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The cold midnight breeze drifting from the window made Y/N shiver. She pulled the thick covers higher over her naked body, savoring the warmth that it gave her as she continued to spiral into the depths of her nightmares. Beads of sweat trickled down her neck, a lump of fear and heartache strangling her consciousness.
"Papa.."
"Let him go.."
"He didn't do anything.."
Inspector Kang watched the scene unravel before his tired eyes. The criminal struggled to wake in her bed, her dry lips falling apart to belt a sad cry. He listened intently, trying to make out the words she had densely mumbled, yet he couldn't understand a single thing. Stepping outside the closet, he glowered next to her unconscious frame.
Y/N tossed to her side, the fabric falling off her chest. The detective mindlessly blushed and quickly diverted his gaze elsewhere. He balled his fists in agitation as he tolerated the female's nightmarish whimpers.
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Y/N dreamt about it like it was a clear, summer's day. She was merely 17, begrudged and anxious as she sat in the middle of the courtroom, her eyes fixated on her wobbling father who settled unsteadily on his seat. He was yet to face his trial for something he hadn't truly done— a well-woven tell-tale about how he had molested Mayor Jang's daughter, Ivy.
"Officer Vernier, you claim to see Jang Ivy stripped naked in her bedroom with the defendant present during the occasion" the prosecutor stated. "Isn't that correct?"
"Yes."
The Jang's legal representative nodded. Y/N took a swig of her own saliva, her heart beating at an odd rhythm. Her father, Rue, remained cross-legged on his cushion, fiddling with the calloused pads of his thumbs. His eyes childishly wandered, his tongue sticking out as he slightly flinched out of the blue.
"And you believe that L/N Rue harassed her?"
"I do," Officer Vernier tensed. "Even the defendant claimed to have done so."
"You also presented photos to the jury a while ago regarding with the evidences found in the crime scene— both L/N Rue and Jang Ivy's clothes on the floor, bloodstains on the duvet, and a copy of the victim's medical records."
"That's right."
Parents of the young plaintiff, Mayor Jang and Jang Deborah, lowered their heads in grief. Ivy crossed her arms, her dark irises shooting glares of disgust at Rue. Mayor Jang gritted as if it was the worst tragedy the world had to witness. Y/N furrowed her brows.
The prosecutor faced the jury with a satisfied look on his face.
"Thank you, Your Honor, no further questions to the witness."
The judge gestured to Officer Vernier from the podium.
"You may step down."
But the man refused to move an inch. Instead, he remained steady, his hands glued to the side surface of his little stage as he stared at Y/N. The teenager stood on her feet, a bubble of unforgivable fury pulsating through her veins. The cruel name of injustice echoed in her mind, causing her to lose the remaining strands of her sanity.
"I call this case bullshit, Your Honor," Y/N spat. "My father's innocent. He had done nothing to these people."
Everyone's eyes darted to her as soon as she said those words; even Rue. The jury scooted close to each other in a murmur and the people broke into a ghastly murmur. The prosecutor turned to Y/N, thunderstruck.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Jang Kennedy had his man stage a rape case to cover up their deeds," she glanced up to the panel. "They took advantage of my father's mental illness and convinced him to confess to something he never did."
"RIDICULOUS!" Mayor Jang roared. "HOW DARE YOU INVALIDATE MY DAUGHTER'S TRAUMA!"
"TRAITOR!" Jang Deborah screeched. "SHE'S SIDING WITH A CRIMINAL! A MURDERER!"
"What do you know?" Y/N retorted. "How oblivious are you to the fact that it was Ivy who had been lusting over my father all along? That your oh-so-perfect daughter's the one behaving suggestively everytime she visits our home?"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Ivy bellowed, a teardrop rolling down her cheek. "I WOULD NEVER FUCK YOUR DAD, Y/N!"
"Yes, you would and you fucking did, you goddamn slut!"
The judge pounded his gavel thrice, demanding silence. Y/N didn't flinch. Her once nervous demeanour shifted into a desperste persona. Indeed, she was supposed to keep her calm before the jury, but after what her father had gone through, she might as well just screw the law in exchange for Rue's freedom.
"L/N Y/N," the judge called. "I remind you that you are still under oath."
"Yes," Y/N agreed. "And that I shall tell the truth and only the truth. "
Mayor Jang caught the girl's eyes. They were sparkling, as though threatening to pry a jar open to expose their dirty, little secrets.
"Your Honor," Rue's attorney spoke. "May the jury be instructed to disregard the Officer Vernier's statement?"
