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“I know it was wrong. I knew it when I did it. But I hoped I could overcome that by being the best barrister I was capable of being. Of working for a population of people who reminded me of myself. But I see now how impossible that is.”

“What brought you to that conclusion after such a long time of being committed to your deception?”

His voice holds no censure, but each word is a lash on my back.

“Someone I knew and trusted began blackmailing me. He threatened to come to you and reveal my identity. He came to my home and threatened my relationship.”

“You mean… Mr. Solomon didn’t know either?”

The surprise in his voice is so painful to hear. Of course, he expected Omar to know. He’s my partner. And he should have.

I look down at my hands clasped in my lap. “I’m deeply ashamed of the trust I have betrayed, and I’m not here to ask for forgiveness or even understanding.”

I hand him the envelope. “I’ve written my resignation letter to save you the trouble of sacking me.”

“If only it were that simple,” he says in a voice steeped in regret, and my head snaps up. His eyes are full of compassion, and it only makes my heart ache deeper. “You haven’t committed a crime, thank goodness. But this job isn’t all you’re going to lose.”

My heart lodges in my throat as I listen to what I have to look forward to. “You’ll be struck off. There will be a hearing, but in a case like this, it will merely be a formality.”

I nod. I knew this, and yet hearing him say that the only thing I’ve ever achieved in my life will be taken away kills my composure, and a tear gets loose before I can stop it. I brush it away. The last thing I want is to act like I’m the aggrieved party.

He hands me a tissue. “Your saving grace will be that as a pupil, you’ve been under the supervision of a barrister who has been the representative of record in all of your cases. If you’d waited to come forward after you’d been given this tenancy, you would have had clients whose cases would be called into question. You’d face civil and criminal penalties far more severe than those you’ll face now.”

“Criminal?”

“Honestly, I’ve never encountered this before, so I can’t say if this will go beyond the tribunal that will hear your case and decide on whether you may remain an officer of the court.”

“I’m so sorry.” It’s not close to sufficient, but it’s all I’ve got.

“Oh yes, I know. You must be. You are such a brilliant, doggedly hard-working young jurist, and I do believe you would have had an extraordinary career.”

“Thank you,” I hiccup through a sob.

“I will represent you before the tribunal.”

My head snaps up. “You will? Why?”

“Because I believe in you and want to give you the best chance possible. I’m not one to blow my own trumpets, but no one can give you that more than me.”

I’m so grateful and so unworthy. “Oh, thank you so much. I don’t even know how to begin.”

He pats my shoulder. “I’m sorry it’s come to this. I will liaise with the tribunal and call you when I have a date for your hearing. I’d say within the month. They’ll want it done for Winter Holidays. So perhaps you can spend the time getting some much-needed rest. And then, I want you to come back here and work as a clerk to keep a roof over your head until you know what you’re going to do next. How does that sound?”

“Oh, Mr. Bone” is all I can manage.

“Hugo, please.” He stands, arms extended. “Come here, you.”

I stand, walk over to his side of the desk, and accept the hug. The warmth of the contact undoes me completely, and I cry enough tears to soak the front of his crisp white shirt.

He holds me the whole time and pats my back soothingly until I’m done.

“If our profession has shown us anything, it’s that good people get caught in bad situations all the time. Most of our clients aren’t walking around looking for trouble when they find it. We know what desperation drives people to. You had the courage to come in here to face the consequences when you could have just disappeared.”

“Thank you. I’m so grateful for your compassion.”

“You’ve done the correct thing.” He pats my shoulder. I’m so grateful that he can still see the good in me I’m nearly dizzy with it.

But I walk out of his office and leave behind the job I love. And the knowledge that I may also lose the man who has become my home in this same long, long arc of comeuppance sobers me.