shatter. "Tell him to let me go!" Yara sighed and shook her head as if in pity. "Did you not hear me? I can’t tell him to let you go." "You!" "Now, tell me, will you do it again?" "I won’t…" "Louder. I can’t hear you." "I won’t do it again! Is that enough? Just tell him to let me go!" Yara smiled, her tone mocking. "See? If you’d been this obedient from the start, we wouldn’t have had to go through all this." She gave a subtle nod to the bodyguard. He immediately released Elena’s wrist and stepped back, resuming his position with precise discipline. Elena clutched her arm, her face contorted with pain and humiliation. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she threw herself into Robert’s arms. "Dad, Yara’s trying to drive us to our graves! She’s humiliating us on purpose!" Robert, powerless and flustered, could only offer hollow comfort. "Elena, you shouldn’t have pointed at your sister like that. It’s not polite.

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 12

    Westley returned home that evening, barely stepping into the living room when Elena threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably."Westley, Yara’s gone insane! She’s trying to kick us out and take all of Dad’s money!"But Westley barely spared her a glance. He pushed her away, his tone impatient. "Whatever it is, we’ll talk later. I need to speak with your sister."Elena froze, tears clinging to her lashes as she stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend his coldness.Westley strode up the stairs, but Yara’s voice stopped him halfway."If you have something to say, just say it here," she called down coolly.Westley paused, looking up.Yara was lounging lazily against the second-floor railing, her hair still damp from a shower, watching the scene below with an amused detachment.Westley’s steps faltered. "Yara, all my company privileges have been revoked. What’s going on? Did something happen?"Yara’s expression didn’t change. "Nothing happened to the company. The issue is

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  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 27

    Yara suddenly asked, “Herman, did I look awful when I was crying just now?” Herman’s tone was calm. “Not as good as you usually look.” She fell silent for a long moment after he spoke, and it made him uneasy. “What’s wrong?” “Herman, you really don’t know how to talk, let alone comfort a woman. No wonder you can’t find a girlfriend.” “I admit I’m not good at comforting people, but have you ever thought that maybe I don’t want a girlfriend?” “Do you want a boyfriend then?” “Yara…” “I’m kidding.” The driver opened the car door for them. Yara got in first, followed by Herman. As the car moved down the road, the cabin was unusually quiet. Herman cleared his throat. “Yara, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now.” Yara feigned ignorance. “Oh? What is it?” He hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. “Actually, Yara, I’ve felt this way for a long time…” Before he could finish, Yara suddenly turned to him. "Herman, let me ask you a few

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 26

    A month later, the Crestwood Estate case was retried. With billionaire Leo Harrington turning himself in and Westley admitting to destroying evidence, the case became crystal clear. The victim from years ago finally had their name cleared. At the same time, Yara’s perjury conviction, stemming from the same case, was officially overturned. As Yara walked out of the courthouse, a swarm of reporters rushed forward. “Ms. Cullen, now that your license has been reinstated, will you continue practicing law?” “After everything that’s happened, do you have any concerns about staying in this field, given its risks?” “Is there anything you’d like to say to your fellow attorneys?” Yara paused and turned toward the cameras. “If you’d asked me this question six months ago, when I had just been released, I might have hesitated. But now, I wouldn’t. I will continue to practice law. No matter what lies ahead, fortune or disaster, I am determined to stay on this path.” One of the rep

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 25

    She hadn’t just salvaged his dignity—she had rewritten his entire life. She lifted him from the mud where everyone trampled on him and turned him into someone admired and respected by all. And what had he done in return? He shattered the very light that illuminated his life. Succumbing to Elena’s cheap seductions, he lost all sense of morality, gradually becoming someone he no longer recognized. Yara was still the same Yara she had been back in their university days. But he was no longer the Westley of those years. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. As he laughed, tears began to fall. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had cried. It turned out his heart could still feel, still ache at the sound of Yara’s name.The next morning, Yara received a phone call. It was from the police. “Ms. Cullen, this is the police department. Westley Langston, an inmate at the prison, has confessed to tampering with evidence in the Crestwood Estate case years ago. “If his conf

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 24

    Even Yara herself had no idea such a photo existed. Yet here it was, in Herman’s study, carefully preserved for all these years. Standing before the bookshelf, photo in hand, Yara stared at it, lost in thought for a long time. …In the prison visitation room, the iron door creaked open as Herman walked in with a guard. On the other side of the table, Westley sat with handcuffs on. At the sound of footsteps, he looked up. The two men locked eyes for a moment. Herman sat down across from him. Westley’s expression was blank as he spoke. “Why did you want to see me? What’s this about?” Herman got straight to the point. “A little over a year ago, Yara was convicted of perjury. You know exactly why.” Westley let out a cold laugh. “What? You planning to fight for her justice?” Herman’s tone remained calm. “After everything you’ve done to her, you’ve never thought about making amends?” Westley’s smirk disappeared. He leaned forward, his sharp gaze locking onto Herman lik

