Page 36 of A Trial of the Heart

Chapter

Thirty-Five

Shiloh:

The elevator came to what felt like an abrupt stop, reaching the floor to where the office was.

With a heavy sigh, I stepped off the elevator, and the weight that rested upon my shoulders seemed to increase.

I’d played a stupid game and was unfortunate to win a stupid prize.

I knew I should have spoken up about Rashad’s case to make it go away, but that small piece of needing to be valued at the office prevented me.

My feet felt like cement as I took the short walk to my office; it seemed much further away than it was.

The few people I passed gave me dirty looks or turned away from me completely.

Word had to have already gotten around the office.

“Shi-Shiloh?” Isla looked like she’d seen a ghost once I rounded the corner. She was so spooked she stuttered.

“Good morning.”

She was the only one I had offered a smile too. Isla looked over her shoulder at William’s office where the door was cracked open.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned in a whisper.

My brows furrowed about to tell her did she forget I worked there when William’s office door swung open, and Arthur came into view with William’s brown-nosing ass on his heels.

“Your office now,” Arthur spoke firmly, passing me to head to my office, and William never missed a beat walking behind him.

“Good luck,” Isla said, seeming scared.

Arthur nor William scared me, so I didn’t need the luck. I had kept quiet on so many occasions out of respect, not fear.

Inside my office, I already found Arthur and William in the two chairs that faced my desk as if I had given them permission to sit.

With an eye roll, I closed the door and placed my things on the side table before walking around my desk at a leisurely pace.

Smiling, my eyes jumped between the two of them.

“So… what can I do y’all for?” I already knew the reason they were here, but I felt like being slightly petty.

“Cut the shit, Shiloh. You know why we’re here.” William was the one to speak.

“William…” Arthur spoke through clenched teeth.

I smirked but didn’t utter a word.

“Shiloh, you put us in an extremely complicated situation.” Arthur started, causing my arched brows to hike.

Me? I did this?

“How so?”

“What do you mean how so?” William once again inserted himself into a conversation that he shouldn’t have even been sitting in on.

Arthur shot him a look that prompted him to lift his hands to his lips, pressing his fingers together, and doing the zip movement across his thin, ashy lips.

“This was your case, you met with Anita and even had secret meetings with the defendant. If you knew or found out something, you should have told me. You failed as a prosecuting attorney and cost us this case, and now, the reputation of this office is on the line.”

Hearing Arthur speak, I couldn’t even hold in the laughter that seemed to come from the pits of my stomach. “You seriously can’t be blaming me for this?” I was still chuckling.

“Who the hell else is there to blame?” William interjected again, but this time, Arthur kept quiet.

“I just want to clarify some things. The reason this case was blown is because of me?” I wasn’t really asking, so I didn’t wait for a response.

“It had nothing to do with Lauryn being your daughter, who just so happened to date the defendant previously?” I pointed to Arthur.

“It had nothing to do with you blatantly knowing Rashad was innocent but hoping I cared enough about my job to still get a conviction? It also didn’t have anything to do with Anita knowing too much and y’all ruining her career as well?

I just want to make sure I’m hearing you guys correctly.

None of that matters. It was all on me because I asked too many questions, found out the truth, and was pulled from the case because I knew too much? ”

“You best hush ya mouth now, girl,” Arthur spoke firmly. He’d never spoken to me in such a way, so it caught me completely off guard.

“Best hush my mouth?” I mocked in a Southern tone. “Arthur, you’re a sad, sad case.”

“What the hell did you just say to me?” He stood.

Arthur’s thick frame and tall stature damn near tripled my size, but I wasn’t afraid of him, and it was now time I stood up to him for myself.

“You heard exactly what I said.” I didn’t stop there.

“This case was doomed from the moment you inserted the law simply because the daughter you can only love behind closed doors got her feelings hurt. Kyan is a good man, and this office tried to tear him down, and I was stupid enough to be on the team to do so. How many other cases was I the puppet for when you knew they were innocent?”

“On the strength of Allen, I sug—”

“Don’t you ever mention my father’s name again,” I interrupted.

“I honestly don’t know how such a kind and unapologetically black man got tangled up with you, but I will say it had to be because you never showed your true colors.

My father is no longer here, so I will speak for him.

He stood for everything right when it came to the law.

Unlike you, he never cut corners. He would go to bat for his people and yours.

Unlike you, he was a guy with morals, and as long as he was practicing law and getting justice, he was grateful.

You’re not like him so don’t you ever mention his name again, you racist fat fucking pig. ”

William sat mute with his mouth slightly agape, and Arthur’s wrinkled, unhealthy pale skin took on an even more flushed look. “You’re done here!” he roared.

I chuckled. “I have been done here. Today just showed me my black ass should have walked out of this place years ago.”

I began gathering my things up. I didn’t have a plan and had nowhere else to work, but what I knew was if I continued to stand for what was happening, I’d sit for anything. I was now tired.

“It’s best you keep your mouth shut. Remember, my name and this office rings in the streets, and I can make it so you won’t ever practice law again. Keep at it, and the only job you will be able to obtain is cleaning toilets for buildings like this one.”

All movement stopped abruptly “Arthur, you aren’t doing me any favors, so understand that.

This office may be highly recommended in the streets, but let’s not forget that it’s not because of you.

It’s because of me. You and your ass-kissing son presented in court, but I was the one that put my blood sweat and tears into the cases that were won.

Me, not you, and surely not your prematurely balding ass son.

This place was top ranked, but I can guarantee you after today’s loss and the way I’m going to bury this place, you won’t mean shit.

The white stuff that rests on the corner of your wide face will hold more weight than you do. ”

“You stupid nigger. You’re done.” Spit flew from his mouth.

“Dad!” Even William seemed shocked.

“Nah, don’t dad him now. Let his true colors shine.

” I looked William’s way before my eyes shifted and settled back on Arthur.

“There it is.” I smiled, watching the anger brew in Arthur’s eyes, and I could actually see his temperature rise.

“How long have you kept that inside? How many times a week do you go home to your Stepford wife that you couldn’t be faithful to and spew those nasty words?

How many times a week do you look your black daughter in the eyes and mutter those words?

How many times does your needle dick ass get aroused at the thought of being with a black woman and calling her such a name? How many times, Arthur?” I taunted.

“Get out.” His voice was shaky, and his lips trembled. All the authority he thought he possessed diminished right before my eyes.

“Gladly.” The smirk I wore never faded, and I knew it pissed Arthur off more than my words already had.

Gathering what I could, I headed for the door “Somebody will be by to get my things, and no worries… I’ll be sure it’s a couple of niggers just to make you happy.

” I winked, swinging open the door before stepping over the threshold.

I didn’t know what tomorrow held for me, but I couldn’t lie; the invigorating feeling that consumed my body felt amazing.

That horrible chapter in my life was closed, or at least I assumed it was.