I’m a top-tier litigator, or at least I was. When I handed in my resignation, everyone cheered. My resignation was approved faster than a speeding bullet. Only Chloe Sterling, an intern from my fiancé’s law firm, was visibly distressed. Ignoring everyone’s protests, she insisted on kneeling before me, begging me to stay. “Ms. Hayes,” she pleaded, her voice trembling, “even if the evidence you gathered proved useless, the legal world still needs someone with your dedication!” I scoffed, a bitter taste in my mouth, and turned my back on her. In my past life, I poured my heart and soul into defending the innocent, going to extreme lengths, risking everything to collect even the most minuscule pieces of evidence. Yet, every time I stepped into court, Chloe would stand on the opposing side, systematically dismantling my arguments, securing victories for the wicked. Powerful tycoons hailed her as a legal prodigy, while cruelly branding me a self-righteous clown for fighting for the poor. After a string of crushing defeats, the victims’ families, convinced I was deliberately sabotaging cases, kidnapped me and drowned me in the ocean. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Chloe first sought my advice, right before our first trial.
“Stella, this case isn’t tough. I’m confident you’ll secure our eleventh consecutive win for the firm!” I snapped back to reality, seeing my boss, Mr. Harrison, beaming at me, and the familiar comfort of my office. “Don’t be so sure,” Ashley, a colleague who’d always disliked me, piped up, seizing the opportunity to mock me. “I heard the firm next door has a legal genius intern. She won countless awards in college. This time, she’s up against our chief litigator, Stella. Are you nervous?” I swayed as I stood, staring in disbelief at the scene before me. I was actually back on the day of my first clash with Chloe—the very day her legend as a legal prodigy began! Frantically, I shuffled through the evidence on my desk. It was meticulously organized, every photo accounted for. Just like in my previous life, Chloe walked into my office, a Boba tea in her hand. “Stella, this is an extra one my mentor, Leo, got when he bought his. I brought it for you! It’s my first time in court, so please, go easy on me.” In my past life, I’d drunk that tea and found myself rushing to the restroom multiple times. Had Chloe used that opportunity to peek at my case files? This time, I merely took the cup, my voice flat. “The law is merciless!” Without giving her a chance to respond, I clutched my evidence and drove straight to the courthouse. Half an hour later, Chloe and I stood on opposite sides of the courtroom. “When the victim died, the defendant claimed to be at The Nightfall Club, with a witness to corroborate his alibi. However, my investigation of the Maple Street surveillance footage yesterday shows the defendant’s car leaving the scene three minutes after the victim’s death. Defense counsel, please respond.” I presented the photos and evidence. But when I looked at Chloe, she didn’t flinch. “Your Honor, I also have the Maple Street surveillance footage here. However, the license plate on the vehicle is not that of my client. Is it possible that the plaintiff’s attorney has tampered with the surveillance evidence?” A collective gasp swept through the audience, and whispers erupted as people pointed fingers at me. Ashley shot me a middle finger. Over the next few minutes, I continued to present evidence, but Chloe countered each piece instantly, catching me completely off guard. I felt myself swaying, the room spinning. This was exactly how it had happened in my past life. It was this very lawsuit that marked the beginning of Chloe’s widespread fame as a legal prodigy. She was hailed as the goddess of justice, a true savior of the legal world. Her evidence was always impeccable, and her efficiency unmatched. What took me half a month to investigate and organize, she completed in three days, drastically cutting down client fees. “That chief litigator is a fraud! She claims to help the poor, but she’s just taking money from both sides—she can’t even win a case!” “She’s an animal, fabricating evidence and framing people! Doesn’t she fear the victims rising from their graves to drag her to hell?!” To prove my innocence, I worked tirelessly, day and night, risking life and limb to uncover the truth and evidence. But every time I entered the courtroom, Chloe either produced the evidence before me or proved that mine was fabricated. The victims’ families, believing I had taken money from the killers to intentionally frame the innocent with false evidence, banded together, kidnapped me, and drowned me in the sea. My parents, desperate to find a lawyer for my case, found all doors closed. Even my fiancé, Leo, cut ties with me. Chloe appeared in court on my behalf, telling everyone that she had found evidence proving I had committed suicide out of shame. My parents didn’t believe it. They vowed to sue Chloe and see her punished, but then they were brutally murdered by the victims’ families. Now, reborn, I would make sure Chloe exposed herself and was utterly disgraced!