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 23

    The defendant in the Crestwood Estate case, Leo, had turned himself in to the police. The television screen showed him being surrounded by reporters and media at the entrance of the police station. “Mr. Harrington, you previously testified in court that the plaintiff was involved in prostitution and fabricated the allegations out of spite. Why are you suddenly changing your story after more than a year?” “Mr. Harrington, does your decision to turn yourself in have anything to do with your company’s financial troubles?” No matter how persistently the reporters pressed him, Leo kept his head down, walking forward in silence. Yara found the whole situation highly unusual. Leo was a shrewd businessman, a master at weighing risks and rewards, and a man who had always operated outside the law. After narrowly escaping conviction, why would he suddenly turn himself in a year later, without any apparent reason? She wasn’t naïve. It didn’t take much to guess that Herman had somet

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 22

    The judge’s gavel came down, marking the end of the final hearing. Yara sat back in her chair, letting out a long breath of relief. The lawyer turned to her with a smile. “Ms. Cullen, we won. A complete victory.” Yara nodded in gratitude. “Thank you for all your hard work during this time.” Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the defendant’s table. Westley sat there, slumped in defeat. He had cheated on her multiple times during their marriage, even engaging in an improper relationship with Elena. The Cullen family’s household staff had testified against him. In an attempt to discredit Yara, he hired someone to drug her, intending to film an explicit video. The evidence was overwhelming. Each crime and misdeed was laid bare before the court. Their divorce was a foregone conclusion, and Westley would also face the legal consequences of his actions. Robert was sentenced to five years, and Westley got seven.Yara stepped out of the courthouse, greeted by t

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 21

    Robert trembled as he spoke. "You ungrateful daughter! Throwing your own father out of the house! Don’t you fear karma coming back to haunt you?" Yara frowned. “Are you cursing me?” Startled, Robert fell silent, unable to respond. Yara smirked mockingly. "If a lowlife like you, who betrayed his own wife and daughter, hasn’t been hit by karma, why would I have anything to worry about?"With that, she turned and walked away. As she passed the bodyguards, she stopped and issued a cold command. “Give them three minutes. If they refuse to leave, throw them out and make sure they’re far from the gate. I don’t like trash piling up at my doorstep.” Yara returned to her room. Her thoughts wandered to Herman. At the gala tonight, when the woman handed her a drink, Herman took it instead, downing it in one go without hesitation. He was probably suffering the consequences by now. She stood up, intending to take a shower, when her phone rang. Glancing at the screen, she was surpri

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 20

    Westley immediately stood up. "Yara, your father never speaks the truth. Don’t listen to his nonsense!" Robert pointed a trembling finger at him. "Westley, you ungrateful snake! You’re the one who taught me to blackmail her!" Westley’s expression stayed icy. "And just because you say it’s me, that makes it true? Who’d believe a word from a blackmailing crook like you?"Robert clutched his chest, nearly choking on his fury. Yara watched the two bicker and let out a soft chuckle. "Westley, what’s got you so nervous?"Westley carefully replied, "Yara, you’re not seriously going to believe his lies, are you?" Yara smirked ambiguously. "You’re right, Robert is full of lies. He’s not worth trusting." Westley let out a quiet sigh of relief, but Yara’s tone suddenly shifted. "But I can’t figure it out. How did my dim-witted father suddenly get so clever overnight? Robert, who’s only ever been good at spending money—how did he suddenly learn how to extort it?" Robert’s face turned

  • When Justice Meets Love   Chapter 19

    Yara returned home an hour later, followed by a large group of men. The three people sitting on the living room sofa were stunned. Elena hid behind her father, peeking out with half her head visible. “Yara, what are you doing? Did you join a gang?” Yara didn’t even glance at her and directly instructed the butler, “Take them upstairs and throw out everything from their room.” Elena jumped up. "Yara, you can’t do this! You promised! There’s still one day left before the week is up!"Yara met her gaze coldly. “This is my house. My rules. I’ll change them whenever I feel like it.” The butler swiftly led the men upstairs. Elena cried and lunged forward to stop them, but no one paid her any attention. Yara sat down on the sofa, crossing her legs, casually fiddling with a ceramic teacup from the table. Suddenly, she hurled the teacup. Ceramic shards scattered, one cutting Robert’s leg. He let out a sharp scream of pain. “Yara, what’s wrong with you? Why are you throwing y

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