My Affair

Chapter Eleven

I could shit myself right now.

It's the day of Brinda's trial and here we are, a few minutes early to court. My hair was straight, light makeup, and I wore high-waisted army green dress pants, a matching color blazer and a simple black shirt. I slipped on black heels and grabbed my bag, checking the time on my watch as I walked downstairs.

The dinner went extremely well. After Alessandro and I... connected, I served everyone desert, which was a simple crepe cake. Everyone enjoyed it and as they were leaving, Alessandro placed another kiss to my cheek and thanked me for the night, subtly thanking me for our time in the bathroom.

I was pleased to say the least. But I still had this thought in the back of my head telling me that what I did was wrong, and that Oliver deserves better than me. Any other day I would be pondering in my feelings right about now but today isn't any other day, it's Brinda's trial day and any thoughts of my personal life would be shoved down the toilet and flushed.

Bella was here, but not with us, since after opening statements, I'd need to present my witness and she was my only witness. "It'll be fine. He won't even speak; it'll be like he's not there." I set a hand on her shaking thigh.

"No, you don't understand. I'll feel him. Even if he is far away, I'll hear his breathing a- and-" She choked, tears spilling down her cheeks.

I hugged her. I didn't know what else to do but hug her and wipe her tears. "Don't let him have this power or hold on you Brinda. When we get in there, don't let him see weak, even when we leave show him that your stronger." She nodded, wiping away at the rest of her tears. "Deep breaths. Come on." I took a few breaths in and out with her until her leg stopped shaking and she seemed calmer.

"Thank you-."

"The judge is ready." I nodded at the officer and waited until Brinda felt good and ready to enter the room. "Head held high." She nodded, breathed deeply and fixed her stance. We walked inside, side by side, and not once did she even glance his way even as he was staring holes into her head.

After the judge and everyone were seated, it was time for the opening statements in which the defense would go first. Nate Thomas stood, tall, dark brown hair that was slicked back and he wore a black suit and blue tie.

"As the judge just instructed you the defense doesn't have to stand here give an opening statement, the burdens not on the defense. We can sit back and wait and see what the evidence is, and the later team can come and try and poke holes at it, bring up issues. But we're not doing that, we're going to stand here today and tell you, at least based on revealed evidence, what this case is about. We often times hear people talk about no means no of course no means no, but the question really becomes, and you will see through the course of this case and in this case, the state of Atlanta versus Zac Dubois, did anybody ever really so no."

This fucking asshole.

"You and your husband get into a heated argument and you claim to be sexually assaulted," He looked over at us with a sly smirk almost unnoticeable, "There are studies on this, and they have shown this occurs. The plaintiff has said there was alcohol involved and cannot remember nights accurately but that does not suggest there was no consent." He looked away. "Some of you may not be comfortable with your verdict in this case. But nonetheless upon the close evidence in this case in the state of Atlanta we will especially submit to you, Mr. Zac Ryan Dubois the verdict is not guilty. Thank you."

I fixed my blazer as I stood up, he was whispering something in Zac's ear and from the small smile on his face they probably thought they had a shot.

"Brinda Dubois. Fighting with her husband in the late-night hours, attacked, beaten, and horribly raped. The state will prove to you throughout the course of this trial, all at the hands of one man," I pointed towards Zac, "the defendant, Zac Dubois. The defendant is charged with multiple accounts of intercourse without consent, assault, and assault with a weapon. For the three crimes he perpetrated on Brinda Dubois, his wife, over three months of their marriage he has since gotten no punishment. We'll see a lot of photographs, videos, and physical exhibits but most importantly you will see the defendant, Zac Dubois's telephone. You will hear and you will see the contents of that telephone."