All Chapters of Death‑Row Ex: The Case I Won't Take: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Todd removed his sunglasses and peered down his nose at me, every single word dripping with haughty condescension.I stood in my place, hands in my pockets as I eyed him coldly. Seeing that I made no effort to humor him, Todd snorted and strode over. He pulled a checkbook from the inside pocket of his suit, flourishly signed on the top sheet, and held the blank check out to me."I know that with the prestige you now have, your retainer fee will be a costly one. If you agree to take on Christa's case, you can name your price."Lifting his chin slightly, he looked at me with undisguised contempt."All I need is for you to make sure she doesn't get the death penalty. Even if she's sentenced to life imprisonment, the check's yours."I stared at the flimsy piece of paper and couldn't help finding it bitterly ironic.15 years ago, these two had used money to buy their way through everything, destroying Dad's life and causing his death. And now, 15 years later, they still believed that

Todd's retaliation was far more shameless and despicable than I'd anticipated.On the morning of the third day, I was still on my way to the law firm when Alex started calling me nonstop. The moment I answered, his low, tense voice rang out. "You need to check the news right away, Mr. Carter! Something terrible has happened!"I put on my Bluetooth earpiece and, while driving, activated the phone's voice assistant to read the trending news headlines out loud."Mason Carter, the Top Criminal Defense Attorney in the State, Refuses to Save Someone in Need Following His Failure to Demand a Sky-High Retainer Fee!""Has the Grim Reaper Finally Exposed His True Colors? Is He Actually a Cold-Blooded Monster Who Shows No Respect for the Law?""Breaking News! Mason Carter Is Actually the Son of an Embezzler!"When I heard the third headline, my foot stiffened on the accelerator, and my gaze turned icy.Todd had indeed mobilized every media connection and comment farm at his disposal. Not o

Greg jerked his head up, while Jonah looked at me, his expression tense."It's no use, Mr. Carter…" Greg let out a pained growl, his voice filled with despair. "The Harlow family has more power than you can imagine. They can bend the truth however they please."I saw the news online. They're even trying to destroy you now. We can't beat them... They'll crush us like ants!"Jonah lowered his head, keeping quiet.I stepped forward and grabbed Greg's shoulders, forcing him to raise his head and meet my eyes."15 years ago, I was just a clueless college student. I couldn't save my father or help you two. I could only watch helplessly as they trampled all over you guys."I took a deep breath. My eyes were slightly red, but my gaze was as hard as steel."But now, I am Mason Carter, the Grim Reaper, the top criminal defense attorney in the country with an undefeated record. For 15 years, I bided my time, putting up with the agony and bitterness of the injustice, so that I could wait fo

Not a single security guard dared to step forward.I pressed the remote control once more. The image on the giant screen changed, revealing a document stamped with an official seal. It was the expert witness report submitted by a forensic accountant."15 years ago, my father was accused of embezzling three million dollars from public funds. The main evidence used to convict him was this expert opinion submitted in court by the prosecutor at the time, Christa, who later became lead counsel."I split the screen into two. The left showed the version submitted as evidence in court back then, and on the right was an original draft covered in dust, its edges worn and damaged."Please pay close attention to the screen, everyone. What you see on the left is the version submitted to the court. On the right is the original draft that I spent eight years piecing together, page by page, from the old archives of an accounting firm that was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time. Most of the arc

I frowned. Just then, the comments running before my eyes started flashing red, like a warning.[Attention! Attention! Major spoiler alert! Todd, that bastard, isn't flying out of the country! He knows he's under travel restrictions, so he chartered a smuggling yacht and is currently heading to the East Harbor! He also has the physical ledger containing the key records of the money laundering network on him! Don't let him escape! If he gets away, he'll never be caught again!]I shot to my feet, grabbed the car keys from my desk, and immediately called Captain White of the city's economic crimes division."Captain White! Todd Harlow is trying to flee the country! He's not at the airport. Take your men to the East Harbor. He wants to escape by sea!"…One month later, I sat in the first row of the gallery in the Supreme Court, just like I had 15 years ago. Only this time, the defendants standing in the defendant's box were Todd and Christa, both in handcuffs.That day at the East H