Chapter 1

For the past three days, Victoria Lancaster's name had dominated nearly every news outlet in the city. The only daughter of the Lancaster family had been found dead in her apartment, and because her family was one of the largest conglomerates in the country, her death had immediately attracted widespread public attention. News of the case spread so quickly that Victoria's private life had become public property. Photographs of her, her romantic relationships, her career, and even her daily habits were being discussed as though there were no longer any boundaries between a criminal investigation and public curiosity.

The police moved quickly, naming Ethan Miller as the prime suspect. The twenty-eight-year-old worked as a food delivery driver and had received an order to Victoria's apartment on the night of her death. Security footage showed Ethan entering the building at 9:12 p.m. and leaving the floor where Victoria lived approximately thirty-six minutes later. Twenty minutes after his departure, Victoria was found dead.

For most people, the sequence of events was enough to reach a conclusion. But for Anneth Laurent, the lawyer appointed to represent the victim's family, everything about the case seemed far too straightforward.

"Attorney Laurent, we'll be going in five minutes."

Anneth raised her head from the tablet filled with notes she had been reviewing. Several case files lay before her, all of which she had read repeatedly since accepting the case. She had memorized most of the timeline by now, yet she still felt there was something she had overlooked.

"Is all the evidence ready?"

"Yes. The CCTV footage, forensic examination results, police reports, and witness list have all been sent to the courtroom. The Lancaster family wants the proceedings to move as quickly as possible because the media pressure is getting worse."

Anneth nodded and closed her tablet. "That's their concern. We will continue to work based on the evidence."

Her assistant offered a small smile. "I know. But there's one thing you might want to know before we go in."

"What is it?"

"The defendant's lawyer was only appointed yesterday."

Anneth picked up one of the files. "Who is it?"

Her assistant checked the notes on her tablet before answering. "Leonard Hayes."

Anneth's hand froze.

That name should no longer have had any effect on her after two years apart. At least, that was what she had always believed. Leonard Hayes was simply the name of a lawyer from another firm who happened to be handling Ethan Miller's case. But to Anneth, the name carried too many memories she had never truly managed to put behind her.

Leonard had once been her husband.

They had lived together, worked in the same profession, supported each other through difficult cases, and built a life that had appeared perfect from the outside. Then a misunderstanding had caused everything they had spent years building to collapse with devastating speed.

Their divorce had been finalized two years ago.

Since then, Anneth had never seen him again.

"Are you all right?" her assistant asked, noticing the change in her expression.

Anneth slipped the document into its folder and stood. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Anneth glanced at her. "I'm just a little surprised to learn that my ex-husband is still working as a lawyer."

Her assistant fell silent before letting out a small, uncertain laugh, seemingly unsure how to respond.

Anneth straightened her blazer and headed for the door. "Come on. I don't want to be late."

They entered the courtroom a few minutes later.

The room was already crowded. Reporters filled the back rows, while Victoria's family sat at the front. Richard Lancaster, the victim's father, appeared composed despite the tension etched across his face. Several family members and their personal legal advisers sat beside him. Victoria's mother seemed far more devastated. Since Anneth had entered the room, the woman had kept her head bowed, clutching a handkerchief in her hands.

Anneth approached the prosecution table and set down her files. From where she stood, she could see Ethan Miller sitting on the opposite side with two officers beside him. He looked much younger than the image the media had portrayed. His face was pale, and his body seemed rigid with tension.

When their eyes met, Ethan quickly looked away.

Anneth said nothing. She simply opened her file and reviewed her notes once more before the proceedings began.

A few moments later, the courtroom doors opened again.

Anneth didn't need to look to know who had just entered. The sound of footsteps behind her stirred her memories faster than her thoughts could catch up. For years, she had grown accustomed to hearing those footsteps in their home. She had known when Leonard was coming back from work, when he was in a hurry, and even when he was exhausted, simply by the sound of his steps.

Anneth drew a breath before finally turning around.

Leonard Hayes stood in the doorway.

Two years had done little to change him. His black hair was still neatly styled, his dark gray suit looked understated yet expensive, and the calm expression that had so often tested Anneth's patience remained exactly as she remembered it.

Leonard saw her, too.

For several seconds, they simply stared at each other from opposite sides of the room.

Neither said a word until Leonard finally made his way toward the defense table. As he passed Anneth, his steps slowed.

"Good morning."

Anneth lifted her gaze. "Morning."

Leonard glanced at the files in front of her. "So you're representing the Lancaster family?"

"You already know that."

"I read the case files."

"Then there's no need to ask."

The corner of Leonard's mouth lifted. "Two years apart, and you're still the same."

Anneth closed her folder. "And you still enjoy saying things that don't need to be said."

"I was only trying to be friendly."

