บททั้งหมดของ The Wrong Kind Of Right: บทที่ 191 - บทที่ 200

The prosecutor shifted in place, clearly sensing the ripple his last question had caused, and decided to push the advantage.“Mr. Reid… you’ve spoken about your personal connection to Mr. Hartwell. But the court needs clarity on another matter. You were aware of his relationship with Luca Virelli, correct?”Reid’s gaze flickered toward Luca’s side of the room. It was only for a second, but it was enough for the cameras and enough for Luca to feel that tiny spark of heat crawl up his neck. “Yes,” Reid said quietly. “I was aware.”“And in your opinion… how would you describe it?”Reid leaned back slightly, his posture calculated, almost as if he were trying to decide how much to reveal.“They were… complicated,” he began, his voice carrying an almost reluctant weight. “It wasn’t just a fling or a casual attachment. I’ve seen soldiers cling to each other in warzones, but what Luca and Asher had, it had that same intensity. It was deep, consuming, sometimes volatile. They could argue like

Julian sat in the back of the courtroom, his expression unreadable, though his sharp eyes hadn’t left Asher for more than a few seconds since the trial began.The younger man was unraveling, not in loud outbursts or dramatic collapses, but in the quiet, dangerous way that broke people from the inside out.Every damning piece of evidence, every twist of words meant to cut deeper, was draining him.Julian had seen it before, in soldiers, in CEOs on the brink of public ruin, in friends who thought they could shoulder everything until the weight finally broke them. Asher was nearing that point. And if he got there before they could counter the prosecution’s momentum, it would be over.The room smelled faintly of coffee gone cold, the kind that had been brewed hours ago for the jury but was now just sitting in Styrofoam cups.Everyone was still murmuring about the so called “irrefutable” footage, their whispers a low hum of poison in the air.Julian adjusted his tie slowly, as if this was

Julian gave a slow, almost predatory smile. “I have knowledge of it. The kind of knowledge that comes from being in the business of knowing where to look, and who to watch.”The prosecutor pressed on, sensing the danger in letting Julian control the pace. “If you’re suggesting there’s someone else responsible, name them.”Julian’s gaze hardened. “That’s the problem with games like this, Mr. Lawyer. The moment you start naming names, you’re either lying or you’re dead. And since I’m not fond of either outcome, I’ll just say this...” He turned slightly toward the jury, his voice dropping into something smoother, quieter, but impossible not to hear. “If you want a murderer, you’ll find him among the people who had more to gain from Paolo’s death than from his survival. Asher Hartwell had nothing to gain… but someone else had everything to lose if Paolo kept breathing.”The prosecutor stood stiffly. “You seem awfully eager to shift the suspicion away from the accused.”Julian’s eyes glint

Reid swallowed, the memory of Julian’s unwavering stare flashing in his mind. “I don’t know. That’s the problem. It’s like he wasn’t even trying to make his case about Asher. He was just watching me. Testing me.”Caldera snorted softly. “Julian doesn’t have anything. He’s bluffing. That’s what he does, gets in people’s heads. You’re letting him succeed.”“Maybe,” Reid muttered, though he didn’t sound convinced. He glanced toward the door, lowering his voice. “Still… if he did get something, if something in the timeline shifted, or one of your people slipped...”“Nothing shifted,” Caldera cut in. “Stop chasing shadows. Stick to the plan and keep your head down.”Reid didn’t answer right away, staring at the floor like the patterns in the tiles might spell out the truth. Finally, he let out a sharp breath. “Fine. Just make sure your people don’t get sloppy.” He ended the call before Caldera could respond.He didn’t notice the faint click of the door behind him a moment earlier.Julian h

Julian didn’t flinch. “If you think this is about you, then you’re more arrogant than I thought.”Reid chuckled, a low, humorless sound. “You’ve always been quick with the comebacks. But you and I both know there are things Asher wouldn’t want you digging into. And if you keep pushing…” He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing, “…you might find yourself in a situation you can’t talk your way out of.”Julian held his gaze, refusing to give Reid the satisfaction of a reaction. But inside, he was already shifting strategies. Reid wasn’t bluffing, and that meant the rules had just changed.Now, Julian wondered if walking into this apartment hadn’t just been a mistake… but a trap that was already closing around him.Reid’s stare lingered for another long, heavy beat… and then, just like that, he broke into a laugh. It wasn’t a warm sound, more like the sudden crack of a whip in the silence, but it was just enough to shatter the tension.“God, Julian,” Reid said, shaking his head as he m