CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Y/N

"I love him." I said while crying in her arms. "I love Rindou so much, Ms. Watanabe. I badly wanna be with him but also wants him to be punished. He told me... we will start again." I continued crying.

Ms. Watanabe broke our hug. "That's not love. Can't you see yourself? The situation you are in? You were just intoxicated that he's there when you are alone. Yeah, he really is there for you. However, he raped and physically abuse you. That's not love, Y/N It will never be love. Come to your senses. oh my goodness."

I shook my head. "Rindou, told me he loves me, I know he's just being a jerk right now but-"

Ms. Watanabe hugs me again and she starts crying. "What did he do to you to make youthink this way?" She sobs. "Don't believe him. It is all lies, he even accuse you for stealing things you never did."

"Professor, what should I do? I can't admit to myself that he won't change... I know he would ever but still want to have hope, even if it is false. Please help me...I don't think I can do this alone." We both cried but mine is louder, I know this is absurd and look so stupid right now but I wanna hold onto the hope that Rindou will love me genuinely. I wanna be happy with him.

•••

D-day of the trial...

"Your honor, the plaintiff and the defendant is in a relationship for four months. He even let her live in his house and having a healthy relationship. However, after four months the plaintiff, Mr. Rindou Haitani found out that the defendant, Y/N L/N has been sending money to her mom using his bank account." The prosecutor said and looks at me. "That will be all for now, your honor."

I am looking down when Ms. Watanabe who's sitting beside me hold my hand. She walks in front and starts her opening argument. "The defendant only works for the plaintiff as tutor. We all know here that Rindou Haitani is part of BONTEN, an organization of criminals and always tries to escape to be punished by the law. Having Ms. Y/N L/N by his side, he study more about the law and keep her inside her house. That will be all for now, your honor."

Both side ended their opening argument. "Your honor, I would like to call the defendant's mother in the witness stand to ask her some questions." Ms. Watanabe said. My mom sits on the witness stand and smiled at me. I smiled back, "Ms. L/N, your daughter didn't answer your calls for months but she's answering her text, did your child ever did this to you?" Ms. Watanabe asked.

"No, it actually feels weird because my child is not like that, if she can't answer my calls, she will call me right away when she can. The text messages are weird too, it seems like someone is using her phone. I even wonder what if she died and someone got her phone. I got worried since I haven't seen her for a month or two that time." My mom answered.

"So you are saying there's a possibility that someone else use her phone to have access in her bank account information, right? "Yes... my child won't steal anything. She works hard for her study alone without my help and she manage not doing anything unlawful behaviour.

Ms. Watanabe turned to the bench. "That will be all, your honor."

"Prosecution, do you have any question for the witness?" The judge asked.

"None, your honor. Instead I want to call Mr. Rindou Haitani, the plaintiff on the witness stand."

Here he is, the man who ruined my life. Rindou pledged that he will only tell the truth and only the truth inside the court. "Mr. Rindou Haitani, the defendant side said you and Ms. Y/N L/N is not in a relationship, is it true that she only teach you about the law?" Prosecutor asked.

"No, we are happy and having a healthy relationship. We even go on dates and enjoying every second that we're together." Rindou answered.

I blink many times while looking down, holding back my tears. He's a liar even inside the court. "Can you prove your claim Mr. Rindou Haitani?" Prosecutor.

"Yes." Rindou said and bring out his phone. "Here you can see some of our pictures in our recent dates." The prosecution showed the pictures in the huge tv screen. It is when we spend the last two weeks we'll be together. It is the time when I am really happy that Rindou is changing. The prosecutor bowed to the bench. "That's all, your honor."

"Defender, do you have any questions for the plaintiff?" The judge asked.

"I have a lot, your honor" Ms. Watanabe said. She walks to Rindou. "One day, after the defendant's class, you send someone to drive her to your penthouse right?"

"Yes, because I don't have time to pick her up. have my own business and work too." Rindou answered.

"When she arrive in your penthouse, you didn't allow her to go out, right? Why?"

"No, she can go out all she wants but she choose to stay with me so she can wait for me after work."

I started crying. Why do he keeps lying?

"Wrong answer, Mr. Haitani. You abducted her that time right?" My eyes widened at Ms. Watanabe's question, I clearly told her not to mention anything about it.

"Objection your honor, the defender is driving this case into another path, Mr. Rindou Haitani is not the defendant here. Please be careful with your question. attorney." The prosecutor said I look at Rindou, his eyes are blank. I don't know what's going on inside his head.

"Then, your honor. Please let me have a short lecture discussion with my student, the defendant. I don't have to be careful for my questions, right? She's the defendant after all." Ms. Watanabe looks at the prosecutor

"Your honor, this is the royal court, how can a professor give lectures here? She should go back to her school if she wants to teach that much." Prosecutor complained.

The judge gestured the prosecutor to be quiet. "Go ahead, Ms. Watanabe."

Ms. Watanabe turned to me and walk to my direction. "The case is about a girl who's abducted for four months."

I covered my ears. Why is she doing this?

"Ms. Y/N L/N, you won't listen to my lesson? She asked me.

I can only sob trying to unhear everything she's about to tell.

"The girl was raped and physically abused during the days she's locked up in a man's penthouse. She can't tell anyone about it since the man is part of a criminal organization and told her that he will kill anyone who found out the truth behind her disappearance."

I breath heavily while crying.

"Your honor, this is getting far from what the case is about. The defender is writing her own noble." Prosecutor said.

The judge looks at him. "Let's listen to that noble, then." The prosecutor sits back, he can't do anything about it. Rindou is just being quiet, and staring blankly on the floor. Like he doesn't care. He knows I won't talk.

"Now, the girl has the chance to expose the man's misdeed with her but she still choose not too. Why do you think the girl decided to just let the man be?" I sob looking down and I covered my mouth. "Ms. Y/N L/N, answer my question. Why?!"

I started biting my nails. "I don't know, Ms. Watanabe."

"You asshole, what did you do to my daughter?" My mom shouted and officers run to hold her back. "Let go, let me kill that fucker!"

"Be quiet or you'll be dragged out of the court, do you not want to hear the whole story?" The judge said.

My mom calmed down and went back to her seat crying. I look at Ms. Watanabe begging her to stop what she's talking about. "Do you agree that the girl should just run away and be scared to her abuser?" She asked and I shook my head. "Then why do you think she can't admit anything inside the court?"

I covered my face and cry louder. "She suffered for four months here Y/N but still she can't say anything? Why?" Icovered my ears. Ms. Watanabe both hold of my hands. " I am risking everything for this case, don't be afraid to lose something because it won't happen. We are going to win this. I assure you that." She said.

More tears fell hearing her words while looking at her eyes. I cried more, trying my best to calm myself and think straight. When I calmed down a bit, inhaled to have the strenght to speak. "Because she loves him and still hoping that he will change." I said,

Bystanders in the court starts murmuring the judge asked them to be quiet. "Order in the court." He said.

I hold back my tears and breath deeper. Looking at the judge, I stated. "I... was raped by the man I love."

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