JENNA'S POV I looked up and saw the knife coming straight at me. My heart stopped. This was the end. The knife was blunt and soaked in blood. It had been used on someone earlier. I wondered whose blood it was. Jace's? "Get away from me!" I screamed. This was what I get for coming too close to the truth? A knife in my face? I wanted to dodge, I wanted to run, but my legs did not belong to me. They wouldn't move. "Jenna! Run!" A familiar voice called out to me. Just as the knife was about to strike wherever part of my face it was closest to, and probably permanently damage it, a knife whizzed out of open door and stabbed the attacker's hand. SHINNNK!!!! I heard the sound of the knife entering his hand, and his scream afterward. "Aaaargh!" "Jace?" The knife fell out of the attacker's hand. I drew back and looked towards the door, Jace Maddox was standing there, panting heavily. He held out his hand; "Jenna come!" I ran to him, my legs finally responding. My heart beat wildly as I ran stretching my own hand towards him. Towards his open arms. Towards the man I loved. But the moment I was about to touch him I heard a .... BANG! The next thing I felt was the searing pain in my back. I had been shot. "No! Jenna!!!!" I heard him cry my name as I tumbled into his arms, my senses numbing. I'm sorry Jace. I guess I couldn't make it to the Mountain cabin with you after all. 2 YEARS AGO It was another Saturday, my favorite day of the week. Every Saturday evening, my fellow lawyers and I would gather at Sancfrost city bar, one of the most popular bars in the city, and drink away our stress. There, in that bar, we could cool the nerves that had been taut all week from working on our cases, writing briefs, conducting investigations, and interrogating clients and suspects. This week had especially been hectic for me, though there was hardly any week that was not hectic for Star City's top criminal defense attorney. "Gosh! I'm so fed up with my client's tantrums!" Daniela, my closest friend at the law firm, blurted out. She grabbed the bottle on the table and poured what was left of its content recklessly into her cup. Then she downed the drink in one cup. I chuckled. "Which of your clients and what did they do this time?" Sasha usually drank a lot when she was very frustrated. "That idiot divorced his wife months ago! The court already shared their properties between them. However, it was mostly his property since his wife was a housewife and barely had anything to her name. Now that his wife recently won a lottery of forty million dollars, he's requesting the court to give him his share of her lottery!" "Oh! That would be difficult to get." "Yes! And I am the one they put in charge of this case." " If I seriously were the judge, I'd throw the bloody case out of court, coz it's trash!" said Alaric, another friend of mine. Alaric laughed and hiccupped. He was about to grab the bottle, but I stopped him. "That's enough drink for you for today, Alaric. I'm not about to carry you home after you fell asleep drunk in a bar." Alaric chuckled and hiccupped again. "But I'm not drunk yet." He was giving me the stare. Yes the stare, because I knew that stare. It was the stare he gave me anytime he dared to , the stare of longing. I knew Alaric had a crush on me but I have been pretending not to notice. I felt nothing for him. "You are drunk as f*ck, dude," said Grace, another friend and the youngest attorney in our midst. "So what about you, Jenna? How was your week, and which cases are you holding?" She asked me. I had not gone to court this week. I had spent it mostly on investigating criminal cases. "Hectic as usual. Just yesterday, I visited four main police stations in that city, trying to find a clue for the recent issue I had been handed. Yet, the facts of the case had been so vague I could barely see anything useful in the police stations I visited, nor could I find something I could link it to." The Sancfrost bar was our haven. A place where we could rant about our cases like we would love to at work. "Oh, you won't believe the new development in that case I told you about. You remember the children of that dead rich man fighting for his properties?" I leaned closer to hear my friend recount her latest court case when a dark and familiar shadow fell over our table. "Jenna, still hiding in the corner with the good girls?" a deep voice said, every word dripping with mockery. I took a long, deep breath, mentally preparing myself before turning around. There he was, Jace Maddox, every bit as infuriating as the last time we met. He wore a crisp black suit, the tailored fabric doing little to conceal the powerful frame beneath. My brother's best friend and my constant annoyance, Jace, always knew how to push my buttons. "Jace," I acknowledged coolly, sipping my drink, "I didn't know they let strays into places like this." He smirked, leaning onto the table. "Come now, Jenna, don't be rude. It's been a while. Thought I'd say hello." Daniela raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Is that the Jace Maddox? Wow, Jenna, your brother's friends are something else. Really handsome?!" I shot her a warning look. "Yes, and this particular one is trouble." He overheard, as he always did. "Always the protective little sister, aren't you? Tell me, what tall tales has Peter been feeding you this time?" "It's not tales," I countered. "It's watching you act, year after year." "Oh, come on. Can't we leave the past in the past and enjoy a civilized drink together?" His voice was soft and teasing, a direct contrast to the sharp tension between us. I hesitated, our glaring contest lingering for a few more seconds. "Fine. One drink. But only if you promise to behave." His chuckle was low and slightly menacing. "Now, where's the fun in that?"

