Chapter 79

Renee’s POV

“Ready?” I ask Eric, adjusting his tie. Eric sighs. Beneath is expensive suit and fresh cologne, is the raw expression of exhaustion. We stand outside courtroom. People scurry around us, their shoes scuffing the tiles as they hurry to appointments.

My fingers slip off his tie and just before I can fully release him Eric grabs my wrist. “You know why she’s doing this right?” Eric asks referring to Mia. I nod, but maybe I don’t really. “She’s trying to wear me down. If she can’t have me then no one can,” Eric says.

Okay, now I really don’t know what he means. I pull back and look up at him. “She thinks I’ll get too bothered by this allegation that I’ll decide you aren’t worth it and end our relationship ship. That’s the only way she’ll drop the charges,” Eric says.

“Two minutes,” Eric’s lawyer, Marie likes her head out from the heavy wooden double doors. Eric waves her off.

“What if we just make her think we broke up,” I say quickly the idea hatching as I speak. Eric shakes his head.

“No,” he says sharply. “I don’t even want her to think she won. You’re mine no matter what,” he says decisively. I flush.

“Yes, your honor,” I flirt.

“It’s time,” Mia comes out and sweeps Eric away.

The trial continues. A month later and the issue still isn’t resolved. Apparently anything in the legal field requires time, energy, and money. All of which is wearing thin on my end.

The media has been putting this story on the front page of every paper and magazine, social media has been running wild with it it’s been the trending story all month and business has practically ceased until the court makes a ruling.

Which hopefully is today. The down side is that Jasper is about to take the stand. Jasper and Eric don’t have the best relationship and knowing that Jasper loves me- what if he purposely paints Eric in a bad light just to send him behind bars as a way to separate us?

I’ve tried to talk to Jasper in the month that the case has been building, but by that point Jasper was already recruited as a witness and was advised to avoid talking to me about the case because it would be unethical and possibly be considered tampering with a witnesses testimony.

I tug nervously at a loose thread on my sky-blue business skirt. I’ve been coming to every one of Eric’s court hearings, I’ve noticed people say it shows support and if Eric really was some kind of twisted pervert that Mia is suing him to be, then I would be be at every court case.

Mia and her lawyer sit across the room from me. This is the first time Mia has been present with Eric in the court room since the trial started. The media flashes her picture and she plays the part of a helpless victim perfectly. It doesn’t help that she’s gorgeous. The media loves her.

She shields her eyes with big square black sunglasses, despite that we’re inside. She also has a black scarf wrapped around her hair. It’s like she’s trying to hide herself which only causes the camera to be even more focused on her.

I have to admit, the covering up is a sneaky play. It’s like she wants to hide something and have people guess what it is but whatever she’s hiding she just wants them to think it’s from Eric. The public doesn’t know they haven’t seen each other in months.

The public seating is jammed with reporters and fans of the story. A group of young lady wolves stand eagerly near Eric holding signs that proclaim his innocence. Any time Eric turns around they get giddy and squeal. Every time the judge has asked them to leave and every time they come back.

The room is silent as we wait for the judge to enter the room. The only sound is the low electrical hiss of reporters microphones and the excited whispers among Eric’s fan group.

I scan the jury hoping to see if at least one of them look like they might be on Eric’s side. I don’t know what I’m looking for that will tell me that, but I know when I’ll see it.

Though, all I get from the jury is they all look like they’d rather be anywhere else out here. They look like they’re sitting on a traffic violation rather than a sex scandal among the highest ranked alpha.

I swallow the lump in my throat. These people don’t care one way or another what happens to Eric- which is probably exactly why they were selected.

“All rise,” the bailiff says in his usual authoritative tone. I still haven’t gotten used to it.

Judge Oscar enters from the side door behind his panel. “Please sit,” he says quietly and everyone takes their seats. “Today, we are calling Jasper Thorndale to the stand,”

I watch as Jasper scoots out from his seat adjacent to Eric and approach the stand. The news people ready their gear.

