Dirty Little Secret (GxG)

SEASON 2, CHAPTER 29

Dria's POV

As I packed up my things for the night, the weight of the day lingered heavily on my shoulders. It had been a long day, with court action after court action, and my mind was still hazy from my morning encounter with Sandra. She had come to watch me in court for my first case, something I hadn't anticipated. Seeing her in the gallery had thrown me off balance, making me more determined than ever to perform flawlessly. I wanted her to see how far I'd come, how capable I'd become—ten years had only honed my abilities and focus. Sandra had that rare ability to both inspire and frustrate me, and today, that duality was as potent as ever.

I was on the verge of leaving when my phone buzzed, and Harper's name flashed across the screen. She wanted to go out and celebrate the win from her case. My first instinct was to turn her down. After all, I had more paperwork waiting, and the thought of relaxing was almost foreign to me now. But the thought of Sandra lingered, my mind drifting back to her expression in the courtroom—surprise mixed with a flicker of pride, or at least that's what I wanted to believe. She had watched every moment intently, her eyes never leaving me. My pulse quickened at the memory.

With a sigh, I texted Harper back, agreeing to join her for one drink. Harper responded almost instantly with the address, and I decided, just this once, to leave my work and indulge in a rare moment of celebration.

The bar was dimly lit with amber lights and dark, polished wood that gave the space a warm but lively atmosphere. The low hum of music thrummed through the room, not too loud to drown out conversation but loud enough to create an air of excitement. People crowded around the bar, laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. As I walked in, I couldn't help but notice a few glances thrown my way from some men at a nearby table. One tried to catch my eye, leaning back with a confident smile, but I ignored him, my gaze fixed forward as I followed Harper to a quieter spot near the back of the room.

"Thanks for coming, Atty," Harper said, flashing me a bright smile. "I know you probably have a thousand other things you'd rather be doing."

I smiled, shaking my head. "Let's just say you caught me in a rare moment of free time. I thought one drink wouldn't hurt."

As we settled in, I let myself relax a bit, sipping my drink and making small talk with Harper. She was full of energy, clearly relieved and overjoyed by the victory today. I watched her, marveling at how she seemed to celebrate life so easily. It reminded me of who I used to be—before everything changed.

And then, as if summoned by the thought of her, I heard Harper call out a name that made my heart skip a beat. "Sandra!"

My eyes snapped in the direction Harper was looking. Part of me hoped it was just a coincidence—that it was some other person with the same name. But when I looked, there was no mistaking her. Sandra, sitting at the bar counter, her face flushed and a little surprised. Beside her was a familiar face—Miles, Ashley's mother.

Sandra looked at me, her expression shifting from surprise to something closer to apprehension, a rare vulnerability I had never seen before. Her gaze softened for a moment, and it was as if the entire room faded away, leaving just the two of us locked in that silent, loaded exchange. But before I could decipher her expression further, the moment broke, and Sandra composed herself, the guarded, poised look I knew so well sliding back into place.

I forced myself to look away, turning my attention to Harper with a carefully neutral expression. But questions whirled in my mind. How did Harper know Sandra? I felt a twinge of jealousy, but more than that, I felt an intense curiosity. Harper was my client, not someone I would typically associate with Sandra's social circle.

My thoughts raced as Harper, blissfully unaware of the tension, led me over to where Sandra and Miles were sitting. I could feel Sandra's gaze on me, a charged intensity that was almost tangible.