Semua Bab My Finance's Brother's Forbidden Game : Bab 71 - Bab 80

Larissa's POV By the time we made it down to the dining hall, it was closer to brunch than breakfast.The morning sun had climbed high enough to flood the room with light, spilling across the floor-to-ceiling windows and glinting off the cutlery laid out on linen-draped tables.My clothes were dirty so I was stuck wearing Brayden's shirt. Not that he was complaining. And honestly? Neither was I. It felt oddly comfortable.Stephanie and Claire had gotten there before us. Claire was perched in one of those fancy wooden highchairs, her balloon octopus — now slightly deflated — sitting proudly on the table like a royal guest.She had a sippy cup in one hand and a handful of jam in the other. Stephanie had evidently long given up on trying to make Claire not eat with her hands and was seated beside her, picking at her croissant.She waved when she saw us then went back to her food.Brayden led me to the buffet table, a hand on my back the entire time. He finally pulled away to methodicall

Larissa's POV I was still trying to usher a very groggy Brayden out of the car when the dogs bounced out of the front door.For a split second, I tensed at the sight of them.I remembered vividly how intimidating they’d been to me at first; all lean muscle, sharp teeth, and too-smart eyes. I had literally climbed the kitchen counter to get away from them when I’d heard them running towards me.I looked back at Claire and Stephanie who were still inside the car.But Stephanie was bothered, and Claire was unafraid.The second she was free of her car seat and the door opened, Claire wriggled out of Stephanie’s arms and sprinted toward them with barely contained joy.The balloon, now mostly deflated and dragging one sad tentacle, was instantly forgotten on the pavement.“Doggy!” She screamed.She collapsed into giggles as one of the brothers sniffed her hair and gave her a quick lick, causing her hair to stand upward awkwardly.My heart jumped to my throat, but instead of snarling or kno

Larissa's POV The living room felt different with the lawyers in it.At least they weren't all unfamiliar faces, I’d met Mr. Carter earlier during this whole trial mess. He was the one who'd replaced my former shitty lawyer and ensured that I wasn't immediately found guilty all those months ago. He was also the only other person, other than Brayden and me, who knew that our marriage was a contract one.I wanted to thank him properly for what he'd done but the gravity of what was happening and what was at stake left little room for pleasantries. We had delved straight into the matter at hand.Stephanie had gone upstairs to give Claire a bath, leaving just Brayden and me in the room with them. The low table was cluttered with files, textbooks, laptops, and stationery. This wasn't just business; this was war.Carter sat opposite us, his two young associates flanking him just as Brayden had said. One was already scribbling notes and the other was flipping through printouts. I wasn't sure

Larissa's POV The last time I had been in a courthouse, it was for Brayden and I's wedding.The wedding has been more or less a private affair. I hadn't invited any of my friends or family members because they all thought me to be a murderer and wouldn't have come anyway. My dress was long enough to cover my ankle monitor and my veil thick enough to hide my expression from the crowd.So much has changed since then.For one, this wasn't a private affair. Anyone with even the slightest ear for news and/or gossip knew of this trial. So that meant that reporters, vloggers, and randos were stationed at the entrance of the courthouse with their cameras and microphones. Even before we stepped out of the car, there was the noise from the questions being thrown at us, and the multiple flashes from the camera were evident. Some people had scrawled words of encouragement — or otherwise depending on whose side of the story they believed — on placards and cardboards and waved them as we drove by.

Larissa’s POV Two days later, I was back in that suffocating courtroom, and the weight in my chest hadn’t lessened. If anything, it had grown heavier.Carter had explained what would happen: today was the defense’s turn. Today, the jury would hear our side, our witnesses. But knowing that didn’t make it easier to sit under the fluorescent lights, knowing I’d soon be the one in the witness box.Carter had told me not to rehearse too much so that I wouldn't sound scripted and fake. But I couldn't help it. How else was I supposed to stay calm and deliver my testimony without stuttering if I didn't practice? I'd paced a hole in the bedroom floor, anxiously going over what I would say until Brayden had dragged me to bed and held me down until I'd fallen asleep in his arms.“Don’t worry. You'll be brilliant.” Stephanie had said as I’d helped her with her hair that morning.It was easy for her to say. She wasn't the murder suspect. And Stephanie had her unadulterated rage for Benjamin to fu