“Did you hear? She’s just an intern? And she so easily beat Stella Hayes, the chief litigator!” “It’s not over yet, is it? Let’s see if Stella has any more evidence.” The discussions in the gallery grew louder, everyone eager for the outcome of the lawsuit. My face was pale as I waited for the judge’s final verdict. When the word “lose” reached my ears, a murmur of shock and suspicion rippled through the audience. Mr. Harrison walked down from the bench, a look of disappointment on his face, patting my shoulder encouragingly. “Maybe you’ve been working too hard lately. Take a couple of days off!” “How could the chief litigator lose to an intern? Were all her previous wins just flukes?” Listening to the audience’s speculation, I tried to calm myself. Since I’d been given a second chance at life, I would proceed cautiously, step by step, to find a flaw in her methods. Chloe couldn’t possibly have beaten me through legitimate means. How else could her evidence align perfectly with mine? I suspected Leo, my fiancé, might have looked at my evidence at home for the sake of his law firm. After two days of rest, Mr. Harrison assigned me another case. This time, I dared not go home. I always avoided Leo’s return times, and I locked all my evidence in a safe. Even when going out to investigate, I was extremely cautious, never driving myself. Ashley mocked me, calling me crazy and paranoid, saying I never went home. But I felt foolproof. This time, no one knew my whereabouts, and no one could access my evidence. I simply refused to believe that Chloe could use my own evidence against me this time. Full of confidence, I stepped into the courtroom again. I meticulously laid out my evidence, connecting all the clues and motives, leading to the undeniable conclusion that the defendant was the murderer. But Chloe remained perfectly calm. I started to feel uneasy. Could she… When I finished, she again presented evidence, completely demolishing mine. Ultimately, I lost again. Thunderous applause erupted from the gallery, crushing me, leaving me breathless. After court, she walked toward me, a smile playing on her lips. “Stella, I guess I win again!” This time, I had been incredibly careful, even avoiding going home, so the problem wasn’t with Leo. I calmly reconsidered. Perhaps, since the cases were similar and Leo and I were classmates and partners, our thoughts might align. So, he might have guided Chloe on where to find case breakthroughs. The moment I took on a new case, I immediately asked for the name of the opposing counsel. As long as it wasn’t Chloe Sterling, my evidence would be impeccable. So, I boldly resumed my investigation, from surveillance footage of every street the victim walked down, to questioning people at every mall they passed through. I desperately collected every usable clue and piece of evidence, ensuring nothing was overlooked. Ashley sneered, “Didn’t you refuse to go home last time, afraid someone would steal your evidence? Why are you throwing caution to the wind now?” I ignored her, focusing solely on organizing my evidence into a cohesive chain. This time, I was certain I would win this case! I found out that Chloe didn’t know I had taken on this case, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But just as I presented half of my evidence in court, the opposing lawyer began to crumble under my relentless assault. After a one-hour recess, the defense attorney was replaced by Chloe. The result, as you can imagine, was the same: my evidence was once again completely overturned by Chloe. I sank back into my seat at the defense table, disbelief washing over me, as I met the disappointed gazes of the victims’ families. How could Chloe have done it so perfectly when she clearly hadn’t had time to investigate? Chloe, meanwhile, accepted the defendant’s praises with a radiant smile, showing no signs of anything amiss. I was beyond thinking. The public’s curses made me feel like life wasn’t worth living. Leo, seeing my disheveled state, frowned in displeasure. “Stella, is it so hard to admit you’re not as good? Who are you putting on this act for?” I had so much to say, but no words came out. Chloe linked her arm through his. “Don’t be so hard on Stella, Leo. I’ve