Chapter 3

Dad sensed that something was off with me and asked what was wrong.

I forced down the panic and bitterness in my chest. “I’m fine, Dad.”

In the courtroom, opposing counsel presented their arguments, smoothly citing statutes and legal precedents. When it was our turn, I had to step up alone.

This was my first time in court, and my legal knowledge had been rusting away for years. I forced myself to speak, my voice trembling with nerves. The opposing counsel watched me as if I were a joke.

During the recess, Clara’s phone finally went through. The background noise was loud, filled with the clinking of glasses and party chatter.

“Peter? It’s pretty noisy on my end. Hold on a second.”

I shook with anger. “Clara Jennings! The hearing is over. Where is Mark? And where are you?”

“Ethan was promoted to senior partner today and insisted on dragging me out to celebrate. I couldn’t get away. What about Mark–” She paused, seemingly remembering something.

Trying to cover her tracks, she added, “It’s fine. I’ll file the appeal for you, and I’ll handle it personally when the time comes.”

Ethan’s laugh came through the receiver. “Clara, come over here! The food’s getting cold!”

I hung up, my hand dropping limply to my side.

As expected, we lost the initial trial. When the judge delivered the verdict, Dad couldn’t hold it together any longer. He collapsed against my shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.

Back at the firm, I took my resignation letter and headed straight for HR.

Felix O’Neil took it, looking confused. “Peter, you do great work here. Why the sudden decision to leave?”

I looked at him and said calmly, “Just like the attorneys here, I graduated with a law degree.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the legal provisions and cases that Clara and Ethan were discussing. They just never gave me the chance to join the conversation.

When I first joined the firm, I was a paralegal. Yet, before I even got the chance to litigate in court, Clara became a partner. She transferred me to the operations department under the guise of avoiding conflicts of interest, keeping my work light so I could take care of the family.

“Alright, my authorization is enough to process your exit,” Felix advised. “But you should think it over. Don’t act on impulse.”

“I’m not acting on impulse.” I pushed the resignation letter further across his desk. “Thank you, Felix.”

Stepping out of the HR office, I ran right into Clara.

“Peter, your mother’s case was an oversight on my part. I’ll handle the appeal personally. It’s about to pour outside. Why don’t you ride with me?”

Perhaps out of guilt, Clara offered to drive me home for the first time.

In the car, she rambled on about her strategy for the appeal, looking as though she had genuinely prepared. Then, her phone rang, and Ethan’s name flashed on the dashboard display.

“Right now? The client provided new details? Alright, I’ll–” Clara glanced at me, seemingly gauging my reaction.

With my heart numb, I spoke up. “Go on. I’ll make my own way back.”

She let out a long sigh of relief, visibly relieved by how understanding I was being.

She quickly replied to Ethan, “Okay, I’m coming to your office right now. Don’t worry.”

She pulled over right at the curb. I looked at the torrential rain outside and stepped out of the car without hesitation.

After getting home, I saw Ethan had updated his Instagram with two photos. One was of a fine dining spread, and the other was a side profile of Clara sitting across from him.

The caption read, “Working late with my ride-or-die partner, rain or shine.”

Someone commented below. [I ship it! Looks like overtime, but feels like a date.]

Clara had liked the comment.

I dried my wet hair, my clothes sticking uncomfortably to my skin. I casually tapped the like button, too.

Having no time left to waste on her, I pulled up Mom’s case file. This time, I was going to rely on myself.

At the appeal, Clara showed up right on time as promised. However, she sat on the defense counsel’s side, and it took me aback.

Ethan stood up, a hint of smugness in his voice. “I am defense counsel, Ethan Dunn, and sitting with me is my co-counsel, Clara Jennings. The defense is ready, Your Honor.”

Ethan’s opening statement crushed Dad’s and my hopeful hearts.

Setting aside my fury, I tried my best to steady my voice as I presented the facts of that day.

“Three hundred yards before the incident site, the vehicle was traveling at a speed noticeably above the posted limit, which is sufficient to infer negligence or intentional intent on the driver’s part.”

Dressed in her tailored designer suit, Clara remained composed. “The surveillance footage from adjacent businesses in this case merely shows the vehicle in motion and fails to quantify the exact degree of speeding.”

She always knew how to pinpoint the weakest link in her opponent’s argument precisely. The judge nodded, and silence fell over the courtroom. Even the witness we had agreed to call beforehand changed their statement on the spot.

As the trial drew to a close, Clara exchanged a glance with Ethan. Ethan stood up, pointing at the enlarged surveillance footage on the screen.

“We request that the plaintiff pay the defendant compensation for emotional distress in the amount of ten thousand dollars.”