AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She didn’t usually condone relying on drugs, but her recent troubles sleeping had convinced her to take a sleeping pill last night. She couldn’t afford to be exhausted today.
Alexa dressed carefully and arrived at court half an hour early. Victoria was already there. Alexa didn’t know whether she wanted to scream or cry at the sight of her. She looked tired too, but her golden brown hair and her golden brown eyes glowed in the light.
The last month and a half had been brutal. She and Victoria had both fought tooth and nail over the patent. Neither of them resorted to underhanded tactics, but they used every resource at their disposal to fight as hard as they were able to while not betraying their own morals.
As much as Alexa wanted to hate Victoria, she couldn’t, not when she knew why Victoria was doing this. Their motivations were the same. It was a sick joke that they were somehow pitted against each other. As much as Alexa wanted to win, she dreaded what that win would mean for Victoria.
On the other hand, the consequences of losing were too great to think about for long without breaking out into a cold sweat.
She sat down, keeping her eyes to the front. Every time she looked at Victoria, Alexa felt like she might cry, so she had been doing a lot of staring studiously ahead throughout the duration of the case.
“Court is in session. Today, we will hear the closing statements in the case of Rossi v. St. Clair. Mr. Davies, would you please step forward.”
Jared gave his speech perfectly. If she was the judge, Alexa was sure she would be convinced by him. The judge’s face remained impassive, or perhaps Alexa was simply too stressed to pay enough attention to read it.
Unfortunately, Victoria’s lawyer gave an equally convincing speech. Alexa shouldn’t be surprised. She knew he was good, just as good as Jared. The judge went off to deliberate.
He deliberated for hours. The sun rose and fell, and Alexa was beginning to think that she wouldn’t even get her answer today when they were finally called back in.
Alexa wiped her hands on her skirt, trying to make them less clammy with sweat. This would all be over soon, one way or the other. That thought wasn’t exactly comforting.
The judge addressed the court with a few sweeping statements about the case, but thankfully wasted no time getting to his final verdict.
“In the case of Rossi v. St. Clair, this court finds the St. Clair Foundation not guilty.
Not guilty. Not guilty of stealing corporate secrets. Not guilty of owning a patent that wasn’t theirs.
Victoria had won.
Alexa felt her eyes filling with tears as the full gravity of everything this meant hit her hard enough to take her breath away.
All the trust her family had placed in her, her entire life’s work… gone. For nothing.
She knew that she was seconds away from breaking down. No way was she giving Victoria the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Alexa fled from the room.
11
Victoria
Victoria should feel happy, or at least relieved. Instead, all she felt was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. What the hell was wrong with her?
Unfortunately, she knew exactly what was wrong with her. Her eyes were magnetically drawn to Alexa, who she had avoided looking directly at her for weeks. Alexa was frozen as the color drained from her cheeks. Victoria saw devastation written plainly across her beautiful face.
How could she revel in her victory when this was the price?
Alexa turned and ran. Without thinking about it, Victoria started after her, ignoring Luke as he tried to call her back.
It didn’t take long to find Alexa. She hadn’t made it far. She was sitting outside the court, her back to one of the long ornamental pillars, but facing the courthouse, so that anyone passing outside wouldn’t see her.
She was breathing fast and shallowly, tears streaming out from under her closed eyelids.
“Alexa…”
Alexa leaped up as though she had been electrified. “Leave me alone, Victoria!”
“No.”
“Fuck off!”
