CHAPTER 5

The one at fault...

Jade’s POV

As soon as I stepped onto the porch of our small home, I noticed a man standing near my car, his phone raised as he snapped pictures of it from different angles.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. What the hell?

"Hey, hey! Excuse me?" I called out, walking toward him with quick strides.

The man turned around, his expression neutral. He was tall, well-dressed, and had an air of authority about him.

"May I help you?" he asked, lowering his phone.

I crossed my arms. "Aren’t I supposed to be the one asking that?" I challenged.

Instead of looking surprised, he simply gave me a small nod. "Fair enough."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "What happened, ma’am?"

I blinked. What kind of question is that?

"Why are you taking pictures of my car?" I asked, my tone sharper this time.

The man sighed, as if he was expecting this conversation. "Oh… this is yours?"

I nodded.

"You see… last night, we received a case of a hit and run. The security footage showed four vehicles passing through that road around the time it happened, and—" he motioned toward my car, "yours happens to be one of them."

My heart dropped.

"Oh," was all I could say.

I tried to keep my face unreadable, but my mind was racing. A hit and run? What if… No. No way. It couldn’t be.

The man watched me closely for a few more seconds before turning his attention back to my car. Seeing that I wasn’t reacting much, he resumed taking pictures.

I quickly walked into the house, my mind buzzing with questions.

"Why is that man taking pictures of your car, Jade?" my dad asked as soon as I stepped inside.

I forced a small laugh. "No idea. But he says he likes my car."

It was a weak lie, but I didn’t want to worry him.

My dad chuckled. "That old thing? The only thing it has going for it is reliability."

"Yeah," I said, joining in his laughter.

But deep down, I wasn’t laughing.

I was terrified.

---

Nathaniel’s POV

"Here are the documents containing the cars and their owners that passed through that street on the night of the accident," Jesse said, placing a thick file on my desk.

I shot him a glare, making him hesitate before picking it back up and handing it to me directly.

I flipped through the pages, scanning the names and images of the four vehicle owners. Each file contained detailed information, from their addresses to their driving histories.

Then, my eyes landed on a familiar face.

I stared at the picture, my fingers tightening around the paper.

"I’ve seen her before…" I muttered under my breath.

The memory came rushing back.

"Then keep it for me..."

My jaw clenched.

It was her.

The woman who gave me the rose.

She did this?!

But there was something else. Her face… it stirred something deeper in my mind, like we had met before. And then—like a floodgate opening—another memory came crashing in.

---

"Substitute driver?" I had asked, frowning at the woman in front of me.

"Yes, sir. I was told you were drunk and needed a driver."

"Who… who said I needed you? I’m fine."

I staggered toward my car, fumbling with my keys, but before I could open the door, she snatched them away.

"Hey!" I had yelled.

"Sir, I can’t let you drive like this," she said, holding the keys high above her head, jumping slightly whenever I tried to grab them.

"Give it back, substitute driver," I had grumbled, swaying on my feet.

She shook her head.

And then—everything blacked out.

The next morning, I woke up in my own bed.

---

My grip on the file tightened.

Her.

She looked innocent, always smiling like she was some kind of angel.

But she was the one who did this.

"It has been confirmed that she is the owner of the car that hit Miss June," Jesse said, his tone firm.

I clenched my teeth. Oh, really?

I would make her pay.

"File a report against this woman immediately," I ordered, my voice cold and deadly. "I'll make her pay... I'll make her regret being born."

I grabbed my phone and stormed out of the office.

---

William’s POV

Stacks of legal documents were spread across my desk as I sorted through them, organizing case files.

I was a lawyer, but ever since moving here, I hadn’t taken on a single case. I knew it was only a matter of time before I earned my superiors’ trust.

And today, that time had come.

"Prosecutor William," my boss called.

I immediately stood up. "Yes, sir."

He eyed me for a moment before asking, "Have you eaten?"

I hesitated, surprised by the question. "Yes, sir."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Good. How would you feel about taking your first case?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Excuse me?"

"Your first case," he repeated.

I swallowed hard. Was this really happening?

"I…" I exhaled. "I’m a little tense, sir."

My boss chuckled. "No need to be tense. Since the police decided to indict, it means they have solid evidence. All you have to do is follow through."

"Yes, sir," I said, nodding. A wave of excitement rushed through me. I have to tell Jade about this!

Before I could step away, my coworker, Jude, scoffed.

"Sir, aren’t you being too lenient just because it’s his first case?" he said, crossing his arms.

My boss turned to him. "What?"

"I mean," Jude continued, "all he has to do is show up, and he’ll win the case. Meanwhile, I’m handling a much more difficult one."

My boss let out a hearty laugh and patted Jude’s shoulder. He then turned back to me.

"Work hard," he said simply before walking away.

"Yeah, work hard," Jude muttered before following after him.

I collapsed back into my chair, running a hand through my hair.

My first case!

As I leaned back, I heard Jude’s voice faintly in the hallway.

"About that case, did they catch the culprit yet?"

"It’s not indictable… I heard," my boss replied.

Curious, I picked up the file that had just been placed on my desk and flipped through the pages.

Then—I froze.

My hands trembled as my eyes locked onto a familiar passport photo.

Jade.

My blood turned cold. No… this can’t be.

I flipped through more pages, my breath quickening.

Then, I saw the victim’s name.

June.

I kept flipping.

Then—the crime scene.

Shit!

Memories flashed in my mind like lightning.

I drove the car that night.

Jade wasn’t at fault.

It was me.

I closed my eyes, gripping my hair in frustration.

Well… it is her car.

But I drove it.

I exhaled sharply, my mind spinning.

Why?

Why did it have to be this case?!

I shot up from my chair, heart pounding.

I need to talk to Jade. Fast.