Chapter 33: 22| Downfall

┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓ Downfall ┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛ : Downfall (Amara's POV) The mild hangover I woke up the next morning only proceeded to grow worse throughout the day. The more clients I met, the more meetings I attended, and the more papers I read through, the dull throb grew into its own migraine. Tugging the pencil out of my hair, I tossed it on the table with a frustrated sigh as I dropped my elbows on the table and held my head in my hands. Last night's memories were a bit hazy in my mind. I distinctly remembered my argument with Mr. Ambrose, I even remember having too many martinis despite my father's warnings before he left but beyond that, my memories were vague. I remembered being in Tristan's car and I could only assume he dropped me home but I had no recollection of what I did that led him to drive me home or how I ended up near him in the first place. I had no intention of finding out either. In fact, I had no intention of seeing Tristan any time soon. He has a knack for getting into my head and once that happens, I lose focus. My priority at the moment was to wrap up the Ambrose case and then track down the one lead I finally managed to find in the Ricci case. The knock on my door forced me to lift my head up and sit upright. "Come in," I called out. Lana walked in with a set of papers in her grip and a hesitant look on her face. "I'm not that hungover, I won't bite your head off, Lana," I told her as I took the papers. "That's not it, Ms. Milano," she said softly. "What is this?" I asked, diverting my attention to the papers. "New updates on the Ambrose case." I looked at her quizzically. "Clark Walker is no longer hiding underground. He has a new attorney," she explained. "Who?" I questioned. "Tristan Harper," she bit out. A low breath escaped me as I leaned back in my chair and shook my head slowly. "You've got to be kidding me." "I wish I was," she said apologetically, "sorry. I got a little more information from as many sources as I could. It's all in the papers, I think you should look through them." I threw my glasses off and onto the table. "I've looked at enough letters on pages for one day, Lana. Tell me." She paused for a beat but did as I asked. "Mr. Harper is the one who approached Clark Walker." She proceeded to explain all the details she was able to get her hands from exactly how Tristan found Clark Walker up to all the information that Tristan gained so far. Tristan somehow managed to get his hands on everything I had so far. All the intel I collected, all the information I kept to myself. It was obvious because there was no way for Tristan to have gathered such information so quickly. Up until last night, Tristan was not my opponent in this case but tonight he was. One day was all it took but it couldn't possibly have been enough. Tristan stole that information from me and I didn't need evidence to prove it. But I couldn't let this go without knowing just how the fuck he did it. I rose from my seat, and grabbed the keys off my desk, leaving everything behind. "Where are you going?" Lana asked, following me out of the office as I stormed out. Stepping into the elevator, I turned to face her. "To get a little revenge," I told her, "pack everything up please, Lana. I'll be late." The doors slid shut before she could respond and I stepped out into the lobby and made my way to the parking lot. Thank God I didn't bring a car tonight. Grabbing hold of my helmet, I threw one leg over the motorcycle and settled in my seat, turning the keys and taking the handles. The BMW s1000rr was an older birthday gift from my Dad after he caught me using his old motorcycle to go on late-night rides. It was safe to say that once I became an attorney, I only ever used the bike when I was frustrated and furious at someone or something. Often, when I was on my way to see Tristan. The engine roared beneath me as I turned the handles, revving up before I stepped on it and sped out of the parking lot. I will fucking kill him tonight. I ground my teeth and felt the tick in my jaw as I whizzed past cars, driving between them and getting past the traffic on the busy street. All the difficulties in the Ambrose case so far, the biggest one being Ambrose himself, were starting to get on my nerves, especially last night at the party. I regretted taking on the Ambrose case. It took up all my time and what bothered me most was that it left me with little time to focus on the Ricci case. That case meant more to me than anything in this world and I waited for years to finally reopen it. I waited until I was capable enough as I promised my Dad and myself I would be. I waited until I had enough resources and enough connections in this world. In fact, the only reason I even stayed long enough and showed my face in the corrupted inner circle of New York was so that I could solve this case with the vengeance ignited within me. I owe it to them. If I fail to solve this case, that would fail them. I can't let that happen. I can't lose more than I already have. So I will do whatever it takes to give my all to that case. Even if it means dropping the Ambrose case and losing to Tristan. Sometimes, you have to lose something to win it all. My Dad never once forced me into the life I lived today. He offered me an out every chance he got but I chose to stay only so I could solve that case. I couldn't