The Defense She Chose

Julian Mercer is a rising star at Sterling & Howe, driven by one promise: to give his mother a life free of hardship. Then his mother is beaten outside her late-night food truck and dies after six critical-condition notices in a single night. His girlfriend, Celia Drake, vanishes without a call or a text.

When Julian stands in court as the plaintiff's attorney, Celia appears at the defense table, representing Marcus Lane, the man accused of killing his mother. She argues drunken self-defense, and the key evidence disappears. After the verdict, Marcus spits at Julian's feet while Celia shields him, begging Julian to let him go.

Julian refuses to answer violence with violence. His weapon is the law, and he will appeal. But as he grieves at his mother's grave, he must face the question of what Celia did during the nights he sat alone outside the ICU.