Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Hard as Jade

An entire banquet, just for the acceptance of a nomination? Jade sneered at the opulence around her. Celebrities sat in the front row seats as if this were an awards show. Mediathat had been scattered around the edges of the room would live stream this on multiple platforms. 

And Jade had a grudge to bear. 

This time, there would be no sneaking around. This time, she would make sure that her cousin and the love of his life received justice. Murderers didn't deserve this kind of support. 

"Let's remain rational," Kestrel reminded quietly. 

Jade scoffed. "I'm always rational. You know that." 

"Yes, that's part of the problem." Kestrel sighed. "Go on, then. I trust you not to give in to your anger." 

Jade squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirt over her folded knees. It wasn't time yet, but it would be soon. This performance would go down in history. 

Kestrel gave Jade's hand a squeeze. 

Jade returned the squeeze, a silent conversation that only the two of them knew about. 

Richard Aberdeen took the stage.

 The cameras started to roll. 

Richard started his speech, but Jade could honestly say that all she heard was "blah, blah, blah. Politics, politics, politics." Then he made a point about how selfless and upright he had been since the beginning. Clear-conscienced, he said. Morally clean.

Jade rose to her feet, her hands folded neatly in front of her. "Are you sure about that, Mr. Aberdeen?" 

Interrupted and flustered, Richard Aberdeen turned to stare at the woman who dared cut in on his carefully prepared speech. "I'm unsure what you mean by your question, Miss...?"

"It's a simple enough question." Jade ignored his implied query of her name.  "Are you sure that you're clear-conscienced and morally spotless?" 

"I wouldn't have said so if I wasn't." Richard Aberdeen chuckled, but Jade heard the nervousness. 

All the better to start her carefully plotted breakdown of all Richard's misdeeds. "What about the collusion between you and all kinds of wealthy businessmen in the city?" 

"I think we all know those are groundless rumors." Richard turned back to the audience. 

"What about the bribes you offer to police commissioners?"

Cameras flashed like lightning, brightening the room with an almost steady stream of white light. 

Richard Aberdeen turned to glare at Jade. 

Jade glared right back. "You aren't going to deny that, too?" 

"I don't see any reason to answer ridiculous accusations." 

"You think I don't have any evidence?" 

"You couldn't possibly. And if you had evidence, surely you would have brought it with you." 

Jade smiled, and she knew it must have looked evil. Because she knew things that Richard Aberdeen didn't. Because she was here for justice and she intended to get it, one way or another. 

"Forget all the power and corruption. Everyone expects that, don't they?" Jade folded her arms. "Let's discuss Amelia Parker." 

"Who?" Richard's lips tilted up as if he held all the cards. 

Jade smiled back at him. "You don't even remember the woman who birthed your daughter?" 

"I don't have a daughter," Richard snapped. 

Jade reached out a hand toward Kestrel, who placed her phone in her palm. Jade held it to her ear and uttered two words, "Show him." 

The screens that had been toting Richard's praises flickered and went black. Then the document appeared. A certified birth certificate, with Richard's name on the line labeled "father". 

The cameras kept flashing. 

Richard pointed at the screen. "Forged, clearly. Are you here to defame me, young lady?" 

"Forged? Hm." Jade lifted her phone again. "Let's ask the woman who filled the form." 

Click went the volume on Jade's phone. Thunk sounded the doors, opening. 

A woman no less beautiful than she must have been twenty years ago stepped into the room, her sad gaze leveled at the man on the stage. Every camera turned to film her. 

Richard shot out from behind the podium. "I have never seen this woman before in my life. This is malicious slander." 

Jade raised her phone in the air and shook it. "Mr. Aberdeen, don't you think you should stop now? I have more." 

"There's nothing else to have!" 

Jade laughed, a sound that rang off the rafters above them. "I might have let you off easier if you hadn't targeted my favorite cousin." A sneer. "And he might have let you off easier if you hadn't tried to murder the love of his life."

"Framing me for murder?" Richard shouted. "You're insane!" 

"Not as insane as you." The phone lifted to her ear again. "Play the video." 

The screens came to life, a wobbly-but-high-quality video springing to the forefront. Richard Aberdeen, in clear view, glared at someone behind that the camera didn't catch.

"A quick death is the last favor I offer you. On behalf of your mother."

"This is impossible." Richard huffed. "I didn't... I could never..." he lowered his voice. "There were no cameras."

Jade blew out a hard breath. "How can you deny this?"

"This proves nothing! It's all conjecture! There's no telling what happened after that." 

Jade's grin widened, a knowing smile because she had won. "And that's why I brought the eyewitnesses."