When a car crash claims the lives of their partners, Ezra and Imani are left reeling as they discover their loved ones died while holding hands. With accusations of an affair and betrayal flying, they're thrown together into grief and anger. Ezra's...
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13
Ezra
I ease into the chair, the cold leather sending a shiver down my spine. Around me, the conference room blurs as Mark, my dad, and my uncle, Charlie, settle across from me.
Danny, the lawyer, announces, his gaze fixed on the paperwork, "We've got the requested documents from Mrs. Holden's lawyer. They've laid out their case, and we need to deconstruct it piece by piece. The media statements are crucial to start with." He looks at me directly. "Ezra, I need you to explain the intent behind your statements to the reporters."
I glance down at him, my jaw unlocking. Despite feeling out of sorts today, sarcasm creeps into my tone as I respond, "Just trying to be nice, I guess."
My dad isn't thrilled with the remark, but Danny remains undeterred, firing another question that tightens my jaw again.
"Making those statements without solid evidence? That's a vulnerability they can exploit. Your proof relies on assumptions, not tangible evidence."
I lock eyes with him. "And who said I don't have proof?" I lie, relishing the satisfaction of doing so in this particular moment. I'm still looking. I will keep looking. No matter how long it takes me, I will find proof of their affair.
He smiles, seemingly seeing through my façade. "If there's proof, we wouldn't be sitting here," he points out. "I need you to take this seriously, Ezra. Defamation and emotional distress are significant issues, especially for your family. If we can't find a way around it, it will hurt you."
Hurt me? I grit my teeth as another pang of pain courses through my body. I doubt anything or anyone can hurt me further. The pain trapped inside my chest remains eerily calm — present but gradually numbing everything around me.
"Yeah, well," I shrug. "Kind of hard to ignore when it's staring you in the face."
"You can't use that as a defense in court. You need substantial evidence for the public statements you made," he cautions, his brows furrowed deeply. "Since you don't have that, we must scrutinize the context, intent, and how they may be interpreted in court. The challenge is unraveling the narrative built around your words."
I resist the pull, forcing my teeth together and letting out a harsh chuckle, raising a brow. "Or maybe I just meant what I said: that those idiots were having an affair," I say, a long sigh escaping from my uncle's throat as I sweep my gaze to him. "Sorry, is the fact boring you?"
Uncle Charlie looks at me sternly. "You heard what he said. Unless you have proof, your words mean nothing. You're just further implicating yourself if you keep saying it."
"Ezra," dad states, trying to remain composed enough to add, "You can have your opinion, but in this regard, you need to start listening to Danny."
