Chapter 2

Sienna Cross

“You don’t know what rock bottom feels like until the world you lived for laughs as it swallows you whole.”

I didn’t cry, not in the courtroom I watched as Maddox Kane walked out of the courtroom, his head held up high, I blinked back my tears, I couldn't breath, I pushed my legs and walked out of the courtroom the press rushed to me and shoved their mics in my face like vultures crowding a corpse.

“Sienna cross! What do you have to say about the verdict?” one reported questioned.

“Were you overconfident, Miss Cross?”

“Is this the end of your career?”

I kept my expression neutral, my voice professional...“No comment" “No comment.”

No fucking comment, I walked past them my head throbbing.

The second I slipped into my car, my hands trembled around the steering wheel, tears were threatening to roll down my eyes, but I blinked them back.

Maddox Kane had walked free.

And I know… I am ruined.

I drove back to the DA's office, I walked into the office my head down, with each step I take the weight on my heart felt heavier, I remember leaving the office in the morning, with my head held up high, I was confident I was going to win.

The silence was louder than any applause I have ever earned, everyone's eyes avoided mine, conversations halted when I passed, people moved away from me like I was a plague, my heart tightened as I look at the doors that used to stay open for me… were slammed shut.

I slowly climbed the stairs to my supervisor’s office, with each step I took my heart beat increased, I have a bad feeling about this, when I pushed the door open, the look on his face said it all.

“Close the door Sienna.”

I did, I was waiting for him to offer me a seat but he didn't so I just walk and stood in front of his table

“There’s pressure coming down from the top” he began, tapping his pen against a file I would recognize among millions...my file. “The mayor is not happy,the commissioner is furious, this case was high-profile sienna everyone expected a conviction.”

“I did everything right" I said, stiffly "The evidence" I was cut of by him.

“The evidence wasn’t enough Sienna” He stated “And you let your personal grudges show, Mr kane’s attorney filed two separate complaints about your courtroom behavior.”

My lips slightly parted in disbelief “He is a murderer, I tried not to let my personal grudges against him get in the way, I just did my job.”

I was about to when he said “You crossed lines Miss cross" his voice dropped, his eyes cold, he has never called me Miss cross, and from the way his voice sounded, I think I already know what's about to happen.

“And now we are the ones paying the price.” I stared at him, my heart racing. “What do you mean by that?”

He didn't say anything, instead he slid a letter across the desk, from the stamp that was on the paper, I already knew it was from the DA.

I picked up the letter my hands trembling as I unfold it, it read "effective immediately, Sienna Cross is placed on indefinite suspension without pay, pending review by the Bar Association"

My breath hitched, suddenly it feels like the whole world is crashing on me..... My world was crashing on me.

“This is bullshit” I whispered, looking up at him.

He didn’t look sorry, not even a little it was the DA and him that handed me this case, Saying they believe and trust in me, and now this!

“You made enemies Miss Cross, powerful ones and you lost, Maddox Kane is free...the press are tearing us apart” he explained obviously he doesn't even care.

“I gave this office everything.”

“I know” He stood up“And it still wasn’t enough.” with that he walked past me leaving me standing in the office with tears threatening to roll down my eyes.

I left the office dragging my feets to the elevator, I stepped into the elevator placing my head on the door, I don't even know what I feel, anger? Sadness?.

The elevator ride down felt like drowning.I walked out of the elevator the moment the door opened.

I don't even remember how I drove to the streets, I was dragging my feets down the backtown streets, my entire body feels limp, I didn’t even make it to my apartment when my phone buzzed i removed the phone from my bag looking at the screen I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway.

“This is Sienna.”

“Sienna Cross?”a clipped, unfamiliar voice came “This is Andrea Lee from the Bar Association I am calling to inform you that, following your recent suspension and the complaints filed, your license to practice law is being reviewed. We are recommending a temporary revocation pending further investigation.”

I stopped walking, the world spun, “I....I haven’t been found guilty of anything.”

“Public trust Miss Cross, you know how this works, a hearing will be scheduled soon you should wait for my next call” with that the call ended.

And with it… the last piece of my life fell apart.

I sat on the curb, somewhere in the West End of the streets, my heels off, my skirt wrinkled, mascara smudged over my eyes, I wasn't crying but the sky had the nerve to rain on me, too, just a mocking drizzle.

I have lost, I have been humiliated, then I was suspended short way of saying I am fired, I was stripped of everything I had built, everything I worked hard for, everything I fought for.

All because....all because I tried to take him down.

all because I tried to fight for justice, all because I wanted justice to be served, the words he said when we first met replayed in my head “You sure you want to play this game Counselor?....You won’t win, and when you lose, I will be here watching and enjoying every second of your downfall.”

I let my head fall back against the cold brick wall, my lips slightly parting as I released a shaky exhale.

“Fuck you maddox Kane,” I whispered to the rain, “Fuck you for winning, fuck you for fucking ruining my life.” and that was when I allowed my tears to roll down freely.