Under the Same VerdictEN

Omniscient narrator

A new day began in the beautiful city of Boston. The weather was sunny and pleasant. It seemed like just another day, but it wasn't quite like that for two people in particular. This day marked the beginning of a great story for two people who would break all the rules of what was socially acceptable and create and write their own story. Their very own "Happily Ever After"...

Aurora's POV

There can't be one thing I hate more than the sound of that damn alarm clock. God, how annoying!

Although my body was demanding at least five more minutes of rest, my mind was telling me to start preparing for this day, so with all the laziness in the world, I reluctantly got up to turn off the alarm that told me it was time to get up and start getting ready for my first day. Honestly, I felt excited, very excited to be honest...

What was the reason for my excitement? You might be wondering... Well, here's a little bit about me and my story.

My name is Aurora West, I'm 23 years old, and I'm preparing to become a lawyer, just as I've always dreamed of. At this point, I've already completed my academic workload. All that's left is to complete my internship so I can finish, receive my degree, and finally practice in the world of work.

That is precisely why I feel so excited today. I was presented with the opportunity to do my internship at the best law firm in Boston, " The New Age" Law Firm ", that firm was the best in the city and one of the best in the entire country, it was definitely a unique opportunity.

Without wasting too much time, I started getting ready so I could leave for that place with plenty of time. I took a quick shower, went through my routine, and dressed as professionally as I could. I wore black dress pants, slightly fitted at the top, and a simple white blouse. My overall style was quite sophisticated, classic, yet with a sensual touch. No matter the occasion, I loved dressing that way.

Once I was ready, I left my apartment and took a taxi to the building where I would be doing my internship. I knew that the firm was so successful thanks to a particular lawyer. I didn't know that lawyer's name; I only knew that he was incredibly well-respected and that there wasn't a single case he lost. Now that I think about it, I think I should have learned a little more about him. Although, to be honest, I don't think I'd ever set foot in his office, so what does it matter? I figured they wouldn't give me such an important position, and I completely understood.

I arrived with plenty of time to spare, and walked confidently and with restrained excitement toward the doors of the rather large building. As I stood at the entrance, I noticed there were plenty of security personnel around, and I could imagine why. In this profession, it can get to a point where it becomes "dangerous" for us, as not everyone will be happy with the results we achieve.

"Good morning, miss. Do you have an appointment?" a man asked politely at the entrance before letting me in.

-Good morning, that's right. I'm an intern. I was told to head to meeting room 136-B. My name is Aurora West. - I said, giving the information they had given me. The guard seemed to be checking a list and looked back at me.

"Sure, go ahead. Take the elevator and press the 19th floor. That's where the meeting room you mentioned is," the young man explained kindly. I thanked him with a smile and walked inside the building.

I had to go through the metal detector and a brief pat-down; they sure take security seriously around here. Without any further distractions, I headed to the elevator and punched in the 19th floor, which was actually the second-to-last floor. I felt a little nervous but very excited; I was ready to give it my all and show what I was made of. Upon reaching the floor, I exited the elevator and began walking slowly around the building. All the offices on this floor were closed, giving interns complete privacy. I walked, staring at the letters on each door until I reached the end, where there was a larger metal plate indicating that this was where I was going. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door twice.

"Come in," said a soft, manly voice. I sighed and opened the door, feeling confident and secure. Upon entering, I saw a large round table where only a man in his 30s, maybe a little older, was sitting. He was honestly quite handsome. He stood up when he saw me and extended his hand toward me.

"You must be Aurora, right?" The man asked with a smile, he looked quite kind and warm.

-Good morning- was the first thing I said when I took her hand –Yes it's me, nice to meet you, are you...?-

-The pleasure is mine, Sebastian Stan, I am a criminal lawyer and deputy director of the firm- He introduced himself kindly.

So he was the boss's right-hand man... I could tell he was a bit young, as I imagined the boss would probably be a grumpy old man; they don't usually hire such young people for such important positions.

-Come in, have a seat- He invited me to sit next to him to talk –Okay, then, Aurora- He repeated my name while quickly looking at some documents and closing the folder to focus his gaze on me again –I understand you come from Portland, from Concordia University, is that right?- He asked wanting to corroborate my information.

-Yes, that's correct- I replied with a small smile.

"Excellent school, if you ask me. Professor Cumberbatch asked me to allow him to bring you in as an intern at the firm. He spoke highly of you and gave you excellent recommendations." The conversation continued, and he seemed very pleasant.

Professor Cumberbatch , my favorite professor, thanks to him I was able to get this opportunity at the firm, he sent my papers and asked for the favor of accepting me, I owed him one.

-Yes, I am very grateful to both him and you for this opportunity. I assure him that I will do my best to be of help in this place. - I assured him, looking at him with confidence.

"I'm sure you will. I know Benedict doesn't put his hand in the fire for just anyone. I like your attitude. But let's talk a little about you. You'll be working with us for at least six months until your internship ends, so I'd like to get to know you a little better so we can handle the time in a more pleasant and cordial way."

