Pretentious and misguided lawyer Leila discovers a new passion in her job when she is assigned to defend a sixteen-year-old boy for murder against the state. Unfortunately, what she presumes to be an open-shut case is more complex. The hottest rappe...
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"Kaanon," Celine began, her voice tentative as she faced me across the kitchen island. "We need to talk about Leila."
"Sure, what's up?" I responded, my heart rate picking up a bit. This was new territory for us, discussing another woman in our lives. Leaning back against the counter, I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to appear open to the conversation. "What about her?"
"Are you two...together?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. I could see the worry etched on her face, her protectiveness over our daughter evident as she glanced back at Leila.
"Leila and I are friends," I insisted, hoping to put her fears to rest. "She's helping me with some legal stuff, that's all."
"Really?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing as if she could see right through me. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like more than that."
"Trust me," I said, forcing myself to hold her gaze. "Nothing is happening between us."
"Good," she said softly, finally meeting my gaze. "Because I know how easy it is to get lost in each other's worlds."
"Trust me," I replied, "I've learned from my mistakes." The memory of our own tumultuous relationship weighed heavy on my mind, a reminder of the lessons I'd had to learn the hard way.
"Alright," Celine said, nodding slowly. "Just... be careful, okay?" Just as she finished speaking, the sound of laughter reached our ears, and we turned to see Leila approaching with a smile on her face. My heart skipped a beat, and I wondered if Celine could sense my apprehension.
"Hey!" Leila greeted us, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
"Uh, no," I stammered, feeling a sudden surge of awkwardness between the three of us. "It's actually getting late. I think it's time for me to take you home, Leila."
"Of course," she agreed, her smile faltering slightly as she looked between Celine and me. "I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome."
As I grabbed my coat and prepared to leave, I couldn't help but notice the way Celine watched us, her eyes filled with concern and uncertainty. I knew that our conversation had left her with more questions than answers, and I silently cursed myself for not being able to give her the reassurances she needed.
"Goodnight, Celine," I said, offering her a weak smile. "I'll check on you later."
"Goodnight, Kaanon," she replied softly, her eyes never leaving mine.
As Leila and I made our way to the door, I couldn't help but feel like an invisible weight had settled on my chest, suffocating me with every step. I knew that I was walking a dangerous line.
The tension in the car was thick as I drove Leila home, the silence between us weighing heavy on my mind. The street lights cast a warm glow over the dashboard, illuminating her face and highlighting the uncertainty in her eyes. It felt like we were both holding our breath, waiting for the other to break the silence.
