Isabella~
"Miss Luis, are you prepared to lose this case today?" As I entered the courtroom, Derrick's haughty voice filled my ears.
"Good morning, Mr. Merchant." I disregarded his taunting and greeted him with a warm smile.
"It's a beautiful morning, of course, but once you lose this case, it will quickly become a nightmare for you." When he saw my composed face, his arrogant smirk transformed into resentment.
"We will see, Mr. Merchant." I motioned for him to take a seat. His confidence irked me, but I had prepared myself. I knew my composure was unsettling for him, and I was ready for anything.
"Miss Luis, you still have the opportunity to join my firm after you lose this case." He tried again to shake me, but I smiled inwardly. His words no longer had the power to affect me.
"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Merchant." I responded coolly and returned to arranging my papers, keeping my hands steady. Inside, my heart raced, not because of him but because of the weight of what was at stake today.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Xavier standing in the box for the accused. His eyes met mine, filled with hope, trust, and something else—something I wasn't ready to confront. I quickly looked away, my chest tightening. I had to stay professional, and I had to distance myself. But after spending time with him and Alan and seeing them together, it had become harder to maintain that emotional distance.
My assistant gently shook my shoulder, pulling me from my thoughts, just as the judge entered the courtroom. I had built my case brick by brick. The weight of the courtroom bore down on me, but I wore my confidence like armor, even though underneath, nerves simmered.
"My lord, at the last hearing, Miss Luis begged for some time to collect evidence to prove her client's innocence, so I am sure she came here after doing her homework." Derrick's voice oozed arrogance.
"I hope your witness, Miss Luis, showed up for today's court appearance." He smirked as if he'd already won.
"No, Mr. Merchant, I didn't take any chances this time by bringing any witnesses to the court." I stood up, adjusting my coat. The room appeared to be in a state of tension.
The judge raised an eyebrow. "Miss Luis, you will lose this case due to lack of proof if you have no witnesses."
"Even though I don't have any witnesses, I still have evidence, my Lord." I felt the weight of the courtroom's eyes on me. It wasn't just my career on the line—this was Xavier's life. I couldn't fail.
"That's good, then begin the process." The judge motioned for me to proceed.
"My lord, these are two different shoe marks we found at Mr. Thompson's house." The projector screen came to life, showing the courtroom the photos of the shoe marks.
"This design is not of an ordinary shoe; it's custom-made." I paused, letting the weight of my words sink in.
"Only three people in the world wear these shoes: our last prime minister, Johnson Lucas, and Jordan Lucas."
The courtroom fell silent, the tension thick enough to touch. I could feel Xavier's eyes on me. He hadn't expected me to bring up Jordan Lucas, especially after I promised not to. But Jordan Lucas was my key to unraveling this case.
"Do you understand what you're implying, Miss Luis?" The judge's voice cut through the stillness, heavy with disbelief.
"Yes, my Lord." My voice was steady, but I felt Xavier's tension from across the room. I hadn't meant to drag Jordan into this, but he had left me no choice. He had destroyed enough evidence to force my hand.
"Miss Luis, are you suggesting that our former prime minister murdered Alicia. Am I correct?" Derrick's mocking tone filled the room, but I could see the unease creeping into his features.
I met his gaze head-on.
"No, I'm not claiming that. But I do have proof that Jordan Lucas was involved."I held my breath as I presented the altered documents that Jordan Lucas had cleverly used to cover his tracks. Derrick's smug expression faltered.
"Wow, Miss Luis, I must admit, your creativity is impressive—bringing a whole new character into this case." He tried to regain control, but I could hear the strain in his voice.
"I'm not introducing any new characters, Mr. Merchant." My fists clenched beneath the table.
"Jordan Lucas planted Alicia in Xavier's life as a pawn. This wasn't just a crime of passion—this was revenge." My words hung in the air like a challenge.
The judge leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "Please explain further, Miss Luis. Jordan Lucas, although serving his sentence for other crimes, continued his plans for revenge, orchestrating this entire scenario."
"These documents show how Alicia was being paid large sums of money, all funneled through her mother. It ties directly back to Jordan." I could feel Derrick scrambling to regain control of the narrative, but I had him on the ropes now.
"Don't mislead the court, Miss Luis!" His anger flared. "You have no proof of this connection."
"I'm not misleading anyone." My voice was steady, but inside, I burned with determination.
"Alicia's best friend is here to testify. She witnessed their relationship firsthand."
The doors opened, and Alicia's friend entered the courtroom. All eyes turned to her, including Derrick's. I saw the sweat beading on his forehead.
"You said you had no witnesses!" Derrick spat, his control slipping.
"I never show all my cards at the beginning, Mr. Merchant." I smiled, feeling the tide of the courtroom shift.
The judge took his time, going over all the evidence before finally declaring Xavier not guilty. Relief flooded through me, but as I turned to look at Xavier, expecting for gratitude, I saw something else—disappointment.
"Thank you, Bella, " Xavier said softly as we walked out of the courtroom.
"But you didn't have to mention Jordan Lucas to protect me." His eyes held more than gratitude. They held something deeper.
I forced a smile, pushing down the conflicted emotions swirling inside me. I did what was necessary.
"Good luck, Xavier." I turned toward my car, wanting to leave before I could reconsider my decision.
But his voice stopped me.
"Bella, wait! Can we at least be friends?"
His question hung in the air, heavy with possibilities. My heart raced. I knew what accepting his friendship might lead to, but how could I deny the connection that still pulled at me?
"Mama, you're the best!" Alan's voice cut through my hesitation. I turned to see Alan running toward me, but my heart froze when I saw who was with him.
Xavier's face paled as his eyes locked onto the man walking next to Alan. "Victor?" His voice was barely a whisper, shock, and confusion painting his features.
"What are you doing with Alan?"