Mafia Lord's Ultimate PaybacK

Jake sized her up with his narrowed eyes. She was thinner than before. Paler. And the way she gasped made his smirk widened. Pathetic, he thought. But useful. He turned his gaze to Efren, who bowed again before leaving them alone. "What are the questions you would like to ask before the trial begin?" He asked her calmly. He expected her to look up now but she was still looking down. He was beginning to grow impatient by this pathetic act. "I hate repeating myself," He said sternly. Because of how scared she was, a pitiful tear fell on her right cheek, sniffling before raising her head. She blinked rapidly to maintain eye-contact through her blurry gaze. "I-I c...can't do it," she stuttered inaudibly with her heart hammering. He didn't respond to her words, his eyes fell on the files she was clutching in her hands. "I didn't ask you to do it," He stepped toward her until there was barely a foot between them. "I command it." He whispered to her ear. Whatever she would be saying in court doesn't matter. All he wanted was for her to make an appearance and his father be present. Getting rid of that old cunt would be nothing but fulfilling his dying wish since he was a boy. Lillian could feel her breath quickening. She doesn't want to appear in a court she once worked at. How Jake was able to make her appear in court explains to her how far he can go to get what he wants. "Going against my words will cost you the heads of your parents," He threatened. He didn't need to touch her to make her bleed; his words were sharp enough. He looked past her to the CCTV positioned above them. Every move was being watched. Mentioning her parents was a threat and she knew this well. Jake gave her no break, as if tired, grabbed her wrist and pulled her in. She didn't struggle to get his hands off her. All her thoughts was how she could calm down and not fumble, but also filled with fear. When they arrived at the door, he let go of her hands and she wiped her tears. After a breath, He pushed the door open without hesitation and walked in without her. She felt a strong wave of nostalgia hit her as she stared at the court. The atmosphere was tense inside. High-ranking officials, reporters, and foreign diplomats filled the gallery. The case had drawn the country attention. Lillian stepped forward and sat at the defense bench, her heart pounding as she glanced sideways at Jake. He looked... calm. Too calm. He had taken off his shades, his gray eyes flicked to her for the briefest second. His mouth twitched up in amusement. She swallowed hard before looking away. Everyone rose to welcome the judge. Lillian had her head hung low before looking at the judge. She stood stunned. It was Chief Judge Kingston. The judge mirrored her expression but he was quicker to recover than her. "Court is now in session. Please, be seated," the judge says and everyone returned to their seat. The trial went on and the prosecutor laid out horrifying details about the case and the evidence that linked to Jake. Lillian was distracted the whole time, then it was her turn to defend the charges. She rose hesitantly, turning slightly to face the evidence board. Just as she was about to open her mouth, the bailiff approached the judge and whispered something. The judge frowned. His eyes met Lillian's before looking down at the documents on his desk. The change in his aura was evident and heavy silence followed. "The case is dismissed," He announced and Lillian's eyes widened. She turned to Jake, found him to be clenching his jaw with his tight fist on the desk. He looked so furious. Murmurs filled the room as the judge hitted the gavel before leaving the courtroom. Lillian stood frozen in place, confused. Her eyes were still fixed on the judge's bench, trying to make sense of what just happened. Why dismiss the case? Before she could piece anything together, Jake walked toward her in long firm strides. His jaw was tight, his eyes cold. He looked anything but relieved. "What's happening?" she asked carefully as he reached her. He should be pleased that the case was dismissed but he looked upset. Instead, he grabbed her hand tight and started dragging her out of the courtroom. "Wait... Mr. Hernandez!" she called, stumbling behind him. His pace was fast, and she could barely keep up, but he didn't slow down. They got to the parking lot, and just ahead, Lillian saw Chief Judge Kingston standing by a black car as if he was waiting for someone. She slowed, when their eyes met and he mouthed some words to her. She squinted, focusing hard on his lips. Then he raised his hand, shaped like a phone, and mouthed one word again: "Telecom." Telecom? Her eyes widened a little as she grasped the message. He was trying to tell her something. But before she could react, Jake opened the car door. A sleek black vehicle had pulled up beside them. She didn't give any sign of acknowledgement to the judge and simply climbed into the car, Jake sliding in beside her. The chauffeur shut the door and drove off immediately. The atmosphere in the car is intense.