Law of Attraction

Prologue

A hit and run case.

The accused is often charged with various criminal offences, such as reckless driving, driving under the influence, or vehicular manslaughter.

Accused. Bra-

She shut the file off immediately before she read out the complete name of the so-called accused. Avery was questioning everything she knew at this point. She sat in her office, staring at the file before her. It was the Harper Thomas case, of course. How could she ever get any case other than one she regretted ever taking? She left the case file open on her home office desk last night when she went through the details for the hundredth time with a glass of red in her hand. She'll turn herself into an alcoholic at this point.

She shook her head hard. No, she can't be thinking about it again, seeing as she spends half of her days miserable, lost in her thoughts, and she had been working on it tirelessly for months. Harper had been hit by a car, and the driver was none other than Avery's ex-boyfriend.

Avery had taken the case despite the conflict of interest, determined to represent her client to the best of her ability. But it had taken a toll on her. She had broken up with him, unable to reconcile her personal feelings with her professional responsibilities and the benefit of the doubt she owed to both of them.

As she looked through the evidence, information, and statements in the file, Avery couldn't help but think about Brandon. She wondered how he was doing, what he was thinking, and whether he was as guilty as everyone thought.
Avery knew she shouldn't be thinking about him, not when she was representing his victim. But she couldn't help it. She missed him so much.

Just then, Avery's phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was her sister, Maya. That was very weird. Maya doesn't call her very often. Something to do with her super busy schedule, recording albums, and stuff like that. She let the call go straight to voicemail, not in the mood to interact with anyone, especially her sister, who doesn't leave any chance to berate her about her career choice. Reluctantly, she clicked on the voicemail, and immediately, her sister's cheery voice filled the entire room, which had been eerily silent a second prior. As she went on and on and on, Avery got the gist that she was inviting her to a Thanksgiving dinner at their parents' house. Avery hesitated for some unknown reason; she felt wrong about this. Dinners with her folks were never good. Too many differences, too many opinions at one table, and clashes, but she loved them to pieces. Maybe they were her only saving grace from thinking about the man who still owned her heart. She couldn't resist seeing her family, especially her estranged sister.

Picking up her phone, she texted Maya.

Little did Avery know that Thanksgiving dinner would change everything. It would bring her face-to-face with Brandon and force her to confront her conflicted feelings head-on. The Harper Thomas case would become more complicated than ever before, and Avery's loyalties would be put to the test.

But for now, Avery closed the file and picked up the phone. "I'll be there," she said, determined to put her feelings aside and focus on her client. Avery tried to concentrate on her work, but her thoughts drifted back to the case and him. She had always been able to compartmentalise her personal and professional life, but this was different. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was betraying Harper by still having feelings for the man who had allegedly caused her so much pain.

As she slowly reviewed the statement of a passerby in the case, Avery couldn't help but wonder if he had ever seen anything or was describing the aftermath. It conflicted with the accident's timing, and there was no concrete physical evidence linking him to the crime. She knew she had to remain impartial and not let her personal feelings cloud her judgment, but it was easier said than done.

Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. It was a text from Maya, her older sister.
Hey, sis. Are you sure you are coming to this thing? You're not allowed to change your mind later, LOL.

Avery sighed. She knew she couldn't avoid her family forever, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to face Maya again. Their relationship had been strained for years, ever since Maya dropped law school to pursue a music career. Despite their differences, Avery felt a pang of guilt. Maya had always been the family's black sheep, and Avery knew she had played a part in pushing her away.

But before she could even begin to reply, her phone rang again. It was him.

Brandon Davis. The love of her life. The "Accused".
Associating that term with him killed her.

"Avery, can we talk?" His voice was strained, and Avery could tell he was on edge. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Brandon." He went silent for a long minute. His breathing calmed some of her nerves down.

"I just need to tell you something. Please, Avery. Just give me 5 minutes?" Avery hesitated. She knew she shouldn't get involved with Brandon again, but she couldn't resist the pull she felt towards him.

"Okay," she said finally. "You have 5 minutes. What is it?"I'm coming with Maya. I have my reasons." "What? What do you mean you're coming with her.."
Avery saw red for a second before reality slapped her in the face. He's moving on with her sister out of everyone. She can't even get mad at the fact that he's moving on, just the part where it's her sister he's moving on with.

She hung up the phone immediately. Avery couldn't help but feel like she was somehow walking into a trap. First, her sister called her after months of not speaking to her, and now Brandon told her he would be her date. Holding her head in her hands, she anticipated the hell of a situation she was dropping herself into, but a small part of her was excited to see him again. She was excited to see Brandon again. Even if he's slowly letting go of her.