JENNA'S POV "I guess the only thing you ever think about is fun. Isn't it, Jace Maddox?" Jace chuckled and took the empty seat beside me. I groaned. "So what are we discussing, lawyers? Any criminal we're going to be jailing this week?" he said. "Not really, you know. I've not prosecuted anyone in weeks," said Alaric, "I've only been doing civil cases." "Well, I'm prosecuting some pedophile on Bindley Street," said Daniela, "The accused was caught forcing two kids to give him a mouth f*ck." "Oh!" said Jace, "That guy should be locked in a dungeon, and his jailers should throw the key away." I looked at him and raised my eyes. "Since when did you start knowing right and wrong, Mr. Maddox?" "I know right and wrong more than you, Miss Defense attorney." I glared at Jace, ready to scratch his eyes out at any moment. He returned my fierce look, and we glared at each other for a few seconds till Grace said: "My, my. Jace and Jenna, we can't enjoy this evening if there's no consensus between us, so please let's agree, relax and enjoy this evening." We sat, an uneasy truce between us, but every time our eyes met, the air grew thick with unresolved tension. A tension that wasn't purely antagonistic. And despite our charged exchange, Daniela tried to keep the conversation light. Still, the palpable tension between Jace and me overshadowed everything-every comment, every look was layered with years of animosity. "So, Jace," Daniela said, smiling slyly and fluttering her eyelashes seductively, "What are you up to this weekend?" I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Daniela and her terrible flirting skills. Jace smiled warmly, his black eyes glittering from the restaurant's light over their heads. "Well, nothing much. I want to surf with my buddy, Peter, this weekend." Daniela's eyes lit up. "Really? I love surfing!" I choked on my beer and started to cough. Everyone's attention focused on me. "Are you okay?" said Jace, drawing closer and patting me softly. What was he doing? Get off me! I wanted to tell Jace to stay away from me, but my throat felt sore. I looked up at Daniela, who was smiling sheepishly at me. This silly girl was the cause of my choking. The f*ck! Daniela did not like surfing! She had never done it before. She hated surfing! The last time we as a firm went out together to celebrate the firm's twentieth anniversary and we had all gone to the beach, I still remembered how she had fled from the water when I had gone surfing and how she had ranted all day about how she would rather die than surf on the water. Finally, after hours, I slid out of the booth. "It's getting late. Daniela, ready?" Daniela shot a regretful glance at Jace. "Yes, time to head home." Grace and Alaric stood up as well and started to leave the bar. "So we'll see you on Monday, right?" said Alaric. I smiled and hugged him. "Of course." "Take care of yourself this weekend, okay? My, you look pretty exhausted. You can't kill yourself because of your work," said Grace. "And what if I do?" "Then I shall file a lawsuit against you." I chuckled. "I assert that I am completely fine and that the plaintiff should not worry about me," I joked. Grace smiled. "We'll be off then," Alaric said winking at me, and he and Grace left together. They lived around the same area. Daniela left with me because we stayed close to each other, too. As we left, I could feel Jace's gaze on my back, that familiar mix of irritation and attraction. I had the urge to turn back and look into his ice-blue eyes-the eyes I had secretly admired for years. But I didn't and continued walking. I dropped Daniela off at her home and drove to my home. $$$ I sighed heavily as I entered my apartment. I felt a bit drunk and immediately dropped on the couch, spreading my limbs everywhere to relax properly. What was I to do now? Sleep? Eat? Watching TV? I didn't feel like eating-the beer filled every part of my belly. I didn't feel like sleeping either. I was exhausted, yet I knew if I closed my eyes, I wouldn't be able to sleep. So I decided to watch TV. I switched on the TV, hoping to find a late-night movie to distract myself. But what I saw froze me in my tracks. The news anchor reported the murder of a young teenage girl, her face flashing on the screen. I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. She looked so young; she could not be more than fourteen. Whoever killed such a child was a monster. "Poor thing," I murmured, "whoever defends that monster will need all the luck in the world. The evidence is glaring." I checked the time. It was almost time for my favorite TV series. I watched the news for a while and then switched the channel to my favorite series. I didn't know when I fell asleep watching the series, but I woke up the following day from the loud and persistent ringing of my phone. "What the hell? What's all this about? Who the hell is ringing my phone this morning?" I picked up my phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was my boss, the owner of the firm. I looked at it for a while, wondering if I should pick it up or ignore the call. It was the weekend, after all, and he was not supposed to call me during weekends. We had agreed on this already. This only meant that what he was calling me for was urgent. I picked up the call. "Hello?" "Hello? Jenna? I won't call you during the weekend, but this is important. Can we see?" ...........,, So here I was, sitting at the coffee shop near where I lived with my boss, not believing what I just heard. "What? What did you say?" Ferdinand, my boss and the firm's owner, sipped his hot black coffee. "I said I want you to be Jace Maddox's defense attorney. You are going to be defending him." "What are you talking about?" "Jace Maddox. The main suspect of the murder of Marseille." "That...that cant be true." "It is. There's evidence. He's been arrested this morning and needs a lawyer." I didn't understand. I was confused. I didn't know what was more shocking: the fact that the young girl who had been murdered the day before and who I had seen on the news about was killed by Jace or the fact that Ferdinand had just asked me to defend Jace in court. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