Y/N gave the panel a pleading gaze. The aforementioned cop, together with his two other colleagues, Officers Fontaine and Lyon, froze. Beads of sweat trickled from their foreheads, betraying the stoic visages they tried to wear to mask their guilty expressions. Rue cluelessly pouted, his fingers scratching the grease off his scalp.
"Your Honor, allow me to testify against Mayor Jang," Y/N's voice cracked. "Him and these three police officers— I caught them running an underground drug market—"
To the crowd's bewilderment, Rue started giggling. At first, they came off timid— until it grew louder and disturbing. It was if this entire fiasco was some sort of an entertainment on his take. The judge pounded his gavel again, but he did not faze. Y/N staggered from her spot, a hint of confusion visible in her eyes.
"Papa? What's the matter?"
"Y/N don't lie," her father sniffled. "Mayor Jang is a kind man. Ivy is innocent."
"No, papa, don't say that! Don't let their words get into you!"
"Rue took Ivy to her room," Rue spoke, his mouth moving loosely. "And then Rue kissed her. Rue touched her body. Rue's the bad guy, everyone. Rue molested her. Rue deserves to be punished."
"Your Honor, I'm begging you," Y/N roughly insisted. "A challenged man like my father can be easily manipulated into thinking that he's a criminal! I ask you to pry further into this case! He needs help rather than life-long imprisonment!"
"Your dad said it!" Ivy screeched, faking a sob. "How can you still be defending this delusional freak?!"
"Your Honor, you may have gotten a degree in law, but just I side with the defendant, you wouldn't listen to me," Y/N clenched her fists. "For the sake of justice, I ask you not to be biased."
"As jurors, we are not to be swayed by sympathy."
"Sympathy," she repeated, spitting the word out like venom. "Why? Is it due to these bastards' bulging pockets? How much did they pay you, Your Honor?"
The judge lowered his gavel for the last time. His face turned into an ugly puce, his eyes squinting behind his thin spectacles. Rue pouted, displeased with his child's rudeness towards the authority.
"The jury sees no point of arguing any further and we have reached a verdict. In the case of Jang Ivy versus L/N Rue, we find the defendant guilty of rape under sexual penetration and will be sentenced to life in prison. The defendant shall be put under probation, before he fully registers as a sex offender."
The prosecution's side belted a sigh of relief. Rue automatically stood, hands forwarded, anticipating the feeling of being cuffed. He just wanted to get out there as soon as possible. Y/N however screamed in agony.
She ran from her place as soon as the court was adjourned. She did her best to get to her father at the door, but with the swarm of attendees and police escorting the man out, she couldn't even catch a glimpse of him.
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Y/N woke up in a jitter. The sun had barely risen, hence the gloomy atmosphere inside her room. Shadows lurked within the dimly lit corners, creating a tableau of oddly-shaped statues. With a sigh, the girl slowly sat, drawing the heavy blankets over her nude torso as a pint of betrayal drizzled down her drowsy being.
She hid her face behind her palms, eliciting a subtle sniffle as she recalled the flashing events from her dreadful nightmare— a figment of her past which had buried her family's reputation to the depths of filth. A neatly-executed plan made none other by Mayor Jang just so he and his men could dodge her allegations.
It would've all been alright, but the fact that her father died a month after he was sent behind the bars scarred a grieving part of her soul. Losing him as hell. She had nowhere else to go as her mother abandoned them after childbirth. She had to raise herself, memorize the dangerous streets of Coussac in order to survive, and hide from the vengeful claws of the Jangs.
Y/N roughly combed through her hair in annoyance. She abandoned the cold comfort of her bed, slipped into her satin dress, and marched to the door to grab a glass of whiskey. She was close to touching the polished knob when she sensed a presence from behind. Pausing, she darted a smoky glance over her shoulders.
THUD!
Inspector Kang hoarsely grunted as Y/N lunged forward. Struggling, he helplessly wriggled his arms beneath her thighs.
"Well, well, well," her tired voice lulled. "Did I just get myself a curious, little kitty?"
"Slick as ever," Inspector Kang spat. "You feisty bitch."
"Careful now, officer," she warned with a snarl. "This feisty bitch bites. Hard."
"Try me, L/N."
The criminal swiftly fished out a taser from her holster. She frightened him with a single click, showcasing a band of lightning from the tip of her device.
"You're one hell of a goddamn officer, darling," Y/N alluringly cooed. "Too bad I'm no pathetic delinquent."
ZAP!
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