let Ambrose stand in my way and I wouldn't let Tristan either. I would do whatever it took to get him out of my way, even if it meant resorting to extremes I usually wouldn't. I realized then that the only way to kill both birds with one stone was if I quit the Ambrose case. It was the only way to focus on what mattered to me. The engine beneath me revved louder as I took a sharp turn into the parking lot of his office building and smoothly parked right beside his motorcycle, feeling tempted to crash into it. Lifting my leg off, I got on my feet and pulled my helmet off. Shaking my hair out, I dropped the helmet within the seat and took my keys, marching right inside the building. Ignoring the receptionist as she called out for me, I got on the elevator and released a breath as the doors shut. As I stepped out on the top floor and made my way down the hall, I could faintly hear Tristan's voice the closer I got to his office. My guess was confirmed as I pushed the door open and walked in, stopping right across from him. Lifting his gaze, he looked at me as he continued talking on the phone. "I'm afraid I'll have to call you back tomorrow, Mr. Walker. I have a visitor at the moment," he said, hanging up without wasting a second and dropping his phone on the table, giving me his undivided attention. "Did the hangover wear off nicely, Ms. Milano?" he asked with a devilish smirk tugging at his lips. A light scoff escaped me before I could help it. "I've always known you played dirty but I never thought you'd cheat your own profession, Mr. Harper," I told him bluntly. "I suppose I underestimated how desperate you were to win at a game that was never yours, to begin with." He watched me silently as I pulled the chair opposite his and took a seat after shrugging off the black blazer I wore over the simple white button-up and black pants. Tossing it on the other empty chair beside mine, I met his gaze. "A game that was never mine to begin with? That's ironic, Ms. Milano. The Ambrose case was mine and you stole it from me. It's safe to say this game was always mine and never yours." "And so you're determined to win it, no matter what side you're on?" I asked knowingly. "Or are you just determined to beat me?" He lifted a brow lightly. "Is there a difference?" "There could be…" I paused. "If I drop the case, you'll lose, and I…" A small chuckle escaped me as it hit me harder than ever what I truly had to do to win this case. "I will win it without truly winning it. Won't I?" "I wouldn't call quitting a victory," he replied with a light shake of his head. "I wouldn't call cheating a win either," I bit out sharply. "You think my priority is the Ambrose case?" I questioned. "I'm sorry to disappoint, Mr. Harper, but the only reason I accepted that case was for the six million dollars Ambrose paid me up front." His gaze never wavered, his eyes never faltered either but I could tell that Tristan did not expect me to even consider dropping this case. Over these past few weeks, I had reached my limit. If I didn't finish the Ambrose case now, I would lose out time that I couldn't afford to lose and I would never be able to get to the Ricci case in time. I had to drop this case if it meant getting rid of it for good. It was the only way to get rid of Ambrose so I could finally focus on the Ricci case and simultaneously get Tristan off my back for good. Tristan may think quitting was a loss but in my eyes, it was my best shot at winning because it would finally allow me to solve the most crucial case of my life. I couldn't miss the tick of his jaw even if I tried. "You're quitting halfway, Ms. Milano. Are you accepting defeat?" he asked. "No," I answered him, "in fact, this is the only way I'll beat you. In your words, I begged you to let me live so I could solve the Ambrose case. How could you ever be such a fool to think that was my priority?" I lifted a smug brow at him as I leaned back in my seat. "You think I'm your downfall, don't you?" I rose to my feet and braced my hands on the table, leaning forward. "You so desperately want to beat me at everything I do even if it doesn't involve you simply because you're afraid that I'll be your downfall. I won't let you kill me because I have something bigger to solve, something more important than the fucking Ambrose case. You might think I lost because I'm dropping out of this case but there couldn't be a better way for me to win, Mr. Harper." As I watched him, I realized that for the first time, possibly ever, Tristan didn't completely think his actions through. He was eager to beat me because he didn't like what I was capable of doing to him and just to stop me, he did the first thing he thought of to get in my way. But he never expected me to find this loophole. "If you waited patiently like you said you would," I continued, "if you worked with me just once," I said sharply, "I might have told you which case was so important to me that it was worth my life. But you always work against me. That's why you always lose." All he could do was stare at me as I stood upright and grabbed my blazer. "Have fun winning the Ambrose case all on your own, Mr. Harper, now that you're only working against yourself. You can have the honor of telling Ambrose that I quit." My steps slowed as I reached the door and spun around to face him again. "But tell me before I go… how does it feel to win this one? Or would you even call it a win?" . . . . . Chapter 22 (