Jasper is dressed formally and looks comfortable being in this professional setting. If he weren’t a doctor, he looks like he himself could be a lawyer.

He sits in a wooden seat that’s a notch lower than the judges. He adjusts his Forest green tie and clears his throat. The judge makes him swear on a Bible to say nothing but the truth and the whole truth. Jasper swears. My mouth goes dry.

Mia’s lawyer straightens his jacket as he stands. He looks like he’d be Mia’s lawyer. He’s tall and cut with stiff black hair that stays out despite his quick strides across the court room.

“Mr. Thorndale, my name is Jeffery Alonzo,” he flashes Jasper a toothy grin like they’re friends but they here’s something cold about his smile. I’ve read about him when I heard he was going to Mia’s lawyer. He’s never lost a case. He’s been in the business for thirty years, following his dads footsteps and his fathers father before that.

“Can you state your relationship to the defendant?”

“He’s my half brother,” Jasper answers unnerved.. Jeffery’s eyebrows raise in fake shock.

“But you have two different last names,”

“Objection, what’s the question?” Eric’s lawyer, Marie, calls out. Next to me journalists scribble on their notebooks.

The judge dismisses Marie. “I’ll allow it,”

“I legally changed my last name years ago,”

“Why?” Jeffery asks, though something tells me he knows exactly why.

“Objection,” Marie cuts in again. “Relevance?”

This time the judge sighs. “Jeffery if there’s a point to your questioning, I suggest you make it quickly,”

“Yes, your honor,” Jeffery sneers respectively. “It’s just, why would you want to change your last name if it’s the name associated with such a great aloha such as your brother here,”

Jasper glances at Eric. “The name change has nothing to do with Eric,” Jasper says. Hushed whispers break out and I find myself at the edge of my seat.

“No?” Jeffery confirms this time sounding a bit thrown off.

“No, I changed my last name because of the associate of our father,” Jasper explains indifferently.

“Why from your father?”

“Objection! Their father is not here to speak for himself nor is is this case about him,” Marie says sounding agitated.

“Withdrawn,” Jeffery cuts her off. It’s obvious he’s not used to losing his way in the courtroom

Mia sits up straight, her small back is rigid.

“Let’s move on,” Jeffery states, reclaiming his authority as lawyer. “Are you close with your brother?”

“No,” Jasper says. I jump my eyes over to Eric to look for a reaction from him but he remains stoic.

“Why is that?” Jeffery asks. Jasper shrugs. “For the record, can you state your reasoning for not being close to your brother.”

Jasper shifts in his seat and leans towards the small mix planted on the wooden podium. The nearby reporters lean forward in their seat. “I guess we’re just different. Don’t have too much in common,” Jeffery nods.

“And how would you describe your brothers character?” Jeffery asks with an air of indifference as though the question is no big deal, but this is the question that will tell the jurors how Eric is as a brother and as a person.

“Stubborn, cold,” Jasper looks at Eric as he says this and my heart hurts for Eric.

“Would you say it’s out of character for him to pay someone for sex?” Jeffery aka and I hold my breath as I wait for the nail to enter the coffin.

“Yes,” Jasper says and I audibly exhale. Jeffery starts.

“How could you say what is and isn’t out of character for someone you describe as cold and distant and that you admit you are not close to?” Jeffery asks trying to cause doubt in Jaspers reply. Jasper doesn’t take the bait. He meets Jefferys cold state and locks his eyes on him.

“I may not be close with my brother now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t share a bond. He’s cold and reserved. He’s not crude. He honors respect,” now he looks at Mia and I can’t help but wonder why. “He wouldn’t do what he’s being convicted of, I’m certain about that,”

“No more questions,” Jeffery says and sits down next to Mia who turns her head and I can see the profile of her face now red.

I don’t know exactly what just happened here, but I do know it wasn’t what anyone expected.