Chapter 3

“Did you hear? She’s just an intern? And she so easily beat Stella Hayes, the chief litigator!”

“It’s not over yet, is it? Let’s see if Stella has any more evidence.”

The discussions in the gallery grew louder, everyone eager for the outcome of the lawsuit. My face was pale as I waited for the judge’s final verdict. When the word “lose” reached my ears, a murmur of shock and suspicion rippled through the audience. Mr. Harrison walked down from the bench, a look of disappointment on his face, patting my shoulder encouragingly.

“Maybe you’ve been working too hard lately. Take a couple of days off!”

“How could the chief litigator lose to an intern? Were all her previous wins just flukes?”

Listening to the audience’s speculation, I tried to calm myself. Since I’d been given a second chance at life, I would proceed cautiously, step by step, to find a flaw in her methods. Chloe couldn’t possibly have beaten me through legitimate means. How else could her evidence align perfectly with mine? I suspected Leo, my fiancé, might have looked at my evidence at home for the sake of his law firm.

After two days of rest, Mr. Harrison assigned me another case. This time, I dared not go home. I always avoided Leo’s return times, and I locked all my evidence in a safe. Even when going out to investigate, I was extremely cautious, never driving myself. Ashley mocked me, calling me crazy and paranoid, saying I never went home. But I felt foolproof. This time, no one knew my whereabouts, and no one could access my evidence. I simply refused to believe that Chloe could use my own evidence against me this time.

Full of confidence, I stepped into the courtroom again. I meticulously laid out my evidence, connecting all the clues and motives, leading to the undeniable conclusion that the defendant was the murderer. But Chloe remained perfectly calm. I started to feel uneasy. Could she…

When I finished, she again presented evidence, completely demolishing mine. Ultimately, I lost again. Thunderous applause erupted from the gallery, crushing me, leaving me breathless.

After court, she walked toward me, a smile playing on her lips. “Stella, I guess I win again!”

This time, I had been incredibly careful, even avoiding going home, so the problem wasn’t with Leo. I calmly reconsidered. Perhaps, since the cases were similar and Leo and I were classmates and partners, our thoughts might align. So, he might have guided Chloe on where to find case breakthroughs.

The moment I took on a new case, I immediately asked for the name of the opposing counsel. As long as it wasn’t Chloe Sterling, my evidence would be impeccable. So, I boldly resumed my investigation, from surveillance footage of every street the victim walked down, to questioning people at every mall they passed through. I desperately collected every usable clue and piece of evidence, ensuring nothing was overlooked.

Ashley sneered, “Didn’t you refuse to go home last time, afraid someone would steal your evidence? Why are you throwing caution to the wind now?”

I ignored her, focusing solely on organizing my evidence into a cohesive chain. This time, I was certain I would win this case! I found out that Chloe didn’t know I had taken on this case, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

But just as I presented half of my evidence in court, the opposing lawyer began to crumble under my relentless assault. After a one-hour recess, the defense attorney was replaced by Chloe. The result, as you can imagine, was the same: my evidence was once again completely overturned by Chloe.

I sank back into my seat at the defense table, disbelief washing over me, as I met the disappointed gazes of the victims’ families. How could Chloe have done it so perfectly when she clearly hadn’t had time to investigate? Chloe, meanwhile, accepted the defendant’s praises with a radiant smile, showing no signs of anything amiss.

I was beyond thinking. The public’s curses made me feel like life wasn’t worth living. Leo, seeing my disheveled state, frowned in displeasure. “Stella, is it so hard to admit you’re not as good? Who are you putting on this act for?”

I had so much to say, but no words came out. Chloe linked her arm through his. “Don’t be so hard on Stella, Leo. I’ve seen how hard she works. She’s just not as naturally gifted!” She turned to him, her voice sweet. “You promised to take me out to celebrate if I won this case! Stella, want to join us?”

Leo glanced at me dismissively, his tone commanding. “You should go home and rest for a few days. You’ve been obsessing lately! Maybe you should just focus on planning our wedding and starting a family. If you don’t have Chloe’s talent, don’t force it!”

I couldn’t bear to meet the eyes of Mr. Harrison or my colleagues. An inexplicable dread filled me when I thought of Chloe’s abilities. But I couldn’t find a single flaw in her methods. I had tried almost every possible way. How was Chloe doing it?

4.

From that day on, the firm gradually stopped assigning me cases. Everyone started treating me like I was invisible. Even Mr. Harrison began secretly contacting Chloe, trying to lure her to our firm. My private office was emptied out, too, supposedly to make room for someone more capable. My life became a torrent of mockery and curses.

Chloe visited me once during this period. She leaned in close, her eyes brimming with disdain. “Aren’t you feeling helpless? Without a clue?” She whispered, “Stella, you just can’t compare to me! Your reputation, even your fiancé—I’m taking it all!”

Chloe’s fame spread back to our alma mater. The prestigious alumni spotlight, which had once belonged to me, now featured Chloe’s name. And the invitation I’d received last month to speak at the school’s sharing session was rescinded; they informed me of a last-minute change. In an instant, Chloe was basking in glory, while I felt like I was sinking into quicksand.

Just then, someone came knocking, specifically asking for me to be their defense attorney. “Ms. Hayes, I know you can help me. I don’t have much money, but for my mother’s case, I only trust you!”

I recognized the girl, Maya Rodriguez. It was a sexual assault case where I had helped send her stepfather to prison, finally freeing her and her mother. Ashley rolled her eyes from the side. “She’s notorious now, no one dares to represent her. Little girl, anyone else here would be better than her. At least we wouldn’t lose to a fresh graduate! And we certainly wouldn’t lose three cases in a row!”

But Maya said with unwavering conviction, “My mind is made up. I believe in Ms. Hayes!”

Mr. Harrison called me into his office, giving me a stern talking-to. “Stella, this is your last chance to turn things around. You know once your reputation is ruined, no one will hire you for cases. Our firm doesn’t keep dead weight.” His words were ruthless, and they placed an immense pressure on me. I swore to him that if I lost this case, I would change professions!

I worked day and night, even infiltrating the private club where Maya’s mother worked. After being plied with over a dozen drinks, I finally got some crucial information out of a big shot. The perpetrator, it turned out, was a wealthy heir. I gritted my teeth. No one is above the law. If I had enough evidence, I could definitely send him to prison.

On the day of the trial, countless media cameras focused on me. “Chief Litigator’s career in a do-or-die battle. Will she make a comeback?”

Seeing Maya’s tear-filled eyes in the gallery, my resolve hardened. I had never been defeated before. Armed with my evidence, I was unstoppable in court. Just when I thought victory was finally within my grasp, Chloe rushed into the opposing counsel’s seat. My breath hitched. A terrible premonition flooded my mind.

Chloe and I were locked in a stalemate. I gripped the solid proof in my hand that would nail the wealthy heir as the culprit. But Chloe merely offered a faint smile.

“This last piece of evidence in your hand… it must be the footprints in the private club’s restroom, right?” Her smile widened, laced with a predatory edge. “Too bad. My client has a high-low gait; his right foot doesn’t fully touch the ground. So, those footprints on the floor aren’t his.”

My head exploded. Even before I presented it, she knew exactly what evidence I held. After the judge announced the verdict, I looked into the gallery, but Maya was gone. My skin crawled, my heart pounding uncontrollably.