Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Name: Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Rating: 4.98 (33 reviews)
Author: slowestcook

Auteur: slowestcook

Urbain

Terminé · 701.2K Affichage

249 Shc
Contenu
5.0
33 audimat
NO.200+
SOUTIEN

Synopsis

"Speaking of knowing things…" Kyle said slowly, "You still haven't given me a chance to tell my story." "I know," said Andrea. "I was having too much fun speculating. Finding you like this is a gift, and I don't want to tear the wrapping off all at once. ‘Building up the anticipation makes it better.’" Kyle blinked again, then gave a quiet snort of recognition at his own words being thrown back at him. "So what is your speculation?" Kyle asked. "Oh I don't know, probably something utterly disappointing. Did they pick you up for speeding on the way to the farmers market? I guess that wouldn't explain the uh…" she gestured at his injury again. "It wouldn't explain that now, would it. Oh, I know! You got into a fight over the last piece of bluefin!" Kyle just shook his head slightly. "No? I guess it's too much to hope you did something really exciting like rob a bank—You're not secretly a cat burglar are you, Kyle? Lose your balance breaking into an art gallery? No…?" Kyle looked unamused. "Very funny, Chuckles, would you mind taking this a little more seriously?" "Of course," said Andrea. "Very serious for a lawyer to have been arrested. You could be disciplined. Disbarred! Why, we might not see each other in court anymore. Wouldn't that be a shame." "Wouldn't it though," replied Kyle. "So that's the kind of guy you think I am? Stealing fine art and fighting in fish markets?” Andrea pondered some more. "I know!" she exclaimed. "Did you get into a fight with someone's boyfriend? Did it turn out that you were your young lady's bit on the side, and you ended up having a domestic dispute?" Kyle winced. "Is that it?!" Andrea had been teasing, but it seems like she had touched a nerve. To whatever degree Kyle had seemed like he'd been playing along, even as worn down as he was, that last remark had left him deflated. Kyle hung his head. "It wasn't like that…" "Oh sure, like you haven't been collecting notches on your bedposts." "I'M not like that." "You're not? That's not what your reputation says, out there collecting numbers and breaking hearts. I heard that you were a real ladykil–" "Andrea! I'm not–" Kyle shouted, grabbing her hands. His hands were strong, and his grip so tight it almost hurt. His expression so intense, frustrated and hurt and… scared? Andrea knew she had been twisting the knife a little into something that bothered him, but what had caused this reaction? It was only for a moment, then Kyle seemed to catch himself and let go. He slumped back in his chair and slid his shackled hands back below the table. Andrea leaned back as well, adding to the distance, and folded her arms, no longer smiling. She glanced at the duress button out of the corner of her eye. If Kyle had kept holding her as tightly as he had been, she wouldn't have even been able to reach it. "I think we're ready for storytime now," she said seriously. “I think you had better start at the punchline. What have you been charged with, Mr Wynn?" Kyle took a deep breath before he raised his head once more. "Murder, Ms Mason. First Degree Murder." *** Andrea Mason, a defense attorney who cares more about justice and protecting her clients than just winning cases. But the one man she hates to lose to is her rival, the arrogant prosecutor, Kyle Wynn. Kyle represents everything Andi hates about unscrupulous win-at-all-costs lawyers, and for years they have traded arguments in the courtroom and barbs in the hallways. Their paths cross again when they find themselves on a high-profile murder trial. As much as Andrea might despise Kyle, she can’t believe it when HE is charged with the horrific murder. But she is even more shocked when he asks for her to represent him at trial… *** #SLOWBURN #STRONGFL #CRIME #MURDER #FLIRTY #ROMANCE If you want to know what to expect, check the reviews! ฅ^-ﻌ•^ฅ Burrito says to join here: https://discord.gg/qr7eUnxT2F

Étiquettes

9 étiquettes

Chapter 1Prologue - Waking

The girl awoke slowly, her head throbbing.

Where was she? She could hardly see through swollen eyes. It felt like she was in bed… The room was dark, lit only by the red glow of the setting sun… or was it sunrise? She had no idea how long it had been since… she couldn't remember what had happened before.

