Judge Regan’s chambers were at the end of the corridor. I knocked and opened the back door to find him squinting through magnifying glasses perched on his nose, frowning as he read something.“Good morning.”Judge Regan looked up at my voice and gave a curt nod.“Oh, come in. Has it gotten to be that time already?”He stared at the wall; I smiled and replied,“I arrived a bit early. The opposing counsel hasn’t shown up yet. Have you heard anything from their side?”Judge Regan rubbed his eyes with a finger inside the lens of his magnifier, as though tired.“You’ll hear it all in person—he should be here any moment.”Almost on cue, the sound of polished shoes echoed down the hallway. I checked my watch absent-mindedly. Two minutes ago.…Huh?I stopped in my tracks. There was something odd about those footsteps.…tap.Beneath the footfalls was an incongruous clack, like something striking the floor—a regular tapping.step…tap.I found myself turning toward the door. With each step, my pulse raced. At last, the footsteps halted before the door, and the clock on the wall struck exactly two o’clock.knock, knock.The light taps sounded with perfect precision. After a brief pause, the door opened. I held my breath before exhaling slowly, expecting a sweet scent—but there was none. He planted his cane with a sharp click and entered the room.“Your Honor.”After a polite bow to Judge Regan, Nathaniel’s gaze shifted to me.“Prosecutor Chrissy Jin.”I couldn’t find words; I simply stared. Judge Regan blinked, startled, and asked,“Are you hurt? What happened?”He glanced between Nathaniel’s awkward gait and his cane. Nathaniel shot me a sidelong look and said,“A cat scratched me.”Judge Regan tilted his head in confusion; I couldn’t help but flare my nostrils.I remembered the last thing he’d said to me.—Next time, slit my throat.“No next time” wasn’t an option, not with no witness around.I ground my teeth as Judge Regan continued to blink.< Smith vs. Davis: Jonathan Davis flatly denies all charges. >I bought a newspaper from a stand and scowled so visibly that bystanders noticed.There are too many shameless people in this world.I glared at the enormous headline on page one, then skimmed the article. As expected, his testimony was nothing but excuses and lies—so revolting I felt nauseated—but I forced myself to read to the end.“Son of a bitch.”The curse slipped out before I could stop it. The dead can’t defend themselves—but to «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» defame the victim like this? Especially from the one who killed him!My voice was low, but a startled passerby looked back. I offered a brief, innocent smile. She blinked, returned it, and hurried on her way. I recomposed myself and walked on.That bastard should be poisoned. Or at least locked away for life before he taints society further.Clutching the crumpled paper, I strode toward the courthouse. As I neared the entrance, reporters clustered and spotted me.“There she is! Prosecutor Chrissy Jin!”“Over here!”“Please, look this way!”I ignored their frantic calls and kept moving—but they never give up.“Have you read the defense counsel’s claims? What do you make of them?”“He maintains his innocence. How solid is your evidence?”“The witness’s credibility is in question. How will that affect the jury?”“Davis Pharmaceuticals says they’ll use every means to prove him innocent. How is the prosecution countering that?”I let their questions wash over me as I entered the building. Just then, someone called out behind me.“Miller Law Firm represents him. Do you think you can win?”For the first time, I glanced back. Cameras clicked all around. I surveyed them with a blank expression, then spoke.“I have only one thing to say.”They all fell silent, waiting. I added coolly,“Justice is fair to everyone.”With that, I stepped inside. Their murmurs faded behind me; I did not look back again.“Hey, Chrissy. Quite a scene this morning.”Doug strolled into the office, buoyant. I, buried in files, watched as he sauntered over, mug of coffee in hand, and perched on the edge of my desk. Habitually, I grabbed the mug and took a sip.Doug stared, momentarily dumbfounded. Without meeting his eyes, I finished the coffee and handed the mug back. He laughed, incredulous, and poured himself another.“How’s it going?”“Decent enough.”I rubbed my tired eyes.“They’re tough opponents. Can’t let up for a second.”“If they hired Miller Law Firm, they mean business.”Doug patted my shoulder sympathetically. “You should have held a press conference or something. Would help with your next promotion. And your term’s almost up, right? You need to secure reappointment.”I said nothing, eyes fixed on the papers. Doug leaned closer.“If you’re swamped, let me know. I’ll help.”I looked up at him. Half-joke, half-serious, he smiled back. The clock behind him read 8:30. The assistant prosecutor would arrive after nine.“Close the door on your way in.”I unfastened my tie expressionlessly as Doug rose and headed to the door.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.