Chapter 4

4.

After all these years, she was still just as certain she was right, still tilting toward Felix's side, playing favorites like always.

But my brother had been dead for twenty years.

How could a dead man threaten Felix?

Before I could say another word, Juliana hung up.

I sat there a long time, staring at nothing.

Then I reached into the hidden compartment of my briefcase and pulled out the stack of evidence I'd spent years collecting, the proof of Felix's plagiarism.

The publication timeline on those papers was enough to clear my brother's name.

At the bottom of the stack was a faded photo of him.

My eyes stung.

"Bernard, tomorrow we go get justice together."

Early the next morning, I went to the courthouse alone.

At the entrance, Felix came toward me with Asher, Juliana trailing behind them, a thick briefcase in her hand.

She looked at me, cold all the way through.

She walked up and let out a sneer.

"Where's Bernard? Why isn't he here? Scared?"

All these years.

She'd never wavered from her belief that my brother had stolen from Felix.

But after she left to protect Felix, my brother killed himself.

Before I could open my mouth, Asher put on his usual arrogance.

"Dickerson, that plagiarizing dog of a brother of yours harassed my mother back then and stole my father's paper."

"And now you're coming after me too."

"My mother's already gathered every piece of evidence of your 'plagiarism.' Today we're not just going to ruin your name, we're settling accounts with that useless brother of yours too, the one hiding and too scared to show his face!"

Felix pointed off into the distance and gave a faint smile.

"See them? I brought those reporters here myself. The second you walk out, they'll swarm you and dig up every detail of how you plagiarized. You won't get away."

I followed his hand. Dozens of people stood there with cameras, plus a crowd of onlookers.

They looked at me the way you'd look at a piece of prime prey.

I kept my face blank.

Go ahead.

The bigger the scene, the harder it would be for them to clean up.

Soon the court was in session.

Juliana laid out all her so-called evidence of my "plagiarism" and submitted it to the judge.

Then, with airtight professional jargon, she twisted a handful of academic fragments into what looked like clear-cut plagiarism.

Finally she pointed at me and raised her voice:

"All of this evidence proves that he tore apart other people's academic work to pave the way for his own career."

"He has no real ability whatsoever. Every honor he's received is nothing but a con on the public!"

"And now he's abusing his position to smear my son with plagiarism charges and humiliate the man I love."

"I request a sentence of no less than ten years' imprisonment, and the stripping of all his professional standing!"

"He must pay the price for slandering my son!"

Just then something sly flickered in Felix's eyes.

"Juliana, the reason he dares to do all this, I suspect it's that plagiarist brother of his pulling the strings from behind."

"For years now, he's been threatening and intimidating me."

"I feel like if this keeps up, I'll fall into depression."

Hearing that, Juliana comforted him.

"Felix, don't worry. That crooked good-for-nothing thinks he can keep hounding you? I prepared the evidence long ago. Today he pays for it."

Then she pulled out a stack of chat records and showed them to the judge.

Righteously, she said, "These are all of Bernard's threats against the man I love, going back years."

"Many of them threaten his personal safety, which has kept my client's partner living in fear all these years, causing serious disruption to his life and his sense of security."

"The circumstances are already severe."

"I ask that coercive measures be taken against him, and that he be brought here to face punishment."

The judge looked at me.

"Defendant, do you have anything you wish to say?"

"If plaintiff's counsel is telling the truth, please have your brother come to the court."

I shook my head.

"On the matter of Asher's plagiarism, I have nothing to say."

"But on the matter of Felix's plagiarism, I have all the proof I need."

"It's just that my brother... he can't come."

Felix roared:

"You're still trying to muddy the waters! Your brother was the one who plagiarized me back then!"

"Where is he? Bring him out! The coward who only dares to scheme behind people's backs."

Juliana scoffed.

"Over the years, he really has grown more and more afraid of the light."

Then she turned back to soothing Felix.

That kind of care, I'd never once seen it given to my brother.

Rage set my whole body shaking, and cold laughter kept spilling out of me.

She frowned:

"What are you laughing at?"

I stared her down:

"I'm laughing because so this is what you look like when you care about someone."

"What a joke, that my brother never once knew it. He had to watch his own wife help another man tear him apart."

She sneered.

"Your brother plagiarized Felix and threatened him. His character was rotten. He has no one to blame but himself."

"Leaving him was the best decision I ever made."

"Get him here, now, or don't blame me for making sure he serves even longer."

"I told you, he never threatened anyone, and he can't come to court."

"Why?"

"Because he's been dead for a long time."