Chapter 1 The End of Trust
Serena Sinclair's POV:
"The prosecution calls Ms. Serena Sinclair to the stand." Alex Blackwood's voice cut through the hushed courtroom like ice.
I slowly rose from my seat. As I walked to the witness stand, I caught his reflection in the polished wood of the judge's bench. The man I'd given up my career for, supported through endless nights of case preparations, now looked at me with eyes full of distrust, disgust, and indifference.
Seven years ago, I'd fallen in love with his passion for justice at Yale Law. Today, that same passion had turned against me as he stood ready to prove my guilt, choosing to believe another woman's lies over four years of marriage.
"Ms. Sinclair," Alex began, his voice carrying that detached professional tone I'd never heard directed at me before. "Where were you on the night of November 22nd?"
"I was at home," I answered steadily, "until I received a call about you."
He didn't flinch, but I saw his jaw tighten. "And who called you?"
"Emma White." The name tasted bitter on my tongue. From her seat beside the prosecution table, Emma's practiced expression of concern didn't quite hide her triumph. "She said you were drunk at the Metropolitan Club and needed me."
Alex paced before the witness stand, each step deliberate. "And did you drive to the Metropolitan Club that night?"
"Yes." I met his eyes directly. "But you weren't there, were you, Alex? Because you were in a client meeting in Midtown."
For the first time, his professional mask cracked slightly. "Ms. Sinclair," he continued, voice hardening again, "can you explain why five grams of cocaine were found in your vehicle during a routine checkpoint that night?"
The question hung in the air between us like a physical thing. I felt the weight of every eye in the courtroom, but it was Alex's gaze that cut the deepest. In his eyes, I saw not just doubt, but conviction. He truly believed I was capable of this.
"No," I replied quietly, the word heavy with unspoken accusations. "I cannot explain it. Because I didn't put it there."
"So you deny ownership of the controlled substances found in your vehicle?"
"Yes, I won't admit anything I haven't done," I said firmly.
His head snapped up, our eyes meeting in a moment of raw connection. For a second, I saw uncertainty flicker across his face. But then he regained his composure.
The questioning continued, each of Alex's perfectly crafted inquiries designed to paint me as an addict, a liar, a woman who'd lost her way after giving up her career. With each question, I felt something inside me harden. The pain of his betrayal crystallized into something else - determination.
"The prosecution calls Ms. Emma White," Alex announced after I stepped down.
Emma took the stand with practiced grace, her expression a perfect mask of reluctance. "I didn't want to do this," she began, her voice trembling just enough. "But when I found the drugs in Serena's car, I knew I had to speak up."
I watched Alex's face as she testified. He believed every word, just as he'd believed her these past months. The man who'd once promised to love and protect me now looked at me with barely concealed disgust.
"And when did you make this discovery?" Alex asked.
"Two months ago, on October 15th." Emma's eyes darted to me. "I saw her acting strangely in the parking garage. That's when I noticed..."
"Objection!" My lawyer stood. "Your Honor, we have evidence that directly contradicts Ms. White's testimony."
"You may proceed with cross-examination," Judge Harrison ruled.
I stood and approached the witness stand. "Ms. White," I began, my voice calm and clear, "you claim you found drugs in my car on October 15th?"
"Yes, that's correct." Her chin lifted slightly.
"Interesting." I nodded to my lawyer, who played the security footage. "Because this video from November 22nd shows you using a duplicate key to enter my car at 11:21 PM, just hours before my arrest."
The color drained from Emma's face. Alex straightened in his chair, his eyes fixed on the screen. I could see his world beginning to unravel, his certainties crumbling.
"And this," I continued, playing the recorded call, "is you luring me out that night: 'Serena, Alex's drunk at the Metropolitan Club. He needs you.'"
The courtroom fell silent as my evidence mounted. Each piece dismantled Emma's carefully constructed lies, but more importantly, they dismantled Alex's unshakeable belief in my guilt.
I continued, my voice steady despite my pounding heart, "Alex's credit card records from that night, showing he was in a client meeting in Midtown when Ms. White claimed he was drunk at the Metropolitan Club."
The courtroom erupted in whispers.
"Order!" Judge Harrison's gavel cracked through the air. "Ms. White, you will be held in contempt of court and charged with perjury and evidence tampering."
I watched as they led Emma away, but it was Alex's face that held my attention. The shock, the shame, the dawning horror of what he'd done.
Reflecting on six years ago when Alex and I were still at Yale Law School, we had been together for a year, and our relationship was strong. Our mentor mentioned an opportunity for further studies abroad. At that time, Alex and I were equally qualified and both were the best candidates, but there was only one spot available.
I knew that Alex desired it more, so I withdrew from the competition. To this day, Alex doesn't know that I pretended to be sick and didn't attend the selection that day. When Alex was chosen and came to share his joy with me, seeing his happy face, I smiled too.
Two years later, after he finished his studies, he proposed to me. At that moment, I felt like the happiest person in the world.
After marriage, I gave up my passion for law and devoted myself to being a good wife, providing solid support for his career.
A year after our marriage, his career was on track, and his reputation in the field was growing. At this time, Emma joined him, a young law graduate. She was young and beautiful.
I once overheard his friends referring to Emma as his office wife behind my backs. At that moment, I felt the piercing pain of betrayal, but I didn't confront them. Because I still loved him.
Later, when Alex became a partner at his law firm, he and Emma grew even closer, frequently appearing together. Everyone tacitly acknowledged their relationship, while my dignity as his wife was trampled upon. I didn't even have the courage to question him because I was just a housewife, with no self, no personal space, only revolving around him.
In my world, there was nothing but him.
I slowly lifted my head and looked at the man I had wholeheartedly loved for seven years. The look of disgust and distrust in his eyes was the final straw that broke me. In his eyes, I saw my own pathetic self, like a clown. At that moment, my heart completely died.
Later, I stood on the courthouse steps watching the snowflakes dissolve against the worn marble, each one a small reminder of how quickly certainties could melt away.
"Serena," Alex called out behind me. "Why didn't you tell me about the evidence sooner?"
I turned to face him, feeling strangely calm. "I've told countless times, but would you have believed me?"
"I thought I knew the facts," he started. "I thought—"
I cut him off. "You chose to believe her over me. Over seven years together. Over everything we built." I took a deep breath, the cold air sharp in my lungs. "I want a divorce."