Chapter 0356


    Predictably, the courtroom is packed with journalists and other members of the press. Kent has


    known for a long time that he’s been a person of public interest – that damn Mafia King nickname


    had done some real damage when it was first applied to him – and whispers start around the room


    as he walks in wearing his orange jumpsuit, his wrists cuffed.


    Kent clenches his jaw, refusing to meet any of their eyes, his gaze going immediately to the front of


    the room where his team ofwyers wait, and to Daniel and Jerome, sitting in the first gallery row


    behind them. Kent’s heart sinks, just a little bit, when he sees that Fay isn’t there with them.


    What he’d give to see her, just for a moment – just a glimpse.


    She’s got to be in her second trimester by now, which means she’ll be showing – if just a little bit.


    He wants to know everything – absolutely everything about it. But he also understands: if Fay and


    Daniel are trying to go legitimate, to convince the world that Daniel is her husband and the father of


    her child, then she can’t have anyone see her rtionship with Daniel’s father as anything but a


    disgraced father-inw.


    It makes sense.


    But god damn it, it hits him right in the heart.


    Daniel gives him a little smile, just the corner of his mouth pulling up, and Kent nods to him, and


    then to Jerome sitting beside him.


    For a moment, as Kent passes to the group of hiswyers sitting at the front of the room, he


    considers how weird it is that Jerome is always around. He nces over his shoulder, frowning at


    the young man who he picked up basically off the streets, never intending for him to be any more


    than a low-level runner. And now he was the only one Daniel and Fay bailed out of jail? And he


    was, essentially, living with them?


    Who the hell was this kid?


    Kent makes a mental note to ask Daniel next time they speak alone, but then he sighs considering


    that…well, it doesn’t really matter, does it? Jerome is in. And he, Kent, is…screwed.


    The judge begins speaking and Kent’swyers kick into gear, giving their responses and making


    their arguments. Kent nces over at thewyers for the state, noticing for the first time that Ivan is


    over there as well, apparently waiting in case he needs to be called as a witness. But then Kent


    looks away, because it can’t possibly matter anymore.


    Kent barely listens as hiswyers speak. He knows the details of what they’re asking for – he’s read


    all the paperwork and asked all of his questions. This judgment session is,rgely, a formality – the


    teams havee to an understanding, and the judge will only really deny it if she has some kind of


    personal vendetta. And, ncing up at her face, which is very nearly bored, Kent considers that it


    would be a surprise if she did that.


    So, he lets himself space out a little bit, which he never does, ncing down at the paperwork on


    the table and passively reading some of the words. But as he looks closer, he frowns, leaning


    forward a bit to see that…


    Her handwriting is…basically on every piece of paper here.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    What?


    Kent’s eyes eagerly pass over everything on the table, noting Fay’s chaotic cursive notes on nearly


    every document that thewyers have brought today – which were only updated yesterday with the


    final details. Which means that…Fay was upst night, or this morning, going over every bit of it.


    What the hell?


    Why on earth was she involved? Fay doesn’t have aw degree – and while she’s certainly clever


    enough to understand it…why…


    Kent stands up straight and sighs through his nose, working hard to keep his face impassive. What


    on earth is she up to? He knows she wanted him to take this plea deal, but he had assumed it was


    to…keep things easy for him, for all of them. To just get everything settled so that they could all go


    on with their lives – Kent in jail, Daniel and Fay out in the world.


    But this? The fact that she’s not just leaving it up to thewyers? That she’s apparently going over


    every bit of the paperwork?


    Kent clenches his fists as he realizes that…that Fay is fighting for him. And he doesn’t get it – he


    doesn’t know how, or why – but she’s up to something.


    And he could kill her for it – for putting herself in the middle, when she should be concentrating on


    herself, on the baby.


    But damn it, if his heart doesn’t swell with happiness and pride. Because his girl is out there, and


    she’s fighting for him.


    And he…he doesn’t really know if he fully deserves it. Deserves her.


    But he’ll take it. God damnit, he’ll take it, all of it. Because he’s a selfish bastard and Fay?


    Because she’s everything.


    “Mr. Lippert?” The judge says turning her gaze on him now and startling him a bit out of his reverie.


    “How do you plead?”


    Kent nces at hiswyer, who nods to him, letting him know to do as rehearsed.


    “Guilty,” he replies, his voice ringing out stronger than he thought it would when he entered the court


    room, almost…god, it almost sounds a little happy, and smug, and sly.


    The press whispers with curiosity and anticipation.


    The judge takes a moment to look at him and then puts her sses on, looking down at her the


    paperwork in front of her. “So be it. The sentencing will be dyed, then, but I am well convinced


    that the bargain struck here between the state and the defendant is equitable. Mr. Lippert, if you


    provide evidence to the state regarding the illegal activities of other extant criminal organizations to


    the satisfaction of the state, you will be sentenced to twenty years in prison for your collected


    crimes. Do you understand?”