Divorce With Benefits: A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 63: Not So Bright

Chapter 63: Not So Bright

With a tired sigh, the judge relented, signaling for the clerk to resume recording. Harold couldn’t help but smirk from his spot at the back. That was Jerica, always getting what she wanted without bending an inch. The prosecutor gave her a half-hearted apology, but Jerica’s expression made it clear she wasn’t appeased.

She’d won a minor victory, and for the first time that day, she allowed herself a brief smile. They wanted something from her, and now she knew she held the cards. But what did they really want?

Shrier quickly resumed his line of questioning, praising her diligence in maintaining the records room. Jerica let him talk, her face impassive. Let him butter her up—it wouldn’t change her stance. Finally, he shifted his tone, asking, "What is your work relationship with Mr. Petrovski like?"

Jerica blinked, nonplussed. "We don’t have much interaction. There’s rarely a need."

"And the few interactions you have had?" he pressed, a gleam in his eye that put Jerica on edge. She glanced toward Jared and saw his brow furrowed in concern.

"I’m not sure what you’re implying," she replied, guarded.

"Well," Shrier continued, signaling to an assistant, "let’s see if this jogs your memory." A screen lowered as a video began to play, the sound of rustling files filling the silence. Jerica felt her heart sink—she knew this footage.

A furtive glance at Jared showed him watching her intently, his eyes silently asking if she was alright. She didn’t dare respond, not in a way anyone would see, but the silent offer of support did steady her heart.

Her gaze flicked over to Harold, who gave her a small nod, his knowing smile reminding her she could handle this. She turned her attention back to the screen, bracing herself.

The video revealed a moment in the records room with Jared, one she’d thought was private. Her hand instinctively clutched the hem of her skirt as memories flooded back: Jared’s closeness, his kiss—a rare, vulnerable moment between them.

She’d gone there to find some files, and he had surprised her, stirring emotions that had long lain dormant. And now, the intimacy of that moment was on display for the entire courtroom.

Her pulse quickened as the scene continued, the footage rolling forward to a point where Jared had pressed her gently against the cabinet, his hand framing her face.

The video flickered onto the screen, grainy and incomplete. The angle only revealed Jared’s broad back leaning over Jerica, partially blocking the view as they shared a quiet moment in the records room. The tall cabinet behind them obscured the rest, leaving only Jared’s shoulders and a hint of Jerica’s face visible.

Jerica flushed, rubbing the back of her neck, feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up. The whole courtroom watching a simple, tender moment that had felt so private now felt like an invasion.

She inadvertently glanced over at Harold, who sat with his head bowed, unable to meet her eyes. Her gaze shifted to Jared, and she saw his hands clenched tightly, his knuckles white with barely-contained anger.

"So..." The prosecutor, Shrier, leaned forward, voice dripping with mock revelation as if he had just uncovered a grand secret. His smug tone snapped her out of her thoughts.

"This doesn’t exactly look like a... casual interaction," he said, his lips curling into a smirk as though he’d caught her in a lie.

Jerica frowned, still bewildered. "It was an outlier," she replied firmly. "This was the first time it happened."

She felt a stab of shame—yes, making out with her husband in the office was maybe a little unprofessional. But was it so scandalous that it required a subpoena? Government overreach was one thing, but this felt absurd. Her frustration simmered beneath her skin.

Meanwhile, Jared clenched his jaw, his mind racing. This whole thing was a setup, he was sure of it. In the morning, he’d meant to tell her about his suspension—a ridiculous "temporary" punishment. But before he could, she’d left seeing Regina. He didn’t want to follow her as he didn’t want to bear with the grating voice of that odd woman.He thought he would have time when Jerica returned home.

But, instead of going home, he was summoned to court. He hadn’t even realized he was the defendant until he’d seen the charges laid out. This wasn’t a proper trial; it was a rush job, slapped together by someone who wanted him taken down fast.

His eyes swept over to Harold briefly, wondering if the Braddock family had pulled this, or maybe the Glovers. Either way, he’d deal with it later. For now, his attention was fixed on Jerica, who looked confused and, to him, endearing. The judge’s gaze on her seemed to mistake her puzzled look for guilt or fear.

The judge leaned in. "Ms. Evans, would you care to explain the nature of your relationship with Mr. Petrovski?" His voice was laced with a patronizing tone.

Jerica blinked. "The... nature of our relationship?"

What kind of question was that? She thought they were here for a legal proceeding. Shouldn’t this prosecutor, supposedly set on taking down "The Siberian Beast," have a bit more bite? Or was he resorting to gossip-level questions?

She opened her mouth, the words "He’s my husband" on the tip of her tongue, when Prosecutor Shrier leaned in, cutting her off.

"Because no matter how you look at this video," he began, adopting an air of feigned seriousness, "this interaction doesn’t look innocent."

She stared at him, momentarily at a loss. "Excuse me—what?"

Innocent? Since when did a married couple required to have innocence?

Was he seriously implying she and Jared were... what? Lovers sneaking around in some clandestine affair? Heh! They were married.

She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Just as she began to recover from her shock, the judge interjected, his tone sharp.

"Mrs. Evans," he said, his voice laced with dry authority. "The prosecution is suggesting that your interactions with Mr. Petrovski might indicate an... illicit relationship."

It was as though the world slowed down for a moment, Jerica’s disbelief mounting. She turned her gaze slowly toward the judge, her brows knit tightly.

Was this a bad dream? Did these people truly think she was having an affair with her own husband?

Did no one here think to check our marital status? she wondered, incredulous. A few clicks on a database, a glance at a form—her relationship with Jared was hardly a secret.

Now, her frustration turned to anger. She took in the judge’s almost self-satisfied smirk, as though he’d caught her in some scandalous act. What a petty little man.