"You picked the wrong person."

Leonard chuckled softly before taking his seat. "I remember."

Anneth was about to respond, but the judge entered the courtroom, and everyone quickly fell silent.

Once everyone was seated, the judge opened the file before him.

"The preliminary hearing in the murder case of Victoria Lancaster is now in session."

Anneth was given the first opportunity to present the case's timeline. She explained that, according to the preliminary investigation, Ethan Miller had been inside the victim's apartment on the night of her death. Security footage showed him arriving at 9:12 p.m. and leaving approximately thirty-six minutes later. The police had also found Ethan's fingerprints in several areas of the apartment and confirmed that his phone had been in the vicinity at a time consistent with the reported timeline.

"The victim was found dead at approximately eleven o'clock that night," Anneth stated. "Based on the available evidence, the defendant was the last known person to have met with the victim before her death."

Leonard rose to his feet after Anneth finished speaking.

"Objection, Your Honor."

The judge motioned for him to continue.

"Counsel for the victim's family has described my client as the last person to meet with the victim. That statement should not be treated as an established fact while the investigation is still ongoing."

Anneth fixed her gaze on Leonard. "The CCTV footage shows him leaving the apartment building before the victim was discovered."

"Correct," Leonard replied calmly. "But the footage only proves that Ethan left the building. It does not prove that no one else arrived afterward."

Several reporters began whispering among themselves.

Anneth wanted to argue, but before she could speak, the judge instructed the officers to display the relevant CCTV footage.

The first recording showed Ethan entering the building with a food delivery bag. Nothing seemed unusual. Several dozen minutes later, he appeared on camera leaving through the lobby.

The officers then played footage from the camera on Victoria's apartment floor.

Anneth watched the screen intently.

Ethan stepped out of the elevator and walked toward Victoria's door. After several minutes, he returned to the elevator and left the floor.

Everything matched the police report.

But when the footage continued, another person appeared, walking toward Victoria's apartment approximately twenty minutes after Ethan had left.

Anneth immediately asked the officers to pause the recording.

"Who is that?"

The officer answered, "We haven't identified the individual yet, ma'am. The face isn't clearly visible."

"Why wasn't this included in the main report?"

The officer hesitated before responding. "Because the investigators haven't found evidence that the person entered the victim's apartment."

Leonard rose from his chair.

"Play it until the person leaves the corridor."

The officer followed his instructions.

The figure walked toward Victoria's door and stopped for a moment before taking out a card and using it to unlock the door.

Anneth stood up at once.

"Stop."

The footage froze just as the apartment door opened.

"Zoom in on the person's hand."

The officer enlarged the image, although doing so made the already poor quality even worse. The person's face remained impossible to distinguish, but the access card was visible enough to make out.

Anneth looked at Leonard.

He was watching the screen just as intently.

"How many people have access to that floor?" he asked the officer.

"Residents, certain building staff members, and guests who have been granted special access."

"Do you have a list?"

"Yes."

Anneth spoke immediately. "Get us a copy."

Leonard nodded. "I also want the visitor log for everyone who entered the building that night."

Anneth turned toward him. "I can handle that myself."

"I know."

"Then why are you interfering?"

Leonard returned to his seat and opened his file. "Because if that person really entered the apartment after Ethan left, they could be an important witness in proving my client's innocence."

Anneth fell silent for a moment. She disliked the fact that, for the first time since they had met that morning, Leonard had said something that actually made sense.

The judge ordered the officers to preserve the footage as additional evidence and instructed the investigators to trace the identity of the person who had used the access card.

Anneth wrote down the order before turning her attention back to the screen.

The footage was played once more.

The mysterious figure walked toward Victoria's apartment, unlocked the door with an access card, and disappeared inside.

No one knew who the person was.

No one knew what they had done in there.

What troubled Anneth most was the realization that someone had been able to enter the victim's apartment after Ethan's departure without ever being mentioned in the main police report.

She capped her pen and leaned back in her chair.

Beside her, her assistant whispered, "It looks like this case isn't as simple as the news made it out to be."

Anneth nodded slowly.

"It never was."

Across the table, Leonard was rereading his documents. As though sensing Anneth's gaze, he lifted his head.

Their eyes met.

Leonard raised an eyebrow before silently mouthing, We need to talk.

Anneth immediately shook her head.

Not now.

Leonard understood and returned to his files.

A few minutes later, the hearing continued with the examination of the remaining evidence. But ever since the footage had appeared on the screen, Anneth's attention was no longer focused entirely on Ethan Miller.

Someone else had visited Victoria's apartment that night.

And to discover that person's identity, Anneth would have to accept the one thing she had wanted to avoid ever since the hearing began: she would have to work alongside Leonard Hayes.