Chapter 312 Recess
Ella
The familiar rap of the gavel echoed through the room, announcing a brief and sorely-needed break.
“We will resume in fifteen minutes,” the judge declared, eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of objection. Logan and I quickly retreated from the central floor, seeking a quieter corner of the bustling courthouse. The weight of the recent testimonies bore
down on me. My head was full of images of the struggling tenants, their tales of hardship, and most of all, the young boy with Leukemia and his resilient mother. But it was the mask of indifference Logan wore that disturbed me the most.
The courthouse buzzed with activity as people got up to take their breaks, but in the midst of the chaos, I found a small, secluded alcove in the stairwell. The hushed voices and distant murmur of conversations created a curtain of white noise, but it was quiet enough for what needed to be said.
I motioned for Logan to follow me, and although there was reluctance in his stride, he didn’t resist. As we stepped into the shadowed space, I took a deep breath, preparing to confront him.
“Logan,” I started, forcing my voice to remain even, “after everything we’ve just heard in there, can you honestly tell me you still want to go through with this? Now is your chance if you want to change your mind.”
He looked a tad defensive, his dark eyebrows drawing together. “What are you implying?” With a mixture of frustration and urgency, I pulled out a thin folder from my bag and thrust it towards him.
“I’ve done my research. I’ve looked into every tenant in that building. Miss Smith was telling the truth about her son’s condition. And the landlord? He’s been a godsend to her, allowing flexibilities that no one else would.”
He scanned the documents, then looked up, confusion marring his handsome features. “Why am I only seeing these now?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
My disbelief was palpable. “I sent them to you weeks ago, Logan!” I hissed, narrowing my eyes. “I thought that maybe if you saw the human side of this, you might-just might- realize the gravity of what we’re dealing with here. But your indifference…” I trailed off, struggling to keep my emotions in check.
His expression shifted, a flicker of realization crossing his face. “I don’t recall seeing these,” he murmured, flipping through the folder. “Are you sure you send them, Ella?”
“Logan, you must be kidding me,” I growled. Logan swallowed, nodding as he handed the folder back to me. “You’re right. I must have… I must have overlooked them, I guess.”
The anger bubbling within me was hard to contain. “Overlooked? Logan, you’ve been distant in this entire case. Your negligence isn’t just risking my professional reputation-it’s toying with people’s lives. Innocent people’s lives.”
He ran a hand through his hair, a clear sign of distress. “Ella, I apologize. Things have been complicated, with my brother, with my father’s demands…”
I cut him off, my patience wearing thin. “Your personal issues are just that-personal. I don’t need to know the specifics. But when you decide to involve yourself in a legal battle, you owe it to everyone to be present. To be aware. To care about the outcome. Especially when it concerns people like Miss Smith and her son.”
He took a step back, as if my words had physically struck him. There was genuine remorse in his eyes, but it did little to quell my frustration. “This past month has been an anomaly,” he said quietly. “I’ll be sure to be more aware for the next case, so I don’t miss any details.”
I met his gaze, willing him to understand the depth of my disappointment. “It’s not just about the files,” I said. “Logan, your actions have consequences. If you continue down this path, it’s not just our reputation that’s at stake. Remember that.”
Now, Logan’s face seemed to harden. He shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. “So you’re still on that whole thing. I thought that you, as a lawyer, wouldn’t be so susceptible to sob stories.”
My eyes widened. “Sob stories? Didn’t I just prove to you that Miss Smith’s testimony was entirely factual?”
Logan sighed. “I’m sure it is factual. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s all blown out of proportion, Ella,’ he whispered, not meeting my eyes. “Sure, they’re true. But they’re still stories. that are meant to tug at the heartstrings and sway the court. It’s all exaggerated.”
I squinted at him, the very act of looking into his eyes becoming a challenge. “Do you truly believe that? Because when I look at you, I see doubt. I see conflict.”
His gaze flinched away from mine, ant imperceptible movement that would have gone unnoticed to anyone else. But I saw it. I felt it.
Logan sighed. “Alright, fine. Hell, if it’s that. important to you, I’ll cut Miss Smith a check so she can buy a little house-”
“I’m not asking you to cut a check,” I hissed. “I’m asking you to do the right thing here. Now is your chance to back out of the case. Come to an agreement. Walk away with your ego bruised a little, but with the lives of a hundred people left as they should be.”
Logan’s eyes darkened even more. “Don’t patronize me, Ella.”
“Stop pretending, Logan,” I continued, letting my voice soften just a touch. “This could be your moment, you know? Your chance to demonstrate that you’re more than your past, that you’re genuinely striving for redemption.”
His jaw tightened, that all too familiar stubbornness flickering in his gaze. “Redemption is not yours to give,” he said, coldly.
But I pressed on, knowing I had touched a nerve. “Your mother would want you to do the right thing. To be good. To show mercy.”
The mention of his mother was a gamble, and by the way his eyes darkened, I knew I had struck a chord. “You have no right,” he hissed, voice thick with emotion. “You could never fathom what my mother would have wanted. Stay out of my past, Ella.”
Annoyance welled up inside me, fed by weeks of frustration. “You’re acting like a petulant child, Logan. This bitter act isn’t you. Or at least, it isn’t the man you told me you wanted to be.”
I could sense the change in the air, the temperature around us dropping a few degrees. Logan’s presence became more pronounced, his aura a tangible force in the room. He stepped closer, backing me against the wall.
Even though I knew of his dual nature, the wolf inside him, it was rare for me to feel it so intensely. But I wouldn’t let myself be intimidated. I held my chin high, my eyes locked onto his.
“Intimidation won’t work on me,” I said. “It’s an act, and I’m not the least bit scared of you.”
His eyes widened a fraction, taken aback..
“If you want to be selfish and hard-hearted, that’s your choice. But as long as I’m your lawyer,” I said, my voice firm, “you’ll have to accept that I have principles. And I won’t be silenced. Not by you. Not by anyone.”
There was a moment of silence, a charged. space where countless words went unspoken. He seemed momentarily taken aback, perhaps surprised by my defiance, my unwillingness to bow down.
But before either of us could say anything more, the distant murmur of voices announced the return of the other lawyers. We sprang apart, the sudden distance between us as shocking as the proximity had been moments before.
A flush of embarrassment colored both our cheeks.
