Winning My Ex-Crush

Fenella’s POV

Three weeks later…

I sat in the long chair again with Jessy, Mike, Alan, and Laird. This time the courtroom was packed with journalists jotting notes in their notepads. Cameras were prohibited, and filming with phones was also forbidden.

“You look tense,” Laird asked me.

“How could I not be tense? You said this prosecutor is famous,” I whispered back.

From a distance, I noticed the figure of an old man with a full head of silver hair. Such men were often referred to as silver foxes, with their whitened hair yet still energetic bodies.

What did an experienced prosecutor like him want, anyway? Why bother with such a minor case?

Laird himself didn’t understand why a veteran prosecutor like that would handle such a small case. He suspected that Prosecutor Golden’s presence was closely tied to Laird’s father.

“All rise!” The bailiff’s voice rang out as Judge Brown entered the room.

We all stood up, and I gently squeezed Laird’s hand beside me. My heart was pounding uncontrollably, and I couldn’t calm down for this trial. The journalists were waiting outside for Alan, adding to the emotional pressure on me.From NôvelDrama.Org.

“Stay calm, dear,” Jessy whispered to reassure me.

Alan peeked over Jessy’s shoulder to look at my face. Our gazes met, but he didn’t smile at all. I felt Alan had been acting a bit differently towards me lately, but I didn’t confront him directly.

“State of New York vs. Alan Schmidt,” Judge Brown called out.

Upon hearing the call, Laird squeezed my hand briefly before stepping forward with Alan. Prosecutor Golden also took his place at the front.

“Let’s begin this trial. Mr. Schmidt, on charges of DUI, damaging public property, and assaulting police officers, do you plead guilty?” Judge Brown asked, adjusting her glasses.

“Your Honor, may I speak briefly?” Alan raised his hand.

“Can’t you just answer whether you plead guilty or not?” Judge Brown asked firmly.

It seemed Judge Brown wasn’t in a good mood either. The atmosphere in the courtroom felt heavy and tense.

“I just want to clarify something, Your Honor, if I may,” Alan said again.

“What is it, Mr. Evans? You said you wouldn’t waste my time.” Judge Brown seemed irritated by unfulfilled promises.

“Your Honor, forgive my client, but he admits guilt to all these charges and wishes to stop wasting everyone’s time,” Laird spoke, glaring at Alan fiercely.

“What about it, Mr. Schmidt? What is your plea?” Judge Brown asked.

“Your Honor, I’d like to correct one of the charges against me. I’m certain I did not assault police officers in any way,” Alan directly countered Judge Brown this time.

“Is the accusation too severe, Mr. Golden?” The judge turned to the old man, who had been smiling all this time.

“I’m just following procedure and the applicable laws, Your Honor. If Mr. Schmidt insists he did not assault the police, we can call witnesses and open CCTV evidence from the street at the time of the incident,” the prosecutor grinned.

“Oh no, Jessy. It seems he has CCTV footage of me driving.” I panicked, whispering to Jessy.

“Stay calm, darling. I’m sure Laird can handle this,” he said soothingly, though his furrowed brow betrayed his concern.

“Your Honor, may I request a brief recess to confirm this with Mr. Schmidt one last time?” Laird pleaded.

“Mr. Evans, I hope you can make some sense to Mr. Schmidt. The court is adjourned for five minutes,” the judge said, pounding her gavel.

I looked at Jessy with deep anxiety. I gripped his hand tightly, intertwined with mine. The journalists immediately started murmuring.

From afar, I saw Laird walking out of the courtroom through a side door. I had no idea what was happening.

“Didn’t Alan say he was willing to plead guilty to protect you?” Jessy asked, worry evident on his face.

“Yes, Jessy. You heard him say that, right? Why would he suddenly change his stance?” I asked, puzzled.

I couldn’t fathom what was going through Alan’s mind. Had his conscience finally struck, making him reluctant to sacrifice for me? I bit my lower lip, waiting anxiously for the trial to resume.

“Good morning,” a man walked over to greet us with a smirk.

Prosecutor Golden extended his hand for a handshake. My heart skipped a beat seeing the prosecutor approaching me in the courtroom.

“Good morning, Sir,” I greeted him, shaking his hand, as did Jessy.

“It’s rather unpredictable, isn’t it?” he remarked.

“Yes, I don’t understand why he suddenly changed his mind.” I restrained myself from revealing anything to the prosecutor.

“You’re Fenella Baxter, who was riding together with him in the car, right?” He put both hands in his pants pockets and scrutinized me from head to toe.

“Yes, that’s right, sir,” I replied quickly.

“I heard you’re a model,” he said, still staring intently with a smile that seemed somewhat unsettling to me.

“Yes, I’ve given my statement to the police, by the way,” I replied coldly.

“Ah, yes. I saw your documents,” he nodded.

“What’s your relationship with Mr. Laird Evans?” he asked.

“Why does this turn into a question about my relationship with Laird Evans?” I raised an eyebrow, challenging him.

“Because I want to test his integrity as a lawyer, and I have a feeling you’re in the middle of this case,” Prosecutor Golden stared at me intensely.

His gray eyes sparkled brightly, as if he were stripping me naked with his gaze. He clearly wanted to delve deeper into this case, and I could only imagine myself shrinking in fear inside.

“Yes, as a witness,” I replied coldly, hiding my growing anxiety. The old man snorted and chuckled softly.

“I just want to warn you, miss. A small mistake could cost Laird Evans his law license, which would surely anger his father greatly. I won’t hesitate to uncover this case completely,” he threatened with a lopsided smile.

“We should wait for the trial’s outcome, Mr. Golden,” I replied firmly, with my fists clenched at my sides.

“Very well, if you insist,” he shrugged.

Laird and Alan then re-entered the courtroom. Seeing this, the prosecutor returned to his seat at the front. Judge Brown pounded her gavel again.

“The trial resumes,” she announced.