Aurelia got seated in her workspace. "Okay Aurelia, you can do it. Just ignore Mister Vincent as much as you can!" she muttered under her breath, almost like an oath.
You don't automatically know what to work on until it's assigned, so she waited for the meeting to be held. Meanwhile, the three other candidates who were with her came and settled down.
They greeted each other warmly and almost jokingly took an oath to work harder.
Suddenly, she noticed an employee walking into Vincent's cabin. Moments later, both of them headed toward the discussion room—the place where clients usually came to request an advocate for their case. Now if Mr. Vincent himself was going there, it was obvious that the case involved a criminal offense.
"Aurelia, did you see today's news?" a fellow coworker, Evelyn, asked.
Aurelia shook her head slightly.
Carl leaned in, adding, "The news channels are flooded. A famous businessman, Daniel Reeves—partner of tech entrepreneur Adrian Cole—died last night in a car accident. But people are saying it might not be an accident… could be murder. And guess who's under suspicion? Adrian Cole."
"Really? I didn't know that… let me check," Aurelia said quickly.
She opened her computer and searched for the case Carl mentioned. She went through two articles in no time—she was a fast reader.
Soon, the three settled back into their seats after arranging their files and belongings.
"Everyone, listen."
Of course. Vincent.
Aurelia's face instinctively fell, while everyone else turned their attention toward him.
"New team who joined today, report to the conference room within five minutes. I will assign tasks for each individual."
Aurelia sighed softly. Still, it was better than sitting idle. Working meant distraction. She wondered—just for a second—if he would actually assign her a real case.
The four newly joined reported punctually—Carl, Evelyn, Aurelia, and Austin.
Vincent sat at the head, expression cold, unreadable.
"Carl and Austin, you are assigned to draft and finalize reports for the recent Corporate Cover-Up case handled by Mr. Johnson. Study it and prepare a detailed document. Clear?"
They nodded immediately.
"Miss Evelyn, you will review the legal documents for The Missing Evidence Case whose verdict was declared last Friday. Understood?"
Evelyn agreed without hesitation.
Aurelia waited a second… then spoke.
"Sir, what task shall I do?"
Vincent looked at her, lifting his eyebrows slightly. "Aurelia, right?"
"Yes, sir," she replied—confidence mixed with hesitation.
"You must have seen the news about Daniel Reeves."
"Yes, I have," she answered, this time with more certainty.
"His sister came in today. She believes the accident was intentional—planned."
Aurelia nodded slowly.
"You will be working with me as junior attorney for this case."
Aurelia blinked. "Me? But I'm new—I—"
Vincent cut in, firm and composed. "You have two options. Handle this case with me, or resign. Montclair Group does not consider experience or inexperience—only talent and potential. Am I clear?"
No option left.
Aurelia nodded, forcing a small smile—one of those I have no choice but to agree smiles.
Carl, Austin, and Evelyn stepped out of the conference room one by one, their voices fading into the corridor.
The door clicked shut.
For a brief second—Aurelia didn't move.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the table as she looked at the empty doorway… then, almost unconsciously, her gaze shifted to Vincent.
A silent, very clear look crossed her face.
Help.
Not spoken. Not dramatic. Just… there.
Vincent noticed.
And ignored it.
No reaction. No reassurance. Nothing.
He simply walked past her, placed a file on the table, and opened it.
"Sit."
Aurelia straightened instantly and took her seat, masking everything.
Professional.
Fine.
She could do that—even after taking an oath to stay away from him.
Vincent slid the file toward her without looking up.
"Daniel Reeves. Review."
Aurelia opened it, scanning carefully this time.
"Cause of death—vehicular impact… brake failure suspected…" she read softly.
"Suspected," Vincent corrected.
She glanced up. "Not confirmed?"
"No external tampering found," he said. "Yet."
She flipped another page.
"Adrian Cole… business partner… recent disputes… financial disagreements…"
Vincent looked at her. "Primary person of interest."
Aurelia frowned slightly. "Then what's the complication?"
Vincent met her gaze briefly before answering, voice flat.
"He wasn't there."
Aurelia stilled. "He has an alibi?"
A nod.
"Time of incident—10:42 PM. At that exact time, Adrian Cole was in a live video conference with twelve individuals."
Aurelia blinked.
"Live?"
"Yes."
"Verified?"
"Yes."
Each answer felt final.
Aurelia leaned back slowly.
"…So we have motive… but no physical possibility."
"Correct."
Silence stretched.
Aurelia closed the file halfway.
"That doesn't sit right."
"Discomfort isn't a legal argument," Vincent said evenly.
Her gaze lifted again—steadier now.
"No. But patterns are."
A faint pause.
Vincent leaned forward slightly, attention sharper.
"Go on."
Aurelia exhaled softly.
"You have motive. You have timing. And then suddenly—an alibi that cancels everything."
She shook her head.
"That kind of balance doesn't happen naturally."
"It happens when facts support it," Vincent replied.
"Or when facts are arranged to support it," she countered.
The air shifted.
Vincent tapped the table once.
"That's an assumption."
"It's a possibility," Aurelia said, holding her ground. "And ignoring possibilities in a case like this is worse than chasing the wrong ones."
A longer pause.
Vincent studied her.
Then—
"Fine."
He walked to the screen and turned it on.
A paused video appeared—Adrian Cole mid-sentence, composed, perfectly framed.
"The alibi. Watch."
He played it.
Voices filled the room—clean, structured, ordinary.
Aurelia watched quietly.
No interruptions.
Her eyes moved across everything—not just Adrian, but the participants, the flow, the timing.
Vincent didn't look at her.
He let her observe.
A full minute passed.
Then—
"Pause."
He paused it immediately.
Aurelia leaned forward slightly.
"Play it again."
He did.
They watched again.
This time, she didn't speak.
She leaned back slowly.
Thinking.
Vincent turned the screen off.
"Well?"
Aurelia hesitated.
"…Nothing concrete. It looks normal."
"Because it is—until proven otherwise."
Aurelia pressed her lips together.
"But…" she started, then stopped.
Vincent looked at her. "But?"
She exhaled.
"It feels controlled," she said slowly. "Too controlled. The pacing… the way he speaks… it's consistent in a way that feels deliberate."
"Consistency is not a crime."
"No. But it can be a pattern."
Another pause.
Vincent stepped closer.
"And patterns," he said, voice firm, "become arguments only when you prove intent behind them."
Aurelia met his gaze.
"Then we find intent."
A beat.
Vincent nodded once.
"Good."
He placed another set of documents in front of her.
"Start with the footage. Break it down—timing, responses, interactions. I don't want opinions. I want inconsistencies."
Aurelia took the file.
"Yes, sir."
Vincent turned toward the door, then paused.
"Aurelia."
She looked up.
"If this alibi holds, we don't have a case."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"And if it doesn't?"
Vincent opened the door.
"Then we proceed."
And he walked out.
Aurelia sat there for a moment, staring at the blank screen.
Then slowly opened the file again.
Her eyes moved—sharper now. More focused.
"…Too perfect," she murmured.
A pause.
Her thoughts lined up, one after another—
Can this video be pre-recorded?
Or… are the timings manipulated?
Nothing certain.
Just questions.
But this time—
she wasn't going to leave them unanswered.