Chapter 4

A week later, when I showed up at the New York County Supreme Court, the Millers were already there.

Richard and Margaret sat in the front row. Liam stood beside them, anxiously checking his Rolex.

No amount of healing crystals could fix that kind of anxiety.

The defense table was empty. Chloe hadn't arrived.

The judge was seated, flipping through the case file. The court clerk kept glancing at the door, her expression growing impatient.

When the Millers saw me, they both scowled. Richard practically lunged at me, hissing through his teeth.

"What are you doing here? You've been fired from Miller & Associates. Can't you let it go?"

I looked at his twisted face and replied calmly, "I'm here to observe."

He was about to say more but was cut off by the judge.

"Is counsel for the defendant not present?"

It was 2:05 PM, five minutes past the scheduled start time.

"Five more minutes. If counsel is not present, the court will move for a default judgment."

Default judgment?

That meant an automatic loss for Damon Blackwood. A $500 million judgment.

More sweat appeared on Liam's face. Damon Blackwood's icy stare from across the room made him squirm.

He stood, bowed slightly to the judge, and explained carefully, "Your Honor, attorney Chloe Miller may have been delayed by the terrible Manhattan traffic. We beg the court's indulgence..."

Before he could finish, the judge cut him off coldly. "Traffic is not an excuse. This court has rules!"

The seconds ticked by. Just as the five minutes were about to expire, Liam couldn't take it anymore.

He shot to his feet, pointing a finger directly at me in the gallery.

"Your Honor, I request a substitution of counsel! Ava Miller! She built this case. She can take over right now!"

Margaret and Richard both whipped their heads around to look at me, their eyes filled with desperation.

I knew that look all too well.

It was the same look they always gave me when they needed something.

I slowly rose to my feet. Every eye in the courtroom was on me.

"I'm sorry, Your Honor," I said, my voice carrying clearly through the room. "I cannot take over for Chloe Miller."

"What?" Liam's voice cracked.

"Because one week ago, I was formally dismissed from Miller & Associates." I paused. "I no longer represent the defendant."

A wave of murmurs swept through the courtroom.

Margaret's eyes went wide. "Ava, now is not the time to be emotional!"

"The firm can re-hire you!" Richard shouted desperately. "Right now! Immediately!"

Re-hire me?

I scoffed.

They did the same thing in my past life. Treated me like a savior when they needed me, then kicked me to the curb when they were done.

"Unfortunately, I already have a new employer."

Just then, the courtroom doors burst open.

A soft, chiming meditation track echoed through the hall.

Everyone turned.

Then, Chloe glided in on a rhinestone-covered scooter, a pair of sparkling headphones over her ears.

She wore a white lawyer's robe, but it was embroidered with zodiac signs. A massive rainbow crystal hung from her neck.

The courtroom fell silent.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Chloe hopped off her scooter and took off her headphones. "The start time was so early, it completely drained my energy!"

The judge stared, looking at her like she was an alien.

"I was just doing an emergency chakra alignment!" Chloe continued, completely oblivious to the stunned faces around her. "The negative energy of this case is so heavy, I had to purify myself first!"

"Ms. Miller..." the judge's voice trembled slightly. "Did you just arrive on a... scooter?"

"Yes!" Chloe nodded enthusiastically. "It's my energy transport vehicle! Custom-made. Every single rhinestone has been cleansed by the moonlight!"

A few stifled laughs came from the gallery.

Liam quickly stood up. "Your Honor, please forgive her. Everyone has their own... work habits."

Work habits?

Riding a scooter into a courtroom was a work habit?

The judge rested his forehead in his hand, looking utterly defeated by the spectacle.

"Ms. Miller, please take your seat," he said, his voice thick with exhaustion. "Let's begin."

Chloe parked her scooter next to the defense table. After sitting down, she immediately started pulling various crystals out of her bag and arranging them on the table.

"These are my courtroom talismans!" she explained excitedly to Liam. "This citrine enhances logical thinking, the amethyst boosts intuition..."

The judge banged his gavel again.

"The plaintiff may begin their opening statement."

Looking at the empty plaintiff's table, Chloe smiled at her family behind her.

"Looks like my talismans worked. The plaintiff was too scared to show up! I told you those poor people's negative energy would be afraid of me..."

Liam awkwardly gestured for Chloe to stop her narcissistic rambling.

Just then, I stood up, clutching a thick stack of folders.

Every eye in the courtroom locked onto me. The room was dead silent.

"Your Honor," I announced, my voice ringing out. "My name is Ava Miller. I represent the 127 families suing the Blackwood Group for fraud and wrongful eviction. And today, we will have justice."

"Are you insane?!"

Liam shot to his feet.