seen how hard she works. She’s just not as naturally gifted!” She turned to him, her voice sweet. “You promised to take me out to celebrate if I won this case! Stella, want to join us?” Leo glanced at me dismissively, his tone commanding. “You should go home and rest for a few days. You’ve been obsessing lately! Maybe you should just focus on planning our wedding and starting a family. If you don’t have Chloe’s talent, don’t force it!” I couldn’t bear to meet the eyes of Mr. Harrison or my colleagues. An inexplicable dread filled me when I thought of Chloe’s abilities. But I couldn’t find a single flaw in her methods. I had tried almost every possible way. How was Chloe doing it? 4. From that day on, the firm gradually stopped assigning me cases. Everyone started treating me like I was invisible. Even Mr. Harrison began secretly contacting Chloe, trying to lure her to our firm. My private office was emptied out, too, supposedly to make room for someone more capable. My life became a torrent of mockery and curses. Chloe visited me once during this period. She leaned in close, her eyes brimming with disdain. “Aren’t you feeling helpless? Without a clue?” She whispered, “Stella, you just can’t compare to me! Your reputation, even your fiancé—I’m taking it all!” Chloe’s fame spread back to our alma mater. The prestigious alumni spotlight, which had once belonged to me, now featured Chloe’s name. And the invitation I’d received last month to speak at the school’s sharing session was rescinded; they informed me of a last-minute change. In an instant, Chloe was basking in glory, while I felt like I was sinking into quicksand. Just then, someone came knocking, specifically asking for me to be their defense attorney. “Ms. Hayes, I know you can help me. I don’t have much money, but for my mother’s case, I only trust you!” I recognized the girl, Maya Rodriguez. It was a sexual assault case where I had helped send her stepfather to prison, finally freeing her and her mother. Ashley rolled her eyes from the side. “She’s notorious now, no one dares to represent her. Little girl, anyone else here would be better than her. At least we wouldn’t lose to a fresh graduate! And we certainly wouldn’t lose three cases in a row!” But Maya said with unwavering conviction, “My mind is made up. I believe in Ms. Hayes!” Mr. Harrison called me into his office, giving me a stern talking-to. “Stella, this is your last chance to turn things around. You know once your reputation is ruined, no one will hire you for cases. Our firm doesn’t keep dead weight.” His words were ruthless, and they placed an immense pressure on me. I swore to him that if I lost this case, I would change professions! I worked day and night, even infiltrating the private club where Maya’s mother worked. After being plied with over a dozen drinks, I finally got some crucial information out of a big shot. The perpetrator, it turned out, was a wealthy heir. I gritted my teeth. No one is above the law. If I had enough evidence, I could definitely send him to prison. On the day of the trial, countless media cameras focused on me. “Chief Litigator’s career in a do-or-die battle. Will she make a comeback?” Seeing Maya’s tear-filled eyes in the gallery, my resolve hardened. I had never been defeated before. Armed with my evidence, I was unstoppable in court. Just when I thought victory was finally within my grasp, Chloe rushed into the opposing counsel’s seat. My breath hitched. A terrible premonition flooded my mind. Chloe and I were locked in a stalemate. I gripped the solid proof in my hand that would nail the wealthy heir as the culprit. But Chloe merely offered a faint smile. “This last piece of evidence in your hand… it must be the footprints in the private club’s restroom, right?” Her smile widened, laced with a predatory edge. “Too bad. My client has a high-low gait; his right foot doesn’t fully touch the ground. So, those footprints on the floor aren’t his.” My head exploded. Even before I presented it, she knew exactly what evidence I held. After the judge announced the verdict, I looked into the gallery, but Maya was gone. My skin crawled, my heart pounding uncontrollably.
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