The Almighty God of Law

~Author's note: You're diving into the world of a lawyer. This isn't your typical slow burn revenge story. You'll meet a great lawyer who uses his smartness and intelligence to bring down evil~

♥Chapter 01♥

The prison gates opened and Ezekiel Lawson was out. He stepped out into the morning sun. It burned his eyes after five years inside. He blinked and breathed in the air. Free. He was finally free. His name had been cleared. The evidence against him was weak from the start.

Someone had made sure he stayed inside. Someone had paid to keep him there. But now he was out. Five years.

He walked away from the gates. His feet moved on their own. His mind drifted back. Back to that night.

Their wedding anniversary. He and Grace had been happy. Luke, their son was four then. A wild boy with his mother's eyes. They had dropped him at Grace's mother's house just for the night.

The evening had been perfect. Dinner at the Italian place Grace loved. The rides at the carnival. She had won him a bear. He could still hear her laugh. Then the boat cruise. City lights on the water. Grace looked beautiful.

Her family had never supported their marriage. They wanted his cousin, Eden Palmer for her. Eden was the perfect match. Rich family. Good blood. But Grace was pregnant with Ezekiel's child. So they married. Her father gave him a job at the company. Just to keep him useful. But he was never truly accepted. The rumors followed him everywhere.

"He married her for money."

"Eden would have been better."

"Look at him. Just a gold digger."

He heard them all. He ignored them all. He loved Grace. He loved their son. That was all that mattered. The company cheated him. Delayed wages. Stolen credit. But he stayed. He needed to provide. He needed to take care of his family.

A night before, his leg had gotten hurt. He had twisted it fixing a pipe. He was always fixing things. The house was old. Things broke all the time. Grace offered to drive. He agreed. He should have said no. He should have driven himself. He should have been in control. But he wasn't. He let her take the wheel. He let her drive them home.

Then the crash and a scream. It had hit someone. Ezekiel's head jerked forward. His neck cracked from the impact. When he looked up, Grace was frozen. Her face white with fear. Her hands shaking on the wheel. Her eyes wide with terror.

"Grace, we have to stop."

"No."

"Please. We need to check on them."

She floored the gas. The car sped away. Ezekiel looked back. A human figure laid on the road. Getting smaller and smaller. He begged her to turn around. He screamed at her. She cried and kept driving. She wouldn't stop. She wouldn't look back.

Then the police van appeared. Blue lights flashing. Sirens wailing. They were trapped. No way out. Grace sobbed uncontrollably. She was going to jail. She was going to lose everything. Her life. Her son. Her freedom. She would be locked up. She couldn't survive that.

Ezekiel wiped her tears. His hand was shaking too. But he kept his voice steady.

"I'll take the blame. Tell them I was driving."

"No, Ezekiel. I can't let you—"

"Listen to me. Take care of our son. Find me a good lawyer. I'll be out soon. It's just a mistake. A terrible mistake. But we'll get through this together."

He kissed her forehead. Her skin was cold. Then he opened the door. He stepped out into the flashing lights. He confessed to everything. He signed the papers. He went to prison.

Five years ago today.

He stood outside the prison now. The sun was warm on his face. He should have felt relief. But something was wrong. Something felt off. His phone buzzed. A text message. He looked at the screen. Unknown number.

"Lawson, we took you out of jail today. We are always watching and waiting for you."

His blood went cold. Someone had done this. Someone had pulled strings. But who? And why? He read the message again. His mind raced. We took you out. Not Grace. Not his lawyer. Someone else. Someone who had been watching him. Someone who had been waiting for him.

He remembered telling Grace to find a good lawyer. He had believed she would. He had trusted her completely. But the lawyer who came was different. He showed up late. He barely spoke to Ezekiel. He seemed distracted. He made mistakes in court. He missed deadlines. He set Ezekiel up. He made sure the case dragged. He made sure Ezekiel stayed inside.

Grace visited twice in the first year. She came with Luke once. Luke was so small. He didn't understand. He just stared at Ezekiel through the glass. He didn't say much. He was too young. Grace cried. She promised. She held his hand through the glass.

"I'll do anything to get you out, Ezekiel. Just wait. I'll find someone. I'll fix this. I promise."

The visits stopped after that. The letters stopped. He told himself she was struggling. She was busy. She was raising their son alone. She couldn't visit. She couldn't write. She was trying to survive.

Now he knew the truth. Someone else had freed him. Not Grace. He shoved the phone into his pocket. He walked to the main road. He hailed a cab. He gave the driver his old address.

The city had changed. New buildings everywhere. New roads. New shops. Everything looked different. Five years was a long time. He barely recognized the streets. The cab driver kept glancing at him in the mirror. Ezekiel knew what he saw. A man in tattered clothes. The shell of someone who used to be strong.

The cab stopped at the gates. Ezekiel looked up. The mansion was still there. Same house. Same driveway. Lights in the windows. Shadows moving inside. His family. His wife. His son. His heart pounded. Five years was a long time. Would Luke remember him? Would Grace still love him? Would they welcome him back with open arms?

He paid the driver. He stepped out. He walked to the gate. It was locked. New security. He pressed the bell.

A security guard came out. An older man. He looked at Ezekiel. His eyes moved slowly. From Ezekiel's face to his tattered clothes. From his face to his worn-out shoes. The man frowned. His lip curled.

"We don't entertain mad people here."

Ezekiel's jaw tightened. His hands clenched. He opened his mouth to speak. To explain who he was. To demand entry.

Then he heard a voice. A voice he knew better than his own. A voice that haunted his dreams. A voice that had whispered promises in his ear.

"Who's at the gate?"

Grace. The love of his life. He turned toward the sound.