Her thoughts were moving slowly and with effort. It was hard to focus. Her whole body ached, especially her wrists… She reached to rub away the pain only for her arms to stop short…

Her arms were tied…

She was tied down to the bed!

The realization cut through the fog of her thought like a knife made of ice. She broke into a cold sweat as she struggled in vain against her restraints. She looked around frantically for anything she could use to free herself, to call for help, to use as a weapon…

The room was strange to her. She had no idea where she was or how she got here. The last thing she remembered… No, with her heart racing and her veins filled with adrenaline, her memory still eluded her.

Should she scream for help? She hesitated. What if that just drew the attention of whoever had tied her up? Maybe she was in the middle of nowhere, with no-one around to hear her… She tried to slow her breathing and think.

In the quiet, she thought she could just make out the noise of the city. It sounded distant and muted, but unmistakable to anyone who had lived in the city long enough to get used to it. She could only just crane her neck enough to see the windows of the room. One entire wall of the room made of glass from floor to ceiling, the dim copper rays of the sun creeping into the room. The rest of the room was almost bare, just a couple of pieces of modern looking furniture, all hardwood and steel and sharp corners. Expensive looking and devoid of personality.

This had to be some kind of high rise apartment. It sounded like she was still in the city, but not close to the street. It must be on a higher floor to be getting that kind of natural light. She was sure now that it was sunset, the copper glow growing darker even in the few minutes since she had awoken. Maybe if she screamed, a neighboring apartment might hear… But maybe whoever had tied her up was sleeping and she had time yet to try to escape.

She turned her attention back to the ropes. The knots were tight and secure, and only seemed to get tighter the more she struggled. Her hands were tied separately, so she couldn't reach with her finger to work the knots, but perhaps…

She strained against her bonds, trying to get her head close enough to bite the knots, chew through the ropes, anything… She could almost reach…

Footsteps… in the next room… She froze, holding her breath, trying to stay silent… Should she pretend to still be unconscious…

There was no time. Before she could even decide, a man stepped into the room. Backlit by the setting sun, his face was shrouded in shadow. She could just about make out dark hair, a white shirt, dark pants…

…a knife in his hand, the blade reflecting the red glow of sunset…

She screamed then, knowing that it was hopeless, knowing even if someone heard that there was no time to save her. She screamed and fought as he lunged at the bed, trying to kick him away, kick him in the face, kick the knife away. But he was too strong, and the ropes were too tight, and so all she could do was scream until she felt the knife at her throat.

The pain was sharp and sudden, and with horror she saw a spray of her own blood splashed across the blank canvas of the perfectly white shirt. She could feel hot wetness on her chest, her sight began to fade. She could hear the thump of her heart pounding in her ears slow as her life slipped away.

The last rays of the dying sun spilled away, leaving the room in darkness.

Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle

Born into one of the wealthiest families in the country, Layla Rosenzweig's true identity is taken away at the time of her birth by the mistress of her father. She is forced to live as the illegitimate daughter of the Rosenzweig Family. Everyone treats her no less than an outsider in her own house. "This is mine. That is mine. In fact, everything is mine," Layla's half-sister told her. Everything that belonged to Layla is given to her half-sister, including her boyfriend. Then, she is forced to marry her ex-boyfriend's ruthless uncle, Lucius De Salvo, the most terrifying man in the country. Lucius De Salvo is known for his ruthless ways to get his work done. His name is enough to terrify people. It is said that he is a man devoid of emotions. He will find pleasure in people's pain and misery. He loves to torment those who come under his radar. But why is he so lovely to Layla? Or is it just a pretense? "Are you ready for the wedding night, Darling?" Lucius asked. “I've desired you for a long time.” “What?” Layla was shocked. “Why would you?” “Because you are Layla Rosenzweig. The woman I like.” With that, he captured her mouth for a passionate kiss. ~~~~~ **Cover Is Mine** Follow me on Instagram: rayoflight_pcy

