Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 23

The courtroom buzzed with restless energy long before the judge arrived. Reporters packed every wooden bench, notebooks open and cameras ready. Low conversations blended with the steady clicking of camera shutters, while the smell of old varnished wood and bitter coffee hung in the air. Every seat was filled. Every pair of eyes waited for the woman whose arrest had shaken one of the country's most powerful corporations. Regina sat beside Alexander in the second row. Her palms were cold. Without looking at her, Alexander reached beneath the bench and intertwined his fingers with hers. His grip was firm and reassuring, silently reminding her that she wasn't facing this alone. She squeezed his hand back. The side door opened with a sharp metallic click. Conversation stopped instantly. Two deputy marshals entered first. Then Evelyn Laurent stepped between them. The orange prison uniform erased every trace of the polished executive Regina remembered. Gone were the designer suits,

Three days after Evelyn Laurent's arraignment, Reine Studio opened its doors again.The reception area buzzed with quiet conversation, ringing phones, and the steady rhythm of printers coming back to life.For the first time in weeks, Regina walked into her office feeling like herself instead of someone constantly looking over her shoulder."Good morning, Mrs. Kingston."Her assistant, Mia, looked up from the reception desk, relief written all over her face."It's good to have you back."Regina smiled."It's good to be back."She stepped into her office, setting her handbag on the desk before taking in the familiar chaos she had once complained about. Fabric samples covered one corner. Three mood boards leaned against the wall. A half-finished hotel design sat exactly where she had left it.For the first time in months, the mess felt comforting."Anything urgent?" she asked."A few clients panicked after the arrests made the news."Mia handed over a folder."Two considered canceling t