"we build sandcatles thats washed away"
Giselle closed the door to her apartment, kicking off her heels before leaning heavily against the wall. Her head throbbed, the events of the day pressing down on her like a crushing weight. The grocery store had been chaos. Seeing Corey's mother's statement felt like a betrayal she couldn't shake. And now, everyone who had ever doubted her abilities as a defense attorney had a reason to gossip.
She tossed her bag onto the kitchen counter and let out a long sigh, running her fingers through her newly darkened hair. Her phone lit up again, vibrating insistently. Another call. She didn't bother to check who it was this time. Instead, she turned the device face down and headed for the bathroom.
Steam soon filled the room as she stepped into a hot shower, hoping it would ease her headache. But as the water poured over her, her thoughts refused to settle. Why didn't Corey tell me this was coming? She had asked him for everything, for every detail that could help or hurt his case. Yet somehow, the most damning statement had come from his own mother.
Her heart ached as she thought about Corey sitting in his cell, waiting for answers she wasn't sure she could provide. What do I even say to him now?
She barely slept that night, tossing and turning until the alarm pulled her into another morning she wasn't ready to face.
The office buzzed with the usual morning energy as Giselle stepped in, coffee in hand, her dark glasses hiding the circles under her eyes. Her assistant gave her a nervous glance before scurrying away, which only heightened her sense of dread.
She made her way to her office but hadn't even set her bag down when her boss, Dany , appeared in her doorway.
"Giselle, we need to talk," he said, his tone grave.
She felt her stomach drop. "Is this about the Carter case?"
"Yes, it is," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He crossed his arms, looking uncomfortable. "After the events yesterday—Corey's mother's statement, the media frenzy—I've decided to reassign the case to Terrence "
"What?" Giselle's voice was sharp, cutting through the air. "You're pulling me off the case because of that statement? I've been handling this from the start!"
Dany held up a hand, trying to calm her. "It's not personal, Giselle. But this case is too volatile now. We need someone with more experience navigating high-profile damage control, and Terrence has that."
Her chest tightened as anger bubbled up. "This isn't about experience; it's about optics. You don't trust me to handle this because of one setback."
"Giselle, it's done," he said firmly. "You'll transition everything to Terrence today."
She stood frozen as he walked out, shutting the door behind him. For a moment, she stared blankly at her desk, the anger and frustration swirling in her chest.
Later that day, Giselle found herself driving to the prison. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her mind racing with thoughts of what she needed to say to Corey. She wasn't sure if it was anger, disappointment, or exhaustion that fueled her, but she knew she had to confront him.
By the time she reached the visitation room, her composure was hanging by a thread.
Corey was already seated at the table, his dark eyes lighting up when he saw her. He looked different today, a faint trace of a smile tugging at his lips.
"Giselle," he greeted, leaning forward eagerly. "I've been waiting all week to see you."
She didn't return the smile, sliding into the chair across from him and placing her bag on the table. Her silence made his smile falter.
