Before appearing in court, Andy had already made up his mind.

Yes, he admitted that he did have feelings for Seven, but so what? If it meant facing ten years in prison, going to Florida would undoubtedly be a much better option than staying on the Virgin Islands.

People always have to face reality.

He couldn’t deny that today, Seven truly gave off the aura of a victim. Dressed in pristine white with black trousers, his neatly ironed collar framed his slender neck, giving him a fragile, almost delicate look. Beneath the slightly open collar was a deep hollow at his throat, just barely revealing his elegant collarbones.

With meticulous care, he fastened the cuffs of his shirt. The fabric wrapped around his slightly slender wrists, leaving only his beautiful hands exposed. His every movement was refined, almost too poised, amplifying his air of innocence and helplessness.

Once everything was in place, he said, “Can you give me yesterday’s incarceration application form?”

Andy glanced at him, pressed his lips together slightly, and sighed. “I can’t. Sorry.”

Seven nodded. “Then… I’ll have to regretfully inform you that in three days, many newspapers will receive anonymous reports about you. Reports detailing how the Davy Law Firm concealed evidence, harbored criminals, forged identification documents, assisted politicians in taking down their rivals, and framed innocent people. Cases like Mr. Li’s espionage trial, the Morris Company’s tobacco scandal, and the governor’s sex scandal. I imagine quite a few people would be interested in how you lured that politician into bed with a prostitute at his own celebration, especially if no one knew you forged the prostitute’s identity as a socialite.”

For a moment, Andy was so stunned he could barely breathe.

Seven continued in the same unhurried tone. “Your passwords are encrypted with DES. Impressive, but your laptop is too good. The Tulip E-GO, the most expensive model on the market, certainly lives up to its name. I used brute force and cracked your password overnight. Then, I accessed your private email. I assumed that a laptop containing so much sensitive information wouldn’t be connected to the internet. Lucky for me, I was right. So, I sent an email requesting network authorization from your system administrator. Even luckier, it was approved. It was a UNIX system. Compared to your DES password protection, breaking into that system didn’t take much time. It only required the right techniques.”

At the end of it all, Seven even offered a casual compliment. “It seems you hold quite a high position at Davy.” Then, in a flat tone, he added, “I go by the online handle Sevendays. Not because God created the world in seven days, but because there are few systems I can’t crack within a week.”

For a second, Andy felt something close to disbelief. He had actually lent his laptop to a notorious hacker. His mind spun through countless possibilities, but before he could formulate a counterattack, Seven shattered every one of them with just a few words.

“My email dispatch system is automated. If I don’t cancel it, it will send everything out. Tell me, is Rong Qing worth sacrificing the entire Davy firm?”

A bitter smile flickered across Andy’s face. “But Seven, the prison on the Virgin Islands… it’s hell.”

Seven asked, “And people like Rong Qing live in paradise, don’t they?”

Andy raised a brow. “If you’re talking about living however he pleases, then yeah, pretty much.”

Seven arched a brow slightly. “Then I refuse to be in the same place as him. If he’s in paradise, I’d rather go to hell.”

“You hate him?”

Seven shook his head, closed his eyes briefly, and said, “I just don’t love him anymore. That’s why I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Andy began to understand this person a little more. He was the kind of person who gave his all when he loved, but once he stopped, there would be no more lingering attachment.

Did Rong Qing know this about him? Andy thought vaguely. He probably did.

“I only want the incarceration application form in your hand. Everything else, you can handle however Rong Qing wants,” Seven added.

Andy knew that Seven was facing a potential ten-year sentence, but ultimately, he didn’t say it out loud. Instead, he suddenly realized that Seven had a way of turning things upside down. Being around him sometimes made you feel like you weren’t yourself anymore.

Seven carefully read through the incarceration application form. Then, with those beautiful hands of his, he meticulously tore the document into thin strips. The thoroughness of the destruction made Andy think even a shredder couldn’t have done a better job.

——

At this moment, sitting in the defense attorney’s seat, Andy could feel Rong Qing seated directly behind him. The sensation left him uneasy, as if needles were pricking his back. Thinking about the shredded transfer form, a cold sweat began to form on his forehead. How could anyone stay composed under such pressure?

The trial itself was quickly spiraling out of control. Andy’s lack of intervention had skewed everything against them.

Across the courtroom, Kiefer stood pale but firm, his expression a mix of anger and restraint. His accusations against the defendant carried a sense of wounded pride, each word spoken with the confidence of someone who knew how to use his power. His tailored suit and careful gestures made him look like a victim, a nobleman who had been unfairly caught in a scandal.

The Americans’ attitude toward the British was like that of an aging man toward his waning virility, resentful of its decline yet unwilling to admit its failure, clinging to it as a matter of pride. This sentiment was especially evident in someone like Sutherland, a staunch aristocrat. For many, it was far easier to believe that the mixed-blood defendant had violently assaulted him than to confront the uncomfortable truth that one of their nation’s most esteemed nobles had raped a minor of another race.

The prosecutor, Donny, was the textbook image of an American middle-aged man. With brown hair, a towering frame, and a gaze that bore down on Seven, he spoke with unwavering conviction. “The fact remains that you seduced my client. You lied about your age. You used your innocent and pure appearance. Ha—” He let out a laugh, as if he had just cracked the joke of the century. “My naïve client was bewitched by you, and then the two of you went to the villa, where things escalated.”

