FOUR

LEVI’S POINT OF VIEW

The first time I saw her, it was from her side profile. I had just closed a big deal, and as such, I went out to celebrate. I was a black hole, I felt nothing, and just lived my life as it came.

Tired of sleeping with the same kind of women, I decided to drink my sorry self away. I was thirty-five, but it felt like I was fifty.

My routine was simple: be ruthless, do not go to court unless you will win, which is why I have never lost a case, ever. My record is spotless, and it earned me a reputation in the state of Illinois and the whole country, as well as internationally.

It was not always like this, though; my parents were lawyers too, but nothing like I am. My father lived his entire life serving his mates, I swore that would never be me so I worked my ass off in law school and years later, I am now a billionaire, the one lawyer only the elite could afford

I stared at her, or rather her back, as she was turned to me. I could tell she was tense from the way her shoulders tightened.

“Leaving so soon? Why?” I asked. The only way to avoid the huge clusterfuck this would become is if she decides to drop out of this class rather than stay here where it was bound to end badly, for her because no one in their right mind would go against me.

“I need to prepare for the mock trial tomorrow.”

“Do you?” I said to her, and I must have struck a nerve because she turned to me suddenly

“How dare you?” she whispered so brokenly that I began to regret what I did, the unfamiliar…. Emotion filled my chest, surprising me, I never felt anything…. Ever.

My therapist diagnosed me as a sociopath, and that was why I always won every case, because I attacked it without sentiment, no matter what.

‘You know, don’t you? You know what this stupid scenario is and you’re using it on purpose, right?” she asked me with what looked like tears in her face. I pushed the unfamiliar tightening in my chest away before I stood up and walked over to her.

“You need to be prepared because anyone, and I mean anyone, could use that against you, and until you get a thick skin, you will not become a good lawyer.”

“And what is a good lawyer, Mr Vale? Someone who strong-arms a woman by using what hurts her against her?”

“In some instances, yes, but in many others, it’s a shark. Someone who goes for the kill ruthlessly, and licks the blood off, because just like a shark, all we do is kill our opponents and make sure they stay dead, because their loss means our victory. If you are here based on sentiment and emotions, you are not fit to be a lawyer.”

“How dare you?” she said, full-on fighting tears now. “You have no idea what this means to me, and you dare to speak to me in this manner? How dare you?”

“How dare you? Miss Cross, I will have you know I have all the audacity, my reputation and my experience grant me this. I am the best at this, there is no one as good as I am so I definitely can dare to do this and if this is how you react to this, how would you react to the prosecution grilling you in court because trust me, it will be quite brutal and if you cannot take something as subtle as this, you are not fit to represent him so you better get yourself another lawyer so your brother will not have to actual rot in prison.. that is if you can get the judge to grant this re opening of this case”

I said, and next thing I knew, my face was to the side as the sound of a smack filled the room. She slapped me

“I will walk out now because if I stay, I will not hold back,” she said, turned around to walk out when I said

“Leave”

“What?”

“Leave this class, enroll in Mr Dickinson’s class instead.”

“Is that what this is about?” she asked before laughing “I will not leave this class until you declare me the top student and I pass your class with distinction so I would advise you to stop before this truly gets ugly Mr Vale because I never back down from a fight, you would do well to remember that” she said before storming out

For some reason, I smiled. I have no idea why, but a huge smile broke out on my face as I stared after her.

This would be quite entertaining.