Chapter 1

I never imagined that after all these years, I'd see Wayne Donaldson again in a prison.

Me locked inside. Him standing outside.

The badge that named him chief attorney gleamed so hard it hurt my eyes.

I remembered, a long time ago.

The one who swore she'd get into Ashford and become a lawyer was me.

The one who chased Wayne down and cursed him out was me too.

And the one who threatened to report him herself if he ever strayed from the straight path, that was me as well.

1

"0714, we need to conduct your final review before release."

I came back to myself and sat up straight.

By the book, I said everything I was supposed to say.

I'd been sentenced to five years. For meritorious conduct, two years were cut.

If today went smoothly, I could be out next month.

It would be a lie to say I didn't crave freedom.

But now that I was actually getting out, I didn't know how I was supposed to face those people.

"0714, describe your meritorious conduct in detail."

"I designed a surveillance system that can help upgrade the prison's monitoring integration process."

"Did you do it yourself, or did someone help you?"

"Every technical process and patent is on record. Lawyer Donaldson can review them anytime."

Wayne and the accompanying officer applied to pull the files.

The overhead light was harsh.

I kept my head down, looking at the handcuffs on my wrists.

"0714, three years ago you were turned by a criminal organization. What was your motive?"

Wayne's voice reached my ears.

I didn't want to look at him.

I repeated the reason the same way I had hundreds, thousands of times before.

I didn't actually have to answer this question.

This was a file retrieval, not a review.

The conversation during this part wouldn't go on record.

Wayne had taken off the listening device and blocked the camera.

He shaped each word with his lips:

"Gladys Harding, you can trust me. I can help you."

He was still the way I remembered him.

"I want you to tell me the real reason."

Three years in prison, I'd heard that line until my ears had gone numb.

"I did it willingly. No reason, no hardship, nothing hidden."

"Wayne, you're only now trying to play the hero? Bit late for that."

I studied him, the veins on his hands standing out more sharply because of my mockery.

Five minutes later.

The accompanying officer pushed the door open.

After a few more routine questions, today's interrogation ended.

The policewoman told me Wayne didn't accept my stated motive for release and had filed a request for reexamination.

But he wasn't the one who made the final call.

His judgment only factored into the evaluation. I'd already met the conditions for release.

A month later, I stepped out of prison as I'd hoped.

Wayne was waiting at the gate.

2

Waiting at the gate along with Wayne was a row of black cars.

That was the mark of the Taylor family of the port city.

In the very first car sat the man who now held power in the Taylor family, Fabian Taylor.

The same man who'd put me in prison.

A bodyguard stepped forward and took the things I'd carried out with me.

I hesitated, then got into Fabian's car anyway.

The Maybach's engine roared to life.

Wayne blocked the car again.

I didn't want to make a scene here.

I glanced at Fabian beside me, whose face had already gone sour, and got out of the car.

I gave the diamond ring newly settled on my finger a little shake.

"As you can see, I got married three years ago. Now I'm going home."

"By law, whatever I do after my release is none of your business, is it, Lawyer Donaldson?"

The words didn't make Wayne back off.

Instead, whatever madness had gotten into him,

he actually reached out, right there in front of everyone, and grabbed hold of me.

"He put you in there, and you're still leaving with him?"

I hadn't wanted to say much more to Wayne.

But that question, he had no right to ask.

"What else? Should I leave with you instead?"

"Lawyer Donaldson, weren't you the one who wouldn't pass my release review? Wanted me to stay in there and watch you flex your power?"

My hand rubbed together out of habit.

Jason Fox, who'd always followed me, caught it.

He lit a cigarette, bowed at ninety degrees, and passed it to my hand.

I took it, practiced.

If there was one thing I'd never gotten used to in prison, it was probably this.

I blew out a ring of smoke, and it landed square on Wayne's face.

He frowned, staring at me, saying nothing.

Fabian rapped on the car door from inside.

I knew what he meant. He was getting impatient.

"See you around, if fate allows, Lawyer Donaldson."

"Though you know as well as I do, us meeting again is never a good thing."

"After all, you're exactly the kind of upstanding person I hate most now—"

I flicked the cigarette.

A few flecks of ash fell onto Wayne's glossy black suit.

I straightened his collar for him, and in a voice only the two of us could hear, I gave him a warning.

"Stay away from me."

"Or I won't let you off next time."