LOGINIsaiah
“Who’s there?” Thomas called groggily, sitting up in his bed. “Who the fuck-”
I was already on him. My hand clamped around his throat before he could blink, pressing him back against the headboard. His eyes went wide, the dim lamplight reflecting the raw shock on his face.
“Isaiah?”
“Did you know?” I hissed in a feral tone, feeling pure rage run through me.
He coughed, clawing at my wrist. “What the hell are you-”
“Don’t play stupid, Thomas!” I snapped, tightening my hold. “Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That one of your precious friends,” I spat. “put their hands on your daughter!”
He froze completely, staring at me like he had just seen a gh
Zella"In the case of Martinez versus King, on the charge of fraud-" The judge took in a deep breath before finally completing his statement.“We find the defendant, Zella King, not guilty."The words took a moment to register.Not guilty? Not guilty!I had won."On the charge of embezzlement, how do you find it?""Not guilty, Your Honor."A sob of relief escaped me before I could stop it. Isaiah pulled me against him, his arms wrapping around me tightly."It's over," he murmured into my hair. "It's over, Princess. You're free."The judge was saying something else, dismissing the case, but I couldn't hear it over the rushing in my ears. All I could process was that I'd won. Gloria had lost.I glanced across the aisle. Gloria was s
ZellaThe courtroom felt like a pressure cooker, and I was about to explode.I sat rigid in my chair, hands clenched in my lap, trying to focus on what Isaiah's attorney was saying. Something about how I had been manipulated by my father into blackmailing Gloria.Hearing it laid out like that, hearing myself painted as some helpless victim, made my skin crawl. What was I thinking just blindly obeying my father like that?Gloria sat across the aisle, looking perfectly composed like she had already won. I wanted to throw something at her perfect face."The defense rests, Your Honor," Isaiah's attorney said, sitting down beside us.The judge, an older woman, looked over her glasses at both sides. "We'll take a one-hour recess while the jury deliberates. The court will reconvene at two o'clock."The gavel came down,
Zella“Hey," I greeted Sasha when she walked in through the front door. "Thanks for meeting me."We were at Dad's home. I had come to search his study for whatever clues I could get on who he sold the land to since he was MIA."Did I have a choice?" My sister said flatly. "Since apparently no one tells me anything anyway."My smile faltered. "Sasha,""No." She held up a hand, cutting me off. "I want to know, Zee. I want to know why I had to find out from the news, from the actual news, that my sister is being sued for fraud. That you blackmailed Gloria Martinez for two billion dollars?”“It's a long story,”“Yeah? Because the press sure knew how to make it short.” She spat. “You and Dad always hide things from me, and then I find out in the worst possible way. I sti
IsaiahI was halfway down the hallway to Zella’s office when I almost ran into someone.“Long time no see, Mr. King.”Before me stood Gloria Martinez. I arched a brow as she strutted towards me with her lawyer following behind.I straightened. “Mrs Martinez, what brings you to my office?”Her lips curved into that dangerous little smirk. “I hear you found out who the woman in the red hood was… and never told me. So I came to see her myself.”Well crap. When I had been looking for the woman in the red hood, she had told me to let her know when I found her. After knowing it was Zella, there was no way in hell that I would tell her Zella's identity. I knew how chaotic Gloria could be, and I wanted her as far away from Zella as possible.I raised a brow. “A
ZellaNo fucking way.I had to be dreaming or be in the Twilight zone.“Ooh look at the scandalized look on your face,” She cackled pointing at me.It was the lady from the auction, the woman who had sold the land to me in Detroit.You mean the woman you blackmailed into getting the land?Shit, I forgot all about her. She had been so angry that day, swearing and cursing at me.I will find you, Chica.And, she had found me. I shuddered, recalling the angry look in her eyes. She had found me. Oh god, she really had found me. Maybe if I pretended not to know her, this would go well.“There's no need to try to deny Zella King,” She spat in her thick Latina accent. “I know it was you who scammed me out of two fucking
ZellaI leaned on the cushions watching Isaiah as he sketched me.“Relax princess,”"That's easy for you to say," I muttered. "You're not the one being stared at.""I stare at you constantly." He said.Fair point. He continued drawing, his eyes moving between me and the paper. I tried to stay still, but it was harder than I expected. Not because I was uncomfortable, but because the way he looked at me, like he was memorizing every curve, every detail of my face made me want to squirm."Don't move," he said without looking up. "You're perfect exactly like that.""How long is this going to take?""As long as I want." He glanced up, a smile playing at his lips. "Problem?""No, I just…" I shifted slightly, and his eyes narrowed into slits.&nbs







