Part 2: Back to Court
Aurelia POV
This wasn't my first time in court, yet I was still nervous.
I didn't know whether I would get the chance to present anything today or not, but I was certain I would learn something from this session.
As usual, the Court began, and we all stood up as a sign of respect.
And guess who I was sitting beside?
Vincent.
His cologne smelled so good.
He was really good at selecting things.
Or rather...
at making the right decisions when choosing them.
I glanced toward the other side of the courtroom.
Fear and nervousness were clearly visible in almost everyone's eyes.
Almost.
There was one person who didn't seem affected at all.
The doctor.
It was as if someone had assured him that nothing would go wrong...
or had already made sure he was safe.
I turned my attention back toward the Judge as the proceedings began.
For some reason, my intuition kept telling me that something about the defense table felt wrong.
We already knew something was off...
but I wanted to find out exactly what it was.
So, I quietly continued observing, making sure that no one noticed I was watching.
I couldn't take my eyes off Marco at the defense table.
To the rest of the courtroom, he looked perfectly composed.
A crisp tailored suit.
A straight posture.
His hands folded neatly over his legal pad.
But if you paid attention to the tiny, unscripted movements...
something felt deeply wrong.
Every time the courtroom doors opened, his eyes immediately darted toward them.
Not with ordinary curiosity...
but with a sharp intensity.
He scanned every face that entered, as if he believed someone in this room was plotting against him—or against someone close to him.
The tension in his jaw never disappeared.
Then the prosecutor mentioned Enzo Perene.
The moment the CEO's name echoed through the courtroom, Marco's posture shifted.
His fingers dug into his palm until his knuckles turned white.
It wasn't the anxious reaction of an innocent assistant worried about his mentor.
It felt...
possessive.
Territorial.
The look in his eyes wasn't one of devotion.
It was the look of someone who believed Enzo belonged to him...
and to him alone.
Is he gay?
No offence...
but that expression really made me wonder.
Anyway...
Back to observing his behaviour.
When the prosecution began presenting the evidence, detailing how Marco had isolated Enzo and dealt with anyone who came too close to their inner circle, I watched his face carefully.
I waited for even the slightest hint of guilt.
A flicker of regret.
Anything.
There was nothing.
No change in his breathing.
No lowered gaze.
No remorse.
Only an unsettling stillness.
Then...
for a fraction of a second...
the corner of his lips curled upward into a faint, cold sneer.
He didn't look like a man fighting for his freedom.
He looked like someone who believed he was completely above the rules of this courtroom.
As if everyone else was simply too blind to understand his logic.
Looking at him reminded me of a classmate I once knew.
A narcissist.
Wait a minute...
Could his behaviour point toward some kind of personality disorder?
Could that somehow be connected to this case?
We had already found the culprit...
but something told me it couldn't be as simple as it looked.
After a few minutes, I quietly leaned toward Evelyn and whispered,
"I could eat my whole kitchen after this."
I knew she was trying hard not to laugh, but I shot her a look that clearly warned her not to.
Thankfully...
she understood.
When the Judge finally declared that the case would proceed to the full trial, I was genuinely happy.
For a moment, I even wanted to walk up to him and compliment him.
"One day, you'll be a judge loved by the winners and hated by the losers... especially the ones who committed the crime."
But I didn't.
That would have been unnecessary.
You don't reveal your real personality to everyone.
Once everything settled down, Vincent suddenly suggested,
"So... team dinner?"
Free food.
Free food incoming.
Naturally, none of us refused.
We all headed to the nearest barbecue restaurant.
I honestly thought Vincent would sit beside me.
Instead...
he took the seat directly across from me.
The District Attorney sat beside me instead.
He was entertaining, no doubt.
But...
Vincent was better.
He was much more fascinating to talk to.
Evelyn sat on my right.
She had become my best work buddy.
She was fashionable, entertaining, and incredibly fun to be around.
Actually...
everyone on our team was.
Before joining the firm, I had always imagined that everyone at such a strict and prestigious law firm would be serious all the time.
Turns out...
work hadn't changed who they were.
It had only brought out the best in them.
Each of them was intelligent in their own way.
Creative in their own way.
I was genuinely grateful to be part of Montclair Law Firm.
Although...
I still didn't like one person from the administrative team.
She was always trying to find excuses to meet Vincent.
Very suspicious.
"Hey..."
Evelyn turned completely toward me while I was serving myself some food.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
She hesitated for a second before asking,
"Don't you think... I mean... do you know Vincent likes you or something?"
"Yes."
I answered with a smile.
"I do."
Her eyes widened.
"W-What? You knew?"
"Yes."
"I've always had a feeling he had a soft spot for me."
"And our Italy trip only confirmed it."
"S-So..."
"I mean..."
"Do you like him too?"
"Have you planned anything?"
"Well..."
I smiled to myself.
"To be honest..."
"Yes."
"I do like him."
"He's actually my ideal type."
"And..."
"I've been thinking about confessing to him after this case is over."
"WAIT—SERIOUSLY?!"
Her eyes widened even more.
The little hand gestures she started making somehow looked even more excited than I felt.
I couldn't help smiling at her reaction.
The dinner eventually came to an end, and everyone went their separate ways.
In the end...
I was left with Vincent.
I was a little drunk.
Well...
by a little, I mean I could barely stand properly.
I had only had a few drinks.
Let's just say...
my alcohol tolerance was quite questionable.
At least my drunkenness had one advantage.
Vincent called his driver and asked him to drop me home safely.
When the car arrived, we both got in.
Somewhere along the drive...
without even realizing it...
I fell asleep on his shoulder.
I had no idea that this little moment would affect me so much later.
But...
that car ride gave me one of the most peaceful sleeps I had ever had.
It was warm.
Comfortable.
Safe.
A small part of me wished the journey would never end.
I wished the car would keep driving forever...
just so I could stay like that for a little longer.
Drunk Aurelia...
was definitely much bolder than the sober one.
By the time the car turned into my street, I had regained enough consciousness to realize we had reached my destination.
I immediately sat up and gathered myself.
Only then did I realize...
I had been resting on Vincent's shoulder the entire time.
The thought alone made my face warm.
I hurriedly stepped out of the car.
"Good night," I murmured before quickly making my way inside.
I walked straight to my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed.
By tomorrow morning...
I probably wouldn't remember half of what had happened.
After all...
as I said...
Drunk Aurelia was much bolder than I could ever be.