Heirs To The City: The Quartet

Chapter Twenty Seven

Pulling one of the darker suits I owned on I buttoned the dark grey vest, and sports jacket, before tying a trinity knot into my satin metallic grey tie and selected a Patek out of the dozen I had and fastened it to my wrist before I kneeled to tie my shoes all while Olivia rounded the corner and glanced at me. She was already dressed and the fact that in two days she'd accepted my actions made me wonder if perhaps the pairing of her soul and mine were more then just chance of life.

Damaged people always seem to find their way together.

I also knew that in that time there would be no one but Olivia for all the days I was gifted. Today was also going to be the day where I would be required to once again stand with my friends, with the three other men I viewed as brothers, they knew it and I knew it. If one of us burned in court all of us would, and I knew that if it came down to it, I'd have this city and all of its political bodies destroyed. I knew I wasn't a nice man, or even a good one, but I was loyal, and whatever it made me I would accept, would always accept it.

Standing I turned to her and she peered up at me eyes so bright and innocent in public, while I knew those same eyes would needle prick business partners of Winters Group and it's vast amount of corporate structuring was a heavy burden and Olivia was equal to me in how she could deal with people, and my business required people with the kind of cunning that was often at either the expense of others, or the benefit to gain advantage in all situations. It was that same need that I expected of most people in my company. This court case would be longer then I expected, likely even longer then I wanted but there was nothing I could do about the length, how the case went was different. Riley was an exceptional lawyer, and his father had launched his own career when he won a massive injury case, it was in Niles blood to be good at the legal system and both Hunter and I would be relying on the execution of questions and evidence.

"Ready to go, bellissima," I ask and she gave me a bright smile in response.

"I have an hour to prepare for media," she remarks, "I watched a wholesome otter video while getting ready, they're really cute".

"They are cute," I admit, "they're my favourite animals," I added as I walked out of the room and down to the front foyer where I pulled the key for the DB11 and walked out of the house followed by Olivia. Locking the house, I then went down and got my chosen Aston Martin before driving out to get my girlfriend who waited patiently.

Stopping beside her I unlocked the doors and she got in, while I found music and only once I'd selected a song did I leave the compound. I knew of almost two dozen points on my home where my security zoned themselves because the property was large enough that it required a constant staff of active guards all while a gas tank was kept in the ground for my security's cars because I have enough vehicles that they could be filled up once every two months.

Speeding off towards Manhattan I took in the other homes that were around Long Island, I had often forgotten that Olivia's perception of all of this was skewed because I had initially introduced her to the world I lived in by taking her home in a car worth her mom's mortgage. Now that same girl who had her life fall apart and did all her healing herself, and was selfish with her time, and what she did ended up with me. Where all of New York knew our names.

When I finally got to South Manhattan I could see the large amount of cars lined along the streets while media tried to get closer to the main courthouse where everyone who would be apart of the actual case were arriving and either parking and going inside or simply being dropped off which was the case for the ex-Ambrose Executives.

Swerving to the curb I stopped behind Riley's Extended Rolls Royce Ghost. Parking the car, I climbed from my vehicle and slid black sunglasses over my eyes not that there would have been any different in colour at current, I hated the idea of allowing the world a sight into my life. Locking the car I pushed the swan door shut and watched as Olivia did the same before we walked up the stone steps while flashing cameras traced our path towards the courthouse.

Passing through the doors I spotted Riley, Hunter, Nico, and also the Wade Brothers who were likely here as my defense attorneys, but also to speak on testimony of that case thirteen months ago.

Spotting them all I paused near them and nodding to each before gesturing to my personal attorneys to go off side before I leaned to Olivia's ear.

"I'll be back in five minutes I just want to speak to our lawyers," I say and she smiled up at me briefly before starting to make conversation with our friends.

Walking away to a side room I used my phone to loop the camera feed and turn off sound, before I pocketed the device and spoke.

"Michael, Evan," I say looking between them and checking my watch to see what time it was, and how much time I had before the camera started to roll actively again.

"What did you need, Adrian?" Evan asks stuffing one hand in his pocket.

"This lawsuit has all evidence coming from me. I need you to back Riley which shouldn't be hard since it's the truth, but my manipulation of the media to destroy the former Ambrose Executives, could be used to nullify this whole case even if private investigation is legal," I stated glancing to my wrist.

"Anything else?" Michael asks making a note on his notes for the trial.

"Pick them apart you got what they're using, I've supplied plenty so their only hope is to deny everything heavily," I add and they both nodded.

"Of course, let's go, trial starts soon," Evan says and all three of us leave and made our way towards the doors of the courtroom where we were soon let in and lifting my head high I strode down the lines of benches that looked to be made for lengthy trials before we took our places and I took in all of the designs and simplicities of the room. Four prosecution tables, defendant tables and then a separate table for their defense lawyers.

I hated courtrooms, not because I'd been sentenced in one, but because I knew that the Jury received a rather small amount for being here, it was also that reason that after I anonymously would seek out all of them and have their employer gift them a few months salary as a thanks for their service regardless of the trials outcome.

The judge then stepped to their seat and all of us listened to their opening before having us all seat ourselves.

"For the trial of a dozen former Executives of Ambrose Engineering versus the CEOs of the linked respective case, on the charges of a quarter decade of embezzlement. I call both counselors to give their opening statements," the judge says and the lawyers did before the judge got the prosecution to start one by one and depending on the applicable requirements of the statement.

I listened and had to do my best to not show much amusement at how efficient my lawyers who had taken part in my case, the Lexington Case, and all the takeovers and court disagreements over the past year I felt almost relieved as I watched them pick apart one defense after another for three hours straight which swiftly became the lot of defendants looking downtroden when Lunch was called for the trial.

Standing I walked to the back of the courtroom and out to main hall of the building before Elijag along with about two dozen of my guards all stood.

"To the Tribeca penthouse, sir?" Elijah asks and I nodded before all of us left and just like we had arrived we left the courthouse while security flanked us on our journey to the building in South Tribeca.
   
   
So the trial has begun how long it will be I don't know but it's a central point for this book even if it took almost thirty chapters to get to it. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways

Peace✌️