<h4>Chapter 210: Another Charade</h4>
Rain headed straight to the Supreme Court after her conversation with Vania, her mind racing as she clutched her notebook. Michael Astor had ess to the underground facility of The Gentlemen’s Club, and Vania had been repeatedly taken there to entertain him. But why there, of all ces? Unless...
A suspicion formed in her mind, her eyes narrowing as she considered the possibility: what if Michael was more than just another participant in abuse, drugs, and exploitation? What if he was the one behind it all? What if he was...
She muttered a curse under her breath as she made her way inside the Supreme Court, intent on filing a petition to free her Aunt Mnie from the full guardianship her father had imposed. This time, she was determined to secure her aunt’s independence once and for all.
She decided to push her thoughts about Michael aside for now, nning to revisit each angle and possibilityter with a clear head.
It was past lunch by the time Rainpleted filing the petition. With a sense of relief, she was making her way out of the Supreme Court when she crossed paths with Judge Sebastian Lane.
"Hello there, Mrs. Lancaster," he greeted with a warm smile. "Fancy meeting you here. Looks like you’re on your way out. How about a quick coffee?"
Rain hesitated, ncing at her watch, then nodded with a polite smile. "I have a bit of time. Coffee sounds good."
This man was, after all, a friend of her newfound family. Alexander had mentioned that despite his entric reputation, Sebastian was actually a fair and dedicated judge.
He was well-known around the courthouse, having made history as the youngest judge appointed at just twenty-nine. Typically, such a role required at least a decade of experience inw, yet Sebastian had earned it after only a few years, thanks to his remarkable skill and record.
Now, at thirty-four, he’d already been serving as a judge for five years, and his reputation for both brilliance and unconventionality preceded him. It wasn’t every day that one met someone who defied expectations and rose through the ranks with both intelligence and grit.
They walked to a nearby cafe, where Sebastian quickly ordered for them. As they sat, he studied her with a knowing expression. "Word travels fast around here, and I heard you filed a petition," he remarked.
Rain gave a modest shrug. "My aunt deserves her independence; I’m only helping her get there."
"I see. Good luck, then. But I get the feeling you’re still annoyed with me," he remarked bluntly.
"Who wouldn’t be? You just watched people roasting your friend in front of you," she replied, a slight smirk tugging at her lips as she sipped her coffee. She was referring to the incident at Dina’s engagement party.
Sebastian chuckled. "I apologize, but I couldn’t resist. I wanted to see how Alexander would handle the chaos. Normally, he’d just walk away and let Tyron handle it. But that night... well, it seems you’ve got him wrapped around your finger if he stuck around for you."
Rain felt her cheeks flush, and for the first time, she saw Sebastian in a friendlier light.
"So, are we good now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I guess," Rain said with a half-smile, though inside she was thrilled. Knowing Alexander had done something so out of character for her made her heart flutter.
Their conversation halted when they overheard a loud remark from a nearby table. "Wow, you actually did it! Alyssa Lancaster’s introducing you to her whole family on Sunday. Man, you hit the jackpot! But what about Melba?"
Rain instinctively began to turn to see who had spoken, but Sebastian’s face darkened. "Don’t look. Just stay here and finish your coffee. They might recognize you since you’ve been all over the news recently."
She nodded, understanding. Though she hadn’t yet met Alyssa in person, Alexander had prepared her for the uing formal family introduction on Sunday. Alyssa, the only girl in the Lancaster family and Father, only Rock’s niece, was adored by everyone, especially by the men in the family, who often mentioned how much the family spoiled her.
Her ears perked up that she even moved her chair a bit back. That gesture made Sebastian chuckle as he shook his head.
"What’s with Melba? Of course, I’ll keep her. She’s my backup, my ’whore’, man! It’s not like I can even touch Alyssa! She’s so reserved she wants to wait until marriage. I haven’t managed to kiss her at all! Who even does that nowadays? It’s exhausting!" the man grumbled in irritation, clearly Alyssa’s boyfriend.
Rain’s face darkened. She’d be meeting this man on Sunday, and the thought made her blood boil. How dare he scheme against an innocent woman like Alyssa? The whole thing struck a familiar chord, just another charade to get what he wanted, much like her past with Paul. Poor Alyssa.
"So, you’re nning to keep Melba?" his friend asked, intrigued.
"Of course. A backup n is always smart. Alyssa is childish type, but I’ll work around that. My n is to get her pregnant and lock in my spot with the Lancasters. I just need your help with it, so how about that birthday party next week? I’ll sponsor it if you bring in-"
The men lowered their voices, likely aware they’d been overheard. Rain clenched her fists, her anger barely contained, while she noticed Sebastian discreetly typing something on his phone, head low.
Sebastian suddenly looked up, breaking the tension. "How about I walk you out now, Rain? We can continue our coffee some other time."
"But-" she started, her voiceced with concern.
"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of this," he assured her, rising from his seat and motioning for her to follow.
Once outside, she turned to him, urgency in her voice. "How are you going to handle it? They’re clearly nning something bad for Alyssa."
Sebastian’s expression turned serious. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he replied, "In the jungle, the lion doesn’t announce its approach to the prey. Sometimes, you let them feel safe... until it’s toote for them to run."