“Gentlemen, if you’ve ever set foot inside my client’s villa, you would know it is an ocean of art. Of course, to someone with ulterior motives, it might as well be a palace paved in gold. In the bedroom where the incident took place, there was a rare Ming Dynasty tea table, exquisite, priceless. And that, gentlemen, was the very root of my client’s misfortune.

“When this young man attempted to sneak out with the table in tow, my client tried to stop him, only to be violently attacked. That, gentlemen, is the simple truth!”

Andy raised his hand. “Objection. The prosecutor’s reasoning is baseless and without factual support.”

The judge nodded. “Objection sustained. Prosecutor, please proceed.”

Donny let out an exaggerated sigh, then braced both hands against the defendant’s stand. “That night, did you or did you not engage in sexual relations? Did you make any attempt to resist?”

Seven lifted his head and said coolly, “We did not have sex. Mr. Kiefer stripped completely naked only because he wanted to have a chat with me.”

Laughter erupted from the audience. Andy froze for a moment, and even Donny was momentarily stunned. Seven remained unhurried as he continued, “If a thirty-seven-year-old man with three prior reports of sexual assault can still be considered naïve, then why wouldn’t he strip down just to have a conversation?”

More laughter echoed through the courtroom. The judge struck the gavel. “Defendant, mind your tone.”

Donny took a deep breath and said, “Mr. Seven, I understand you are an orphan. How exactly did you support yourself while attending the Music Academy in Austria?”

“Through many means,” Seven replied.

Donny smiled triumphantly. “Afraid to admit it, are you? Then allow me to enlighten the jury. Mr. Seven made his living working as an escort at Rainbow Bar. Escort… what an elegant term. Talking with clients, easing the woes of lonely gay men sounds almost noble, like the work of a psychologist. But what is it in reality? It is nothing more than a euphemism for a male prostitute!”

The gallery erupted into murmurs of shock, the sound rippling through the courtroom. Andy let out a deep sigh, his shoulders sinking slightly.

Suddenly, Seven’s voice broke through the noise.

“Mr. Donny, you’ve recently been divorced, haven’t you?”

Donny’s slightly plump face froze for a moment, but Seven continued smoothly, “There’s a mark on your left hand where something used to be. You keep touching it absentmindedly, clearly not accustomed to its absence. Every time you do, you’re filled with anger. You blame the temptations of the Virgin Islands for your failed marriage, instead of acknowledging your domineering and overly aggressive behavior toward women.” As he spoke, Donny’s female assistant couldn’t help but glance up at him.

Donny stood there, completely stunned, while Seven continued, speaking quickly. “You wear a fake gold watch but try to act like you’re covered in designer brands. That’s because you don’t want anyone to know about your financial troubles. You have a gambling problem, spending nights at the casino, leaving you sleep-deprived, with bad breath and a short temper. You obviously bet on horse racing too. Today is Tuesday, and every fifteen minutes, you check the messages on your phone. Each time you read them, your mood shifts uncontrollably. It’s now eleven o’clock sharp, the racetrack must have sent out the results for the first race. Can you tell everyone which horse won?”

The courtroom fell silent, broken only by the buzz of Donny’s phone vibrating at exactly eleven o’clock.

Andy rubbed his forehead and whispered, “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, Seven.”

During the lunch break, Andy found Rong Qing. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he said, “Daniel, let him go.”

Rong Qing looked up, his brows slightly furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve already lost your chance. You executed your plan, and you should know by now that you’ve lost him. No matter where he is, even if he’s in a prison under your control, you can’t change that outcome.”

Rong Qing laughed, his pupils narrowing slightly, the deep black of his eyes sharp like needle points. “Andy, if we weren’t friends for ten years, I’d seriously doubt whether you’re the real Andy Watters. My plan is for him to serve a ten-year sentence in Florida. There will be no changes.”

He stood up and left the VIP room. Andy watched his back in frustration and muttered, “Too bad… your plan isn’t his plan.”

Meanwhile, a distinguished guest arrived at the courthouse holding cell. He wore a deep blue tailored suit that fit him flawlessly, striking the perfect balance between comfort and elegance. Though no longer young, his well-maintained physique spoke of discipline and care. His silver-gray hair and refined features had not lost their appeal with age. Instead, they gave him a dignified and charming presence.

He wore a black gemstone ring on his perfectly kept right hand and held an ivory cane that looked old and full of history. But on him, these things did not seem flashy. Instead, they suited him, making him look noble and powerful. He carried himself with such confidence that it felt almost impossible to meet his eyes as an equal

“This way, Duke Sutherland,” the officer said respectfully, guiding him into the holding room.

Seven’s hand, resting on the table, clenched tightly. “Officer, I didn’t say I wanted to see anyone,” he said.

The officer seemed to ignore him completely. Donald Sutherland made a gracious gesture and said, “Please give us some time alone.”

The officer hesitated, but Donald reassured him, “Don’t worry. This child poses no threat to me.”

Once the officer left, Donald sat down in front of Seven and asked warmly, “How are you, Seven?”

Seven turned his face away without answering.

Donald remained composed and gentle. “Although there have been some… unpleasantness between us, you are still my child. I can’t stand to see you suffer.”

Seven’s voice was hoarse as he replied, “Then please disappear. Maybe my suffering will lessen.”