JENNA'S POV After looking at the evidence my boss showed me I couldn't close my jaw. All the evidence pointed at him. His DNA on the murder weapon, him having met her around the time she was killed, a big argument occurring between them. "This can't be. There must be a mistake somewhere." Jace Maddox could be annoying, maybe even a bit shady, but a killer? "I need you, Jenna. Take this case," Ferdinand was saying. "I can't. The evidence is too glaring," I said. "Jenna...." "What you are asking of me is too much, Ferdinand. You told me that they found the body of the girl very close to where Jace lives, they found the blade that had been used to kill her and his fingerprints were all over it, the same girl had gone to see Jace that same day, they had argued shortly before she was murdered and people said that Jace and this girl had never been on good terms. Do you see now that this is an impossible case?" "Jenna, I know this case is a difficult one. But we need to take it. I am giving you this case because you are the best lawyer in my firm. Even though you are one of the youngest and have not been practicing for that long, you have already made a name for yourself in the profession. You have dealt with so many impossible cases as well. So I'm sure you can do this too." "No, I can't. I just can't. This is different. We can't win this type of case. It would just be a waste of time. For Jace to be free, we must prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jace is innocent. Remember? Besides, if Jace did this, isn't he supposed to be punished for his crimes? Why are we defending someone who murders girls?" Deep down I knew I was wrong and I was scared. Scared of making a mistake as Jace's lawyer and making him suffer for life. Yet I knew better than to trust criminals. In this field many people you think you were wrong about always turned out guilty. Jace might have done it and I didn't want to defend him because I will surely be biased. As much as I hated him, I didn't hate him enough to want to jail him. Ferdinand suddenly drew closer to me and pulled me, confused. What was he up to, and why was he looking at me like that? "Jenna, I have not been candid with you and everyone at the firm." "What do you mean?" "Yes, I have not been candid and am sorry." "Can you just go straight to the point, please?" "Ferdinand & Co Firm has been facing many financial difficulties lately. About some months now. I can't explain every detail, but we are approaching bankruptcy." My eyes widened in surprise. What did he mean by we are approaching bankruptcy? "I don't understand. I have not noticed any of these recently." "You won't. I tried my best to keep it from my workers. I have only been able to pay your salaries through loans and from my account. Soon, I won't be able to pay it anymore. The signs would start showing, and I wouldn't be able to hide it anymore." Ferdinand stopped and scratched his head. He looked very nervous and worried. I sighed. "So what has all these got to do with me?" "We need the money, Jenna. Jace is offering to pay a hefty sum to be set free. I mean, who wouldn't?" "So you want me to defend that murderer just for the money? Don't you realize the implications of defending such a person? What would people say about us? The news about the girl's death is all over," I said. "I know. But imagine how the tides would turn in our favor if we prove he isn't the murderer and win this case." "Ferdinand, the evidence is too glaring. I don't know how you expect me to win such a sensitive case. The victim in question is a young girl. The suspect is a man. You know how people are about cases like this. What if people think we are an organization that prevents criminals from getting the justice they deserve? Especially one who goes about killing little girls?" Deep down in me, I knew Jace had to be innocent. It did not make sense. Jace was not someone who would murder a child. He was annoying and got on my nerves constantly, but this...this is something he can not do. It did not make sense. Jace would never kill anyone. Besides, what was the motive? Yet I knew that to prove this would be difficult. Why did they argue shortly before she died? And why was her body found a few blocks away from Jace's home? It was all too confusing. I wanted to refuse. I had the right to refuse a case I was not interested in handling. I had done so a lot of times in the past, and Ferdinand was always very understanding. But when I looked up into Ferdinand's pleading eyes, I knew I could not refuse. No other firm in the city except ours will be willing to handle such a risky case. No one at the firm could defend Jace as well as I could. Not to brag, but I was the best they got at the firm, and no one can handle the case like I do. "Just do it," my freind Daniela said as I asked jer for advice, "I don't think he did it." "I don't know Daniela. What if I lose?" "You won't lose. You've never lost a case before remember?" So, I was given the case and started my preparations. Would I be able to defend the notorious city's billionaire? What if things went wrong? If it was proven that Jace was guilty and I lost the case, what would happen to our reputation? My reputation? What would happen to me?