wine stains

conflict of interest

"All rise." Everyone stands up and sits back down once the judge is sitting down.

Jonah walks into the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit and cuffs of his ankles and wrists. His eyes scan the room as he sits down next to Kristin.

She stands up. "Your honour, I'd like to call to the stand surprise witness Doctor Jack Avery."

The court erupts into hushed whispers as everyone comments on the situation. "Order in court!" The judge slams the hammer twice, effectively shutting everyone up.

A very confused Jack stands up. He goes to the stand and pledges the oath of truth. He sits down directly in front of his lover who, too, is confused.

"Would you mind if I call you Jack?" She asks. And oh, she's definitely having fun with this.

"Go ahead." He sighs.

"So, Jack. Is it true that my client asked you to represent him in this precise case?" A few gasps are heard. Zach looks at him wide-eyed.

"Yes, but I declined." Zach's shoulders relax. The shock of the question prevented him from actually sitting back and realising that Jack would never betray him.

"However, he stayed in your office for nearly an hour. Why's that, Jack?" Again, the emphasis on his name.

Jack takes a deep breath. "The defendant would not take my no for an answer. He was willing to bribe me so I could serve...him." His face does not hide the disdain.

She hums as she walks around. Her heels clicking loudly with each step. Jack feels the nostalgia of his mother's punishments coming to life. Jack lost count of his mother wearing heels slowly approaching his room to slap some sense into him. The floor creaking, the powerful click clack of the shoes against the wooden floor. She definitely knows what she's doing.

"Why didn't you call security, Jack?" She asks, concern laced in her voice. Like a mother worried for her son.

"The defendant didn't show any signs of violence towards me. Once I insisted and made it crystal clear that I would not be representing him, he left peacefully." Jack cannot take his eyes off his lover, who is staring back intensely.  Listening to every word coming out of his mouth. Judging its veracity.

"Why would you not represent him, Jack?" She's asking all the right questions to make Jack lose his composure. In such a way that only mothers know how to invoke such repressed anger.

"Because of the previous case where I went against him." He merely says. Control your breathing.

"Would you mind elucidating the juri, please... Jack?" Her tone was so light and sweet. He felt his blood boil.

"My client sued the defendant for workplace misconduct and harassment.  A case which I won." He crosses his arms. Where is she getting at? What does she want from Zach and I?

"Is your client here? Point to him." Jack raises his finger and points at his lover. Once more, whispers erupted in court, which were quickly silenced by the judge.

"Doctor Zachary Herron..." She looks at the brunet, a smirk on her face. "Your boyfriend, correct... Jack?"

"Yes." He confirms.

"He was your boyfriend by the time of the trial, no?"

"Yes. However, there was no conflict of interest. All that was presented was pure evidence of his misconduct." Uhmm, I see now. You want me to scream at you. Jack leans back on his chair.

The corners of her lips tug upwards as she stands back and walks around the courtroom. "You're against the same defendant." She stops moving and turns to the juri. " Is it, or is it not a conflict of interest?"

"It's not."Jack quickly calls all attention back to him."The relationship was disclosed to the judge during the first hearing. The case was purely seen through an objective lense. Nothing ilegal happened."He crosses his arms again.

"That didn't answer my question." She chuckles. "In this trial." She pauses and looks back at the juri. " Is there, or is there not a conflict of interest, Jack?" She raises her tone.

A pregnant silence filled the room, awaiting his response. Calm down, Jack. She wants to make you look bad. Just remain composed.

Jack scoffs. "Obviously not. I'm doing this case pro bono. The prosecutor asked for my help. My contract allows me to do cases pro bono." He emphasises, returning to his calm and collected composure. Zach let's go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Kristin nods, taking in his words. "So you're not doing it because your beloved boyfriend wants you to, Jack?"

"Objection, leading question!" Both Christina and Jack boom out.

"Withdrawn." She winks at her son. "No further questions."

Christina stands up and cracks her fingers. "Ms. Harris, you may begin your cross examination."

"May I call you Jack?" He nods. "Jack, how long had you been dating your client when the trial took place?"

"Two weeks."

"Would you say it clouded your judgement?" She asks, turning to the juri, analysing their reactions.

"No. If anything, it helped me see things clearly." Some furrowed their eyebrows. So she decides to clarify those doubts.

"How so?"She looks back at him.

"I looked more into the evidence I presented to the judge, making sure that nothing was wrong. I would not be able to live with myself if I had made a mistake." He confesses.

"Like a dedicated boyfriend would." Christina looks at the juri. "If the case happened today, would you still represent him?"

"Yes. I would." He looks directly at his lover, who has a small blush dusting his cheeks. "My judgement would be clear as day. Because he would insist on me treating him like any other client."

"Thank you, Doctor Avery. That is all." She clears her throat. "If it's possible, Mrs. Stanford, you can continue." Christina sits back down next to Jack.

"I told you she had a trick up her sleeve." Jack mumbles. "I've got a better one, though." He smirks.

Christina looks at him with a deeply concerned expression. She couldn't shake the immense sense of dread pooling in her abdomen. There's something about Jack that deeply unsettles her to her core.

Jonah stands up and goes to the stand. The real trial begins now.