The Godfather's New Wife

Ariel POV: I looked from the black-robed judge wielding a gavel to the bailiff standing at attention to keep order, before closing my eyes to hear the Judge's final verdict. The whole courtroom was as silent as the graveyard as the Judge cleared his throat. I could hear faintly, the whooshing sound of air conditioning or heaters, gurgling pipes in the walls, traffic or sirens outside, people shifting in seats, wooden chairs and benches creaking, but above all my heart beating very hard, I crossed my hand over my chest to prevent it from popping out. "After careful consideration and contemplation, I've come to a conclusion the evidences provided by the prosecutor are inconclusive" I shut my eyes even harder, I knew what was coming next. "I declared the defendants not guilty and cleared of all charges" There were cries of jubilation from half of the court and gasp of horror from the other half. I allowed my tears to run freely down my cheeks. I felt cheated out of life, I didn't neglect my whole life and work just to be cheated like this. I felt Amy, my bestfriend and colleague from work rubbing my back as I cried even harder. I opened my eyes amid tears to see Ellis Laruso and his friends exiting the accused box, Ellis Laruso flashed me a smile as bright as the orange jumpsuit he was wearing. A smile that broke my heart into a thousand pieces. Heads shook and hands covered mouths to catch sobs amid joyful cries and laughs as Ellis Laruso and his friends hugged their friends and family, it was a spectrum of emotion in the courtroom and it was I at the rock bottom. That young man was the governor's son from Kentucky and with the help of his friends, he r***d and killed my sister, the only family relation I had left. To prevent the case from being buried, I had spent all my savings from my pay as an elementary teacher. I guess what I had spent was a tear drop in the ocean compared with what the Kentucky Governor most definitely bribed the Judge with. Amy helped me down the stairs of the court as I struggled to walk properly. I saw the Ellis Larusso with his family posing for a photograph taken by the paparazzi. There were a few people from recognizable News Companies holding a mic trying to get Governor Laruso to say something about what had happened today. "This is a great day for America and I feel so proud the country still upheld upright and fair values. A non sentimental court, where the upper class are not allowed to suffer just because they were accused by the despicable lower classes." He said "Why did you think you were targeted?" One of the interviewer asked "It is nothing but a ruse by the opposition party to soil my family name against the next election and I am so glad justice prevailed" "What did you think about the dead girl's family?" "I feel so sad about the dead girl, believe me I really do. It's so sad to have families members displaying your death to the whole world just for a few bucks" He said before signaling he won't answer any more questions. His body guards shielded him from the waves of reporters as they made their way to their car. It stung me, his words turns my feet to jelly, I almost fell as I lost the control of my leg but Amy was holding hard onto me. "I want to sit down for a minute, I need to rest" I said "You can rest in the car" she replied "I can't go any farther, please let me rest" I said She helped me settle down on the stairs. A wave of a fresh batch of tears found it's way to my eyes. Amy shielded me with her body as she rubbed my back. "Let it all out" she said patting my back "It's so unfair" I said amid tears "The least my sister deserved was justice" "I'm so sorry" Amy said with a cracking words "It's not your fault Amy you helped more than a friend ever would, it was mine Amy" "It was mine" I said again as I cried harder "No Ariel, you can't blame yourself for this" We stayed in that position till I was done with all the liquid there is in my body. All the while Amy shielded and rubbed my back. The Card! I remembered I felt physically stronger with a clear will and mindset. I knew what I was going to do. I gave an hysteric laugh which shocked the living daylight out of Amy. "Why are you laughing?" Amy asked scared of my Mental status "You'd see, but I have to go" I replied "No Ariel, you are not in the condition to drive. I will drive you home" "We both brought our car, how will you drive yours home" "I will come back for it after tucking you in bed" "I appreciate you Amy, I really do. You've been nothing but a wonderful friend to me but I have to go" "Why are you talking like this, please don't do something stupid?" She said I stared at the worried round oval face of my beautiful friend. I knew She thinks I wanted to commit suicide. She knew my sister meant the world to me. "No, gosh No, Amy. I am not committing suicide" I said It was more or less a suicide mission, but It doesn't invole killing myself. I stood up to meet her eye line. "I am not leaving this world till my sister gets the justice she deserves" I said, it was my turn to pat her shoulder. "Can I accompany you to whichever Lawyer you are meeting" Sweet Naive Amy, she probably thinks I am appealing the verdict or re opening the case. It's clear to me it's a lost cause. How is she to comprehend the step I was about to take. "No Amy, you look tired, you need to rest. You've done quite enough today." I said "I should be saying that, you look a mess" I hugged her tight for all it's worth, "I will be back at home in a thrice, I will call you when I do" "Promise me, you won't do anything stupid" "I promise" I said whispering in her ear I knew she might as well not see me ever again. I patted her back and hurried down the stairs in the direction of my car. I checked the glove box hoping for the love of God the card the stranger gave me was still there. It was when the case was looking hopeless, I was sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops waiting for my lawyer when a stranger came to join me. Presuming he was here to hit on me I didn't bat an eyelid nor acknowledge his presence, with my world crashing down, the last thing I needed was an i***t trying to hit on me. He brought a card from his breast and spoke in a rich baritone voice. "Some things you must always be unable to bear. Some things you must never stop refusing to bear. Injustice and outrage and dishonor and shame. No matter how young you are or how old. you have got Pain and tragedy and injustice happen – they happen to us all. I’d like to believe it’s what you choose to do after such an experience that matters the most. Go to the Adress to the mansion hidden in the wood and show them this card, they will get you the justice you deserve for a price not paid with money." He said, without uttering another word stood up and left. All he said sounded like a poetry but the message was clear, there was a certain someone who would get justice for me. I knew better than to involve myself in ominous s**t, beside the man look as calm as he looked dangerous. I wasn't interested in jeopardizing my life by getting involved with dangerous people, besides the court system would get me the justice I deserved. I remembered taking the card nonetheless and throwing it in the glove box. I saw it the card sitting comfortably in the glovebox looking as neat as ever. It doesn't look like much, it just had an embel of a dragon on it and an address. I took it and rubbed my temple against it like my life depended on it. There was an underlying feeling I was walking into a grave I dug myself but ignored it. I wiped my teared face with the handkerchief and half bottle of water I left in the car earlier.