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Qiao Mei transmigrated into a novel as a supporting character with the same name as her who lacked presence. This supporting character was a country bumpkin who couldn’t get married due to her obesity. According to the original script, this country girl Qiao Mei was a fatty spoiled by her grandfather. However, their relatives were all vicious and cruel people. Her grandfather had poor health, so once he died, the relatives would divide and swallow up his assets. Hence, her grandfather’s greatest wish was to marry Qiao Mei off. For this, even sacrificed and betrayed his good friend’s grandson, Xia Zhe. Grandpa got Xia Zhe drunk and had Qiao Mei forcibly take the strong and handsome Xia Zhe with her body which weighed more than two hundred pounds. Then, grandpa would catch them the next day and force Xia Zhe to marry Qiao Mei. However, that eventually caused the start of Qiao Mei’s unfortunate life. Also, in the original story, Qiao Mei took possession of Xia Zhe’s mysterious jade. But due to Qiao Mei’s stupidity, her cousin's sister had tricked Qiao Mei into giving her the jade, which resulted in the cousin’s family becoming rich. When Qiao Mei transmigrated here, it was during the awkward moment when she was making love to the man after making him drunk. She woke up groggily the next day and grandpa’s team had already appeared at the door. Qiao Mei was frightened. She didn’t want to proceed on the original path and marry a man who didn’t love her. And so, she lied and chased grandpa away. She also pushed the man out before forcing herself to look at her tanned and chubby reflection in the mirror! Alas, she cried at her ugly appearance… Like a sumo wrestler in large cloth underwear, even the plus-sized apparel shops didn’t have clothes in her size. And her face was the size of a pizza, a scorched pizza! Qiao Mei decided to reform her life! The first step, lose weight! The second step, clean up her room! She used to be particular about cleanliness, and although her current house had a huge courtyard, she could only describe it as messy! The third step was to hold onto the jade tightly so her greedy cousin wouldn’t stand a chance! Only, wasn’t the tall and handsome Xia Zhe supposed to hate her according to the original story? Why was he being nicer and nicer to her?

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Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon

[MATURE CONTENT] Abigail Snow accidentally caught her fiancé being intimate with her sister. She learned that her fiancé had only used her to advance his business and had never truly loved her. Heartbroken, Abigail called off the engagement and left everything behind to start a new life with nothing. At her lowest point, she met Sawyer, a hidden tycoon who helped her rebuild her life and seek justice against those who made her suffer. As Abigail begins to fall in love with Sawyer, his childhood sweetheart reappears, causing doubt and confusion for her. *** Excerpt: Whoever this man was, he was her savior. If he hadn’t held her hand and pulled her, she might have become dead meat and gone straight to the afterlife. "Thank you so much, good sir," Abigail said softly as she finally looked up to see him. Abigail was stunned. "But I'm not planning to commit suicide. I tripped over my own feet,” she continued, avoiding eye contact. She stared at his chest—her line of sight only reaching his sturdy chest. “It sounds better to hear that, Miss. Because I don’t want to go to the police station to become a witness, or they might wrongly accuse me as a suspect,” he said with a sarcastic tone that caused Abigail to stifle a laugh. "Sir, I’m so grateful you helped me. You are my savior. I owe you my life—" Abigail paused, taken aback by her own words. How could she make such a deep vow to this man!? This man might take advantage of her if he was a bad person. Right? "Alright, young lady, you’re supposed to release your tight embrace on me. You’re safe now." Abigail was utterly shocked to hear his words. She only realized she was still in his arms, her hands tightly wrapped around his waist, and her entire body pressed against him. They were so close—close enough to hear his loud heartbeat. She quickly took a few steps back. _____ Author Novel: 1. DAMN! I FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM (Completed) 2. The Bride Of Immortal Crown Prince (Completed) 3. Rebirth: Dancing In My Destiny (Completed) 4. The Billionaire's Genius Wife (Completed) 5. Rebirth As The Vampire Lord's Wife (Completed) 6. My Billionaire Ex-Husband Chase Me Back (Completed) 7. Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon (Serializing) _____ How to contact me: >> Instagram account: authorpurplelight >> FB Page: Author_Purplelight >> Join my Discord Server: https://bit.ly/purplelightserver _____ Notes: The book cover belongs to the author. Please don't reuse it!

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