Warm On a Cold Night ★ JENLISA

Chapter 13

Chris Barnett's words reverberate through her.

Loudly.

For days.

They itch inside. The light at the end of the tunnel. The weight of all that is these criminal cases lifting off her shoulders slightly.

How would it even work? She still has this massive trial looming over her head at present and, besides that... how will she transition out?

She had to learn on the fly and she learned fast. Became one of the best they've got in this building. Takes pride in that. Knows the value she brings into the building every day, sees the way her colleagues look to her.

But...

It doesn't make her heart sing. Doesn't get her out of bed in the morning. Doesn't fulfill that ache inside of her the way it does for others.

The way it does for Lisa.

Lisa thrives in it. Has found her calling. Has angled for the changes offered to her and taken them as they come, building her plan and working it out step by step.

It's clear in every word she says, every argument she builds, every case she tackles.

Jennie has never felt that way, but she's felt something close to it.

And it sure as fuck didn't come from this grind.

She remains balancing precariously on the precipice that opened before her seemingly overnight and trying to hold on as best she can.

It would be such a leap, such a jump. Back into that world that she knew so well before she was shoved out of it. Before she sacrificed all of her knowledge to cram the rules of evidence into her brain again and learn how to craft a spectacular closing argument.

It would be a lot of work to catch back up, to switch gears. A huge challenge and transition back into what she always thought she would be doing.

She learned how to handle this life, how to handle court and the paperwork and deadlines and all of it.

But that itch keeps rearing up.

Jennie Kim has never backed down from a challenge.

Xx

Her phone buzzes loudly on the desk as she stares at the motion response she received for her next case.

It's... maddening. Infuriating really.

She grabs the phone and answers it for something else to do, anything else.

"What," she barks.

"Wow, hello to you, too.

"Chu- sorry. I'm... sorry." She takes a breath and cools down.

"Good. Now get your ass down to Ark. We're celebrating."

"What are we celebrating?"

"I quit my job today."

Jennie gapes, the words sinking in. "What?"

"Yep. Another firm has been trying to poach me for the past year and I never even considered it because of my project but now... fuck it!"

"Holy shit, Jisoo!"

"I know! Now get your ass down here!"

"I'll be there soon, okay?"