Lower Floor

EMILIANAThe trial was about to conclude, and I couldn't have been more pleased with how I had conducted it. I was confident that the judge would rule in our favor. I turned my gaze to find Mrs. María Contreras, my current client, with a worried expression. I discreetly reached out and squeezed her hand to provide some support.We all stood up as the highest authority in the room exited through a door in one corner of the courtroom. He gestured for us to sit down again."After hearing both parties, I am ready to give my verdict. However, I want to hear the closing arguments. So, Attorney Basile, you have the floor," he indicated with a wrist motion.I stood up and moved closer to the podium. Normally, we didn't need to do this; I could have spoken from the desk. However, I felt more comfortable and in control of the situation this way."Until the child reaches the age of majority, the child has the right to be supported by their parents," I pointed out that point succinctly since it h

EMILIANA"Are you kidding me?" I asked Camilo. The idiot denied it, letting me know he was dead serious. I ran a hand over my face; I could already feel the migraine starting to pound in my head.How had this idiot come up with the idea to commit me like this without consulting me? In moments like these, I hated knowing every single law; otherwise, I could have killed him and pleaded ignorance of the penal code to the judge. And yes, I'm aware that "not killing your neighbor" is something you can't just overlook because it's basically one of our societal pillars."It's not that bad, Emi. I just asked you to accompany me to my younger sister's performance," he said with a relaxed expression, leaning further on my desk. I inhaled and exhaled several breaths of air to calm myself down before doing something I would regret later."Allow me to correct you: you told Kat that I would be delighted to go... And you hadn't even mentioned it to me!" I shouted, banging my fists on the table. I co

EMILIANA Was liked by that girl, of that she was completely and absolutely sure. She wasn't arrogant, but she was aware of my attributes, and I could notice how she looked at my lips with desire while she smoked, although I don't think she even realized it herself. Her body reacted to my proximity, and internally, I felt satisfied that it did so. At least, she wasn't entirely indifferent to me. I thought I saw her suppress a moan that was trying to escape, though perhaps it was just my inner desires playing tricks on me. "Do crowded places scare you too?" she asked, blushing like a frightened little mouse. But I didn't let myself be fooled; I knew her well enough to know it was just a facade of innocence. I smiled, amused by the idea she had come up with. "In reality, I hate people," I asserted, moving away from her because I sensed I was making her uncomfortable. I leaned against the wall and finished smoking my cigarette, dropping it on the ground and crushing it with my boot. "I

AmandaEmiliana's apartment looked like something out of an interior decorator's magazine. Everything, from the door to the window on the right that faced the street, revealed the amount of money and time that had been invested in it.Strangely, it didn't look like the cold, single woman's lair that the woman walking behind me seemed to suggest. I saw the built-in kitchen separated from the living room by a roughly two-meter-long counter. The living room had a white couch, a glass coffee table in the center, and a 50-inch TV in front of it.I liked the small decorations that showcased Emiliana's intense personality. There was also a dining area with enough seating for six people."What do you think?" she asked, taking off her coat and leaving it on the couch. "Can I take your trench coat?" she inquired, standing next to me.The fabric brushed against the burns on my wrists, making me wince. Emiliana looked down, furrowed her brow, and focused on them."We need to treat those," she sai

EMILIANAI arrived at work twenty minutes late, and the secretaries watched me, amused and puzzled because punctuality was not one of my traits. The weekly meeting we had among all the senior lawyers at the firm was about to start, and if I didn't hurry, Alejandro Cagliari would not hesitate to reprimand me in front of everyone.The conference room was at the end of the hallway, and on my way there, a tall, slender brunette joined me, looking at me with amusement since we were both running late. Miranda Smith had been working with us for three years, the least experienced in the business. I had recruited her myself after being a guest at her graduation thesis defense."They're going to kill us," she said, juggling the various folders she had with her. "Alejandro doesn't handle waiting well."I furrowed my brow. "Neither do I," I muttered under my breath. I had never been known among my colleagues as a sociable and charismatic person, quite the opposite, actually."Which reminds me...