The judge tensed up when the door opened, and he adjusted his glasses, pressing it closer to his nose. The strong smell of coffee and old books filled the judge's office. Donavan entered, exuding an air of unignorable confidence. The judge, engrossed in case files, looked up at his displeasure obvious on his face as he didn't like to be disturbed while working, especially by a man as sly as Donavan. He'd heard quite a lot about him, and he knew not to drop his defenses.Donavan, with a sly grin, began, finding a seat directly opposite him. "It's been a while, Reynolds. I bet you wouldn't have thought you'd be seeing me again."Reynold continued to act uninterested, although he was a bit intimidated by Donavan's presence. "But I did," He responded, folding his hands across his chest. "You might want to start explaining why you're here." Donavan cleared his throat, hoping to steer the conversation to his benefit. "I believe we can find a mutually beneficial arrangement that could resh
Donavan approached Judge Reynold in the hallway just outside the courtroom, a confident yet subtle demeanor about him.Today was the day Oliver's reputation was going to meet the final button. They were going to steal everything away from him just as his father had done Pascal's father. The mere thought of it was pleasing to each of his thoughts, and it made him feel even better than he had absolute control over the situation."Donavan, how has life been treating you lately?" Judge Reynold glanced around cautiously as he asked. Donavan scoffed. Just the day before, he'd rejected having to converse with; suddenly, he cared about his well-being. How appalling."Oh, I've been great, dear friend. I guess money does change the way a person is addressed." He tucked his hands in his pocket and leaned back against the wall, staring at Reynold.Somehow, Reynold got to realize Donavan wasn't the kind of man to make jokes with. Aside from the deal they had, he couldn't bring himself to like him
"What happened, Donavan?" Pascal asked, his voice raised up a notch as he made his way into Donavan's office. His anger was palpable; he wore it in his sleeves, his bloodshot eyes holding Donavan's.He walked closer to Donavan's desk and hit his palms against it; the impact sent the files and a few items scattering on the tiled floor. Donavan leaned back, and he didn't need a word to know how angry Pascal was about the fucked up situation.It all happened so fast, and he couldn't pinpoint the dent in his plans either. He'd strategized so carefully with Reynold, and their missing was protected. Yet, Oliver, despite his being in confinement, managed to stay one step ahead of them.Thinking about the wasted effort made Donavan feel a lump rising at the back of his throat. It was definitely the worst thing he'd ever experienced in his entire life of being in business. It killed him more than Pascal could think of.And Pascal shared those grievances, along with anger churning in his stoma
Bill stood next to the lawyer, who was seated directly opposite Oliver. The case had been successfully adjourned just as they had planned, which gave them more time to restrategize.The case was a scare for Oliver, especially with the rate of escalation, but now that it had been slowed, they'd have more time to brainstorm on how to stop Pascal and Donavan."I didn't know Reynold had so many crimes tied to his neck," Oliver expressed. "Honestly, before the police came in, I'd expected the worst, though I knew the contingency plan was in place."Thompson smiled, shaking his head slowly as he listened to Oliver while Bill just stuck with silence. More often than not, he preferred to be a listener, a watcher, the one who faded into the background.Pressing his glasses closer to his nose with his index finger, Thompson began. "It wasn't an easy task to perform, but we pulled it off, fortunately. Reynold's source of wealth had always begged questioning, but no one had paid mind to it until
Donavan leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the polished mahogany table as a man made his way into the office.Donavan's head shot up in anticoagulation, a glint in his eyes as he stared. The driver, nervously shuffling his feet, relayed the details of the successful mission."Boss, I did what you asked," He stuttered, his eyes lingering on the floor. The guilt weighed on his shoulder, although this wasn't his first rodeo m "Thompson's car got hit real bad. He's gone."Donavan eyed the driver with a scrutinizing gaze, assessing the sincerity in his words. "Are you sure? Did you check?""Yeah, boss, I swear. I checked. He ain't breathing no more."A sly smile played on Donavan's lips as he contemplated the success of his scheme. It was relieving to know that Oliver was trapped once more. "Good. You'll get the rest of your payment soon. But remember, this stays between us. Loose lips sink ships, my friend. Also, did anyone see you? That intersection was a bli
A new judge was assigned to the case after Reynold was arrested. This time, the plaintiff wanted to do a thorough job, so the next best man it could ever be assigned to was McCurdy Jacobs, one of the best and most influential judges in town.McCurdy is known for his strictness, always addressed as the no-nonsense man who'd do anything to get to the bottom of a case. And so it happened, the Oliver case was brought to him with high expectations. Jacobs' assistant walked into his office with the file containing every single information about the case.Jacobs looked up, peering through his glasses at this unexpected intrusion. He raised a brow as the document was tendered before him. "This is everything about the case," He relayed calmly. "In case you need additional information, I'd be at your beck and call, sir."Pulling the file close, Jacob perused over the file for a brief moment, trying to get the overall story. Nothing about the documentation seemed right, and he could immediately
Pascal barged into Donavan's office. Yet again, something was posing a threat to their plans. It was unsettling to think of what happened the last time repeating itself. It would break him.Ever since the death of his mother, reclaiming his position in the Lionheart family had been his only goal. He owed her that. He owed himself that. Pascal took a seat after Donavan's secretary told him he hadn't arrived yet. He could barely regain control over his hand. They shook uncontrollably, and he couldn't stop tapping his legs aggressively. Nothing about him was settled. He needed to hear from Donavan in person and deliberate over the next course of action.They needed to stay one step ahead of Oliver this time, or they were fucked. Everything they'd worked for would crumble if the plan went to rumbles this time around.Unable to withstand the pressure anymore, Pascal tucked his hands in his pockets and pranced the room. The tension building inside of him threatened to explode. He took the
The phone trembled in Judge Jacobs' hand as he dialed the number from Oliver's file. It rang a few times before a voice on the other end answered, "Oliver Lionheart's office. This is Bill speaking, his secretary. How may I help you?"Jacobs hesitated for a moment, the weight of his decision settling heavily on his shoulders. "This is Judge Jacobs. I'd like to speak with Oliver. It's urgent."Bill, sensing the urgency of the situation, felt a knot tighten in his stomach. "Judge Jacobs, it's a surprise to hear from you. Oliver is still in detention. Is everything alright?"Jacobs hesitated once again, contemplating how much to reveal. "I need to discuss something with Oliver in person. It's of utmost importance. Can we arrange a meeting?"Bill furrowed his brows, detecting an underlying tension in Jacobs' voice. "Of course, Judge Jacobs. We can meet in n the detention room in two hours. Will that work for you?"Bill had been outside the police station for as long as he could remember, b