Love Penalty

Chapter 8: A Blast from The Past

*One week later*

Ava's PoV:

The past week has been one of the most energy draining, high demanding weeks in my life.
I've focused all my effort on this case, giving it my undivided attention.
The last 7 days I've barely slept 2 to 3 hours tops each day. I know this is hazardously unhealthy, but I don't care, I really miss the adrenaline of major cases like this and the satisfaction I get when I win.

It's been a while since I took on a huge case like this. Almost 2 years ago I switched lanes - going mostly for minor cases- in order to get myself some peace of mind. To get away from him.

I didn't want every visit to a court room to cause me a headache, every case having to be difficult for me to win because I still can't get over my ex- boyfriend.
That was the biggest mistake I ever made: me being a defense attorney, dating a prosecutor.
Aside from us being on completely different ends of the spectrum, our hectic schedules, having people call us unprofessional for being together and break the so called rules.
These things I can manage to put up with if I do think the relationship is going to work out.

What I can't put up with is a violent self centered boyfriend who used to beat the shit out of me whenever he was in a bad mood, like after losing an important case or getting obsessively jealous, when on the contrary he would be so loving in public.
I can't believe I dated him back in law school up until 2 years ago, putting up with all his shit.
I broke free of his grip one night when I couldn't take it anymore. Thank god I got myself out of that toxic abusive relationship, or else I would've ended up dead and beaten up on the side of the road one day due to one of his rampages, maybe even raped and murdered like the victim of the case I'm currently handling.

One time, he got so mad at me for a stupid inconvenient matter I don't recall, to the point he fucking slitted the inner side of my left thigh with a kitchen knife and I still got the scar to prove it.

A psycho, I know.

The thing is, when I was fooled at the beginning with his charming act, head over heels in love with him, I voluntarily ignored the red flags. All the warning signs. Convincing myself that he had a good heart, despite the things he did and the way he treated me.

Plain stupidity, I'll admit.

Withstanding all of the above, the craziest thing is he's considered one of the best prosecutors in the state, he's too powerful for me to take down on my own, and honestly after some self reflection I don't think I want to drag him through the mud for being a pathetic excuse of a man he is.
I just want to go on peacefully with my own life, knowing him and I won't cross paths ever again.
He was indeed the reason I stopped taking murder and rape cases, although I'm one hella good lawyer at that, him being the brightest prosecutor in the department of justice, if I took on big cases we'd inevitably meet one day in a courtroom, and I wouldn't be able to focus entirely on the case alone, distracted by painful walks down memory lane and sinister thoughts of setting his house on fire.
So I prefer to never go through with that at all for the sake of my clients, being my number one priority.

Øøøø

It's already 11:30 a.m , I'm currently sitting in my office, spacing out, when a knock on the door pulls me back to reality.
"Come in"  It comes out a little rushed and hurried.
The door opens to reveal Lily, my assistant, she has some files in her hand
"This just came for you" she says smiling politely at me.
and I nod my head motioning for her to hand them to me muttering a quick thank you in the process.

Once she has left, closing the door behind her, I open the first page, the file is basically from DoJ (Department of Justice) containing all the details of the hearing in 2 weeks for Noah's case.

On top of the first page, in bold lines the sentence " The People of the State v. Noah Stefano" is staring right at my face.
And the logo of the department is on the left side of the upper part of it.
I open the second page, revealing more details about the hearing.
The judge's name, the specific charges pressed, the date set for the hearing, what room and on what floor it's taking place.
And just then I spot it. How can I not when it's the only thing I've been trying to avoid for as long as I possibly can.

"Prosecutor: Sam Peterson."

I suddenly freeze in the spot, my breath hitching in my throat.

Why the hell is this happening to me.

Out of all the people it could have been, why did it have to be him?!

I sigh desperately as I massage my throbbing temples with my fingers slowly in a desperate attempt to calm my raging nerves.
Hoping this is just one horrifically bad dream.

My heartbeat picks up when I think about what is going to happen?, what am I supposed to do?, it's a little too late to back out of this case now, especially after Anderson personally trusted me with this.
I don't know what I'm going to do, how in hell I'm going to win this case now that my psycho ex boyfriend is involved in this mess.
I really need to get my shit together, get over this and try my best to focus on winning this case for the sole sake of my client, which I'm seeing in an hour.
Great.

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A/N:

-have you ever been in a toxic/abusive relationship?

-Do you think Ava tells Noah about the prosecutor being her ex? Or what he did to her?

- what will happen when she goes off one on one with Sam? Who will win?

Thanks for reading, please vote!