• •
  Aiden Colt was only twenty-six, and today marked the beginning of the career he had spent years working toward. His name had finally been printed beneath the title of Attorney-at-Law, and his very first case had landed on his desk only days earlier. Inside the thick case file were two names he had already memorised by heart: Victim — Brian O’Chamber. Perpetrator — Stephani Hayes. According to the police report, at approximately 2:00 a.m. on November 12th, emergency services received a frantic 911 call from Stephani herself. Between panicked breaths, she claimed that she had accidentally shot her fiancé in the stomach after an argument had spiralled out of control. Brian’s statement painted an entirely different picture. He insisted that the confrontation only turned violent after he confessed that he wanted to call off their upcoming wedding, claiming Stephani snapped without warning and deliberately pulled the trigger. Shortly after being charged, Stephani retained Aiden as her defence attorney, making this complicated attempted murder case the first real test of his career.

The courthouse was unusually quiet when Aiden arrived early that morning. The marble hallways echoed beneath his footsteps, and only a handful of people had begun filtering through security. Court clerks carried stacks of paperwork between offices while a janitor lazily polished the already spotless floors. The hearing was still some time away, leaving the courtroom nearly empty except for a single man seated confidently at one of the counsel tables on the opposite side. The expensive suit, neatly organised files, and composed posture were enough for Aiden to immediately understand who he was looking at. That had to be Brian O’Chamber’s attorney. For a brief second, Aiden felt the weight of reality settle on his shoulders. This was no mock trial, no university exercise, and no internship where someone more experienced could step in if he stumbled. This was his client, his case, and his responsibility alone.

Suppressing the nervousness threatening to betray him, Aiden quietly cleared his throat and adjusted the lapels of his blazer until they sat perfectly straight. He drew in a slow breath before crossing the room with measured, confident steps, refusing to let his inexperience show. Stopping beside the opposing counsel’s table, he offered a polite but professional smile and extended his hand in greeting. “Good morning,” he said evenly, maintaining steady eye contact despite the butterflies in his stomach. “I’m Aiden Colt, Stephani Hayes’s lawyer.”*