-Sure... Well, as I mentioned, my name is Aurora, I was born in Portland, I've lived there since I can remember, until it was time to do my internship and I moved here. I love reading, and just enjoying time with myself, I think I consider myself pretty relaxed and calm...- She explained under Sebastian 's watchful eye .

We chatted for over an hour, as if we were lifelong friends. By this point, I felt confident in asking for his support so I could learn much more in this place.

-Well, you'll be given an entrance badge so you can go through the staff entrance and not have to go through security all the time. I'll assign you an office downstairs. There, someone will be in charge of telling you what to do and how to help each day. I'll be calling you occasionally so you can learn about different cases and contribute your knowledge. I'm upstairs, on the top floor. Any questions or concerns you may have, feel free to come to me. - He finished with a small smile, which I returned.

-Thank you very much, Mr. Stan-

"You can stop by my office at your dismissal time. I'll give you your badge. For now, you can settle into your office downstairs. Someone will help you there. Welcome to Team Aurora," she added, rising from her seat. I mimicked her action.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Stan. I'll come with you later. Excuse me..." I said goodbye and left the meeting room to go down to the 18th floor where Sebastian told me to go .

I did exactly what Stan told me to do. I went down to the floor he mentioned, and there a young lady helped me and gave me instructions on what to do. This floor was somewhat similar to the one above; it had many closed offices connected by hallways. I spent the entire day receiving instructions on what to do there. Everyone was very kind to me and shared advice on how to do a better job.

The day passed quickly and finally my departure time arrived. I said goodbye to my colleagues and headed to the elevator. While there, I remembered that Sebastian had mentioned that I should stop by his office to get my badge, so I punched in the top floor and waited a few seconds until the metal box doors opened.

The top floor came into view, it was impressive, everything in this place screamed luxury, it was different from the other floors I had been on, here the space was much more open, there were only a couple of cubicles on the left side, a couple of hallways and at the back you could see a large mahogany-colored door, I couldn't make out what was inscribed on the metal plate but of course I sensed it was the boss's office, it was half open but the inmate couldn't make out anything.

I walked slowly appreciating the details of this place, it was amazing, I started to head towards one of the people who were in the cubicles to ask for Mr. Stan when I heard them mention my name making me turn around immediately.

-Aurora?- I turn around and realize that it is Sebastian who was looking at me with a smile.

-Mr. Stan, hello again, I just finished my shift and remembered I had to come get my badge...- I explained.

"Oh, right. Come with me," he asked politely, walking toward a small hallway. We passed the office with the mahogany door and entered an office with Sebastian 's name on the door.

He handed me my name badge, gave me a few instructions so I wouldn't have any problems when I entered, and escorted me to the exit.

"So how was your first day?" He asked with a smile.

-It was excellent, everyone has been very kind, I can't wait to continue learning from all of you- I admitted, letting my excitement show a little.

-I'm glad you feel comfortable, you know, if anything happens you can come with me- He finished saying when I called the elevator.

"Thanks again, Mr. Stan. Have a nice day. See you tomorrow." I said goodbye and started walking toward the exit so I could finally go back to my apartment.

I had to admit that today had been a very good day; the excitement of starting here still filled my body. Something that kept me quite intrigued was seeing the boss's face. My colleagues had mentioned his name on occasion when telling me a little about the company. I knew his name was Rafael Novoa, and the only thing they said about him was what I already knew: that he was the best at what he did, never lost a single case, and was respected, but also greatly feared by those who confronted him.

I was also told that he was the most grumpy and moody person in the world, he demanded nothing but perfection and never left his office, only to leave the place, he was like a wolf in a cave, I was afraid of running into him at some point, I still think he is a grumpy old man, who probably wouldn't agree with someone like me being in his company as an intern, but he wouldn't let me be intimidated, I have always been characterized as a very secure and self-confident woman, so I wouldn't let the fear of him invade me.

I decided to walk to my apartment, since it wasn't too far from the building and I enjoyed a good walk to relax and clear my mind a bit. The only thing that made me a little sad was arriving at my apartment and finding it empty. As I mentioned to Sebastian , I've lived in Portland my entire life up until now. I come from a fairly privileged family where the bond between us was very important, and going from living with my parents and being in a place where I was always accompanied and sheltered to living completely alone was a bit hard for me.

Many people in Portland considered me a spoiled brat, but I believe I generally had the support of my parents. I never asked for more than I should have, even when they offered. I always fought to earn things. I worked to pay my bills and didn't ask for more than I needed, even though, again, they insisted on giving it to me. I was always a firm believer in earning things, not just holding out my hands.

Something to note is that internships never actually pay you as much as if you were working there. There's no salary as such; often, they don't offer a single cent, and other times, they only give a small compensation. Therefore, knowing that what they would pay me wouldn't be enough, my parents offered to pay the rent for my apartment, which I was infinitely grateful for. I considered declining the offer and getting a job outside of the internship, but I couldn't let my pride speak for itself. I really wanted to have my full attention on the firm, so I agreed to pay only that, and with whatever they gave me at the firm, I think it would be enough for my stay there.

I arrived back at my apartment after 40 minutes. I walked in and lay down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about everything that was coming next. I had a good feeling about this; I knew something good was coming my way, and I was ready for it.

What a day!