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“Because you’re everything I dislike in a person: loud, annoying, and reckless.” He leans down closer to me, his lips are almost touching my ear. My heart begins to beat a little faster, and the skin on my neck prickles at the warmth of his breath. “I can walk behind you if you want. But I’ll probably be staring at your ass.”

I gasp and lean back to look at him. “You’re a pervert.”

He winks then walks towards the door. I grab my purse and follow him. As we walk out the doors, I open my mouth to confront him on his comment, but I hear Aiden’s name called out from down the hall.

Aiden and I turn to see a dark-skinned man wearing a black suit walk towards us with other people of all races and genders. They are all wearing different suit colors. I reasonably assume they are the directors. They all have a powerful, yet calm air about them. As if they know they are untouchable, which in a way, they are as the leaders of Eden.

“Aiden. How are you doing?” the man wearing the black suit asks, the suit being a clear tell-tale sign that he is the director of the Collection department.

“Will be better once this is over,” Aiden grumbles.

“Ah. That’s right. Today, you found out your charges and potential punishment,” says a woman wearing a red suit with cocoa skin and a shaved head, gold earrings running down the length of her ears.

“Yes. I did, Director Onai,” Aiden replies.

The man wearing the dark suit notices me. “Where are my manners? I am Director Jackson. All these lovely people by me are the directors of the other departments.

I wave at them. “Nice to meet you all, I am Joyce Parker. I will be representing Aiden.”

The woman wearing the red suit, who I now know as Director Onai, replies, “What a pretty name. I haven’t met a Joyce in years.” She smiles kindly at me. Oddly, there is a knowing gaze in her eyes that I do not understand.

“Glad to be the Joyce you get to experience after a long break,” I joke. All the directors laugh. The only person who does not find it funny is Aiden.

A beautiful woman with straight dark hair cut into a bob, wearing a white suit, smiles at me. “I’m Director Jia Young, of the Heaven department. Pleasure to meet you, Joyce Parker,” she says. Her voice is soft, almost musical.

“Pleasure is all mine. I am hoping to see you again when this is all said and done. Save me a spot.” I wink.

She lets out a soft laugh. “You are like a breath of fresh air. I needed some good laughs today, and you provided them. I look forward to chatting with you again soon,” Director Young replies. I wasn’t joking though. She better save me a spot.

Director Jackson claps his hands once. “Well, we were on our way to a director’s meeting. I will see the two of you later. Make sure to send those reports, Aiden.”

Aiden nods. All the directors walk away, leaving behind Aiden and I.

“Do you want to grab lunch together?” I ask, not wanting to eat lunch alone.

“I’m eating lunch with a friend.” He shakes his head, hands me the files, then disappears. I stare at where he once was, and sigh. He can be such a rude asshole. I grab my phone from out of my purse and call Yirah.

“Hello!” she answers. I love that her energy level is always at full capacity.

“Do you want to grab lunch?” I ask, worried that I am going to be turned down again.

“Do birds fly? Of course, I do!” she exclaims and I smile. She’s my favorite person here.

8

CALL ME MS. SHERLOCK HOLMES (OR DON’T)

I grab my notepad and walk towards the door. It is day three of being dead. Today, I am going to do some more investigating into Aiden’s case. It’s time to start collecting all my pieces.

Being a defense attorney is like playing chess. You have to plan and anticipate all of your opponent’s moves. My opponent may try to argue that Aiden’s mistake was due to him drinking the night before, or because he was behind on work and was rushing. They could come up with any number of reasons. Negligence, incompetence, malicious disregard for human life. They are going to paint him as a villain who deserves to be punished.

However, you shouldn’t play chess by reacting to your opponent’s moves. You should look at your current position and decide where you want your piece to go—and where you want your opponent to move. I know exactly where I want my pieces to go.

“Where are you going?” Aiden asks, as if he is my prison warden and constantly needs to know my whereabouts. I still dislike him, and I don’t foresee that changing. He coerced me into being his lawyer and I’m not about to forget that.

Yes, I get that in a way he is helping me out of my doomed fate, but I’m still salty.

“To mind my business,” I reply haughtily, tipping my chin slightly up. He stares at me. I hold his gaze. Ten seconds go by. Another five seconds. I break eye contact. Whatever. I don’t have the patience for this. “I’m going to interview some of your colleagues. I need information on the day before the incident and the day of.”