第3章

Arthur walked slowly through the door.

He wore a long dark coat and gold-framed glasses.

He carried himself with the authority of a man who had spent his life at the top.

He had grown old, but I would never forget his face.

The whole room went silent.

"Judge Veyra."

Arthur looked at me and said in a grave voice, "I am Seraphina's father."

He did not recognize me.

Of course not.

My mother and I meant nothing to him. He had cast us aside with a single word.

Naturally, he would not remember us.

I looked at him calmly.

"Mr. Hale. What can I do for you?"

Hugo rose to offer him a seat, but Arthur waved him off.

He came and stood in front of me, then bowed deeply.

"First, I must apologize on behalf of my wife and daughter. My wife loves our daughter dearly, and I am sure she said some harsh things just now. Please forgive her. Our daughter has been pampered her whole life. She does not understand how the world works. If she has been rude, I ask you to forgive her."

Everyone in that office was stunned.

Arthur Hale had once been the all-powerful Chief Justice, a man regarded as one of the founders of the legal profession.

Yet here he was, apologizing to someone as young as me for his wife and daughter.

And I was the one who had just rejected his daughter.

People outside the office began whispering.

Some of them had their phones out and were recording.

Beatrice shed a couple of tears right on cue.

"Arthur, you understand me. Everything I do is for Seraphina's happiness."

Hugo wiped his glasses and urged, "Elowen, this is how a person of true integrity behaves!"

What a loving husband. What a devoted father.

When Mom found out Arthur was cheating on her, he crouched beside her bed and told her she was the only woman he had ever loved.

He had sounded just as sincere and convincing then as he did now.

And then?

He stood in a courtroom and acquitted the woman he was having an affair with—the same woman who had killed my grandparents.

What a hypocrite.

I took a breath.

"Mr. Hale, get to the point."

He straightened up.

"Judge Veyra, I know it couldn't have been easy to come this far after growing up in the slums. So you should understand how hard Seraphina has worked to achieve everything she has. Hire Seraphina. And Beatrice and I will treat you like our own daughter. We will help you go as far as you want in your career."

Like their own daughter.

I laughed at that.

He discarded his daughter like trash thirty years ago.

Thirty years later, he suddenly remembered how to be a father—for Seraphina.

I looked at him and said each word slowly, "Mr. Hale, you really do love your daughter, but your daughter will never get this position."

Arthur’s expression darkened, and he let out a cold scoff.

"And why isn't Seraphina qualified for this position?"

I looked at him and replied calmly, "You should know better than anyone whether your daughter deserves it."

Before Arthur could answer, Beatrice lost her temper. "That is slander!" She strode forward and jabbed a finger at me. "My daughter is completely innocent. It's women like you who are destroying the future of the law!"

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

I looked up at her.

"Then there is something I would like to know. Since when did a housewife like Mrs. Hale become an authority on the future of the legal profession?"

"You bitch!"

My colleagues outside turned to look.

Arthur slammed his hand on the desk. "Enough!" He pulled Beatrice behind him and glared at me. "Abuse of power. Disrespect. Utter contempt for those around you. This profession has no room for someone like you! Tomorrow, I will file a complaint with the Department of Justice. And I will have you removed from the Supreme Court!"

With that, he and Beatrice stormed out.

Everyone who witnessed the scene gasped.

Hugo looked at me, sighed heavily, shook his head and left.

And I smiled.

A real smile.

The verification of Seraphina's academy record had come back.

My phone's screen lit up, showing a photograph of my mother holding me and smiling at the camera.

I touched the screen.

Thirty years ago, I was too small to protect the people I loved.

And far too weak to get justice.

Thirty years later, everything was different.

Arthur, this time, you're the one going on trial.