Guilty

Juliette

5 years later.

"You aren't going to be able to win this one, get your client to settle. My client is willing to give her five hundred thousand dollars," Spencer says, she smiles at me as she slides the papers towards me. My eye twitches at her bullshit offer.

My phone starts buzzing loudly on the glass table and I smile at her, "One moment," I grab my phone and walk out of the conference room into the hallway.

"Juliette Castalia speaking."

"Why am I getting such a formal introduction?" Emery asks me, I can hear the frown in her voice.

"You called me on my work phone, which I have told you not to do," I tell her, rolling my eyes.

"I called like like ten times on your cell, not my fault you work at bizarre hours of the day."

"Emery it's three in the afternoon that's a normal time to be working, not just for lawyers for everyone," I tell her, holding back my laugh.

"Whatever, look I need you to come down to Pronovias bridal boutique at four so you can try on dresses, for the wedding."

I glance at my watch, it's almost half past three, and that would be cutting it close. I guess I'd have to stop bullshitting around with Spencer and wrap this case up.

"Yeah okay, see you there," I tell Emery, before hanging up and walking back into the conference room.

Spencer looks up and smiles, "So are you going to settle?"

"My client is suing yours for five million dollars and the only reason you keep throwing settlements at us is because you know the minute this goes to trial you're going to lose the case. So we'll settle for three million and nothing else," I tell her, my voice flat.

Spencer smiles, it's an annoyed smile but she can always admit when she'd lost a case. I like that about her, "Alright fine, send over the paperwork and we'll sign it all."

I nod at her and get up, walking out of the office and waving bye to my colleagues as I book it out of the building before my boss catches me. I am technically allowed to leave if I have no work left, and I don't. Except for a couple of files, I should be reading through.

That is Monday's problem.

The minute I walk into the boutique Emery runs over and wraps me in a tight hug. I squeeze her bag as she pulls away, "Ugh I have missed you so much."

"It's only been a week or two since I saw you last," I tell her, laughing.

She shakes her head, her blonde hair bouncing, "Come on," She grabs my hand and sits me down in one of the plum squishy chairs.

Emery is a fashion designer here in New York, so I just her judgements for the dresses. She starts pulling two or three beautiful gowns from the rack and showing them to me. I nod, liking them all.

"I sort of want all of the bridesmaids in black, so when I'm in white I stick out," She says, sighing as she stares at the dresses.

"That's a really good idea, very classy," I tell her, smiling as she hands me three dresses to try on.

I step out of the dressing room and give a small twirl in my outfit and EMery shakes her head. I try on the second dress and step out of the dressing room. Emery knocks back another glass of champagne and I glance at her nervously.

Well, Jesus, do I look that bad

"Well, it is a little dramatic," I say, turning to look at myself in the mirror. I know that Emery and Josh's wedding is black tie-themed but I look like I could wear this gown to a gala.