The War of Words in Court Chapter 1 (Adult Experiential Story Novel)

"Your Honor, I would like to ask the victim, Ms. Chen, some more questions to clarify some necessary facts."

"This judge agrees to the defendant's lawyer's request. Ms. Chen, please go to the witness stand and answer questions from the defendant's lawyer."

The trial of the case has entered its fourth day. The facts of the case have already been clearly stated and almost everything that needs to be said has been said. I believed the case would be closed today, so I relaxed and started thinking about my other property lawsuit. However, why did the defendant's defense lawyer Tang Jiahui ask to question Ms. Chen again in court? Is she really going to use any means to save this lawsuit that seems doomed to fail? I couldn't guess her intention, and I felt a little uneasy as I watched Miss Chen walk to the witness stand.

This was a fairly simple rape case. About four months ago, Ms. Chen was attacked and raped by an ambushed assailant when she returned to her apartment in the middle of the night. During the entire rape process, Ms. Chen was blindfolded and was unable to see the rapist's appearance from beginning to end. But she remembered the criminal's voice clearly.

More than three months later, one day, Miss Chen accidentally heard the voice again in a store. She immediately called the store security to detain the man and notified the police. The police discovered that this person had a history of sexual harassment, so they arrested him and opened a case.

The man's name is Zhao Taijiang. He is currently a porter. He has been accused of sexual assault three times. He was convicted of sexual harassment once and was acquitted the other two times due to insufficient evidence. What worked against him this time was that Miss Chen didn't know him at all and had no idea that he had a criminal history, but she identified him based solely on his voice. And he couldn't provide any alibi. Another piece of evidence in favor of the prosecution was that Zhao Taijiang's neighbor testified that he had seen Zhao Taijiang using a black scarf that was very similar to the scarf that was used to blindfold Miss Chen and was abandoned at the scene by the criminal.

Of course, all the evidence presented by the prosecution is not solid enough and contains many loopholes, and each one will raise questions if examined carefully. Therefore, the police were reluctant to prosecute, and no lawyer was willing to take the case.

When I first heard about this case, I thought it was quite difficult and that if I met a strong defense lawyer, there would be many entanglements, so I wanted to turn it down. But because it was an introduction from an acquaintance, and Miss Chen came to my house in person to ask me for help, I softened my heart and agreed.

Especially when I heard that the defense lawyer for this case was Tang Jiahui, a young female lawyer who had been unanimously praised by everyone in recent conversations, my competitive spirit was immediately aroused. It is said that she has won more than ten major lawsuits since her debut since she graduated last year, which is better than what I did back then. I feel a little dissatisfied and curious. Surprisingly, the case progressed very smoothly in the first three days, and the current situation is extremely favorable for the prosecution. This is mainly because Tang Jiahui's performance was too mediocre. She easily overlooked the loopholes and weaknesses that could have been explored, and her argument for the main evidence was also weak. Judging from the jury's body language, if nothing unexpected happens, the defendant is bound to lose this case.

After all, for such a young and innocent female lawyer, defending a rapist would naturally have many inconveniences and concerns, and it would be difficult for her to really give her all. However, now I am beginning to have some doubts. Is this her defense strategy of avoiding the truth and addressing the false? Maybe not. Maybe my many years of career as a lawyer have made me suspicious. But I still feel a little uneasy. I always get a little nervous when my opponent surprises me.

At this time, Tang Jiahui had already come to Miss Chen, staring at Miss Chen sitting in the witness stand with her big eyes almost without blinking, and said calmly: "Miss Chen, please believe me, as a woman, I sympathize with your experience very much, and I also hope that the real murderer can be convicted and brought to justice as urgently as you do. Therefore, I hope to clarify some facts with you further. Some of my questions below may be offensive or embarrassing to you, please do not misunderstand. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand."

Different from the casual and low-key attitude of the previous three days, Tang Jiahui suddenly became serious and stared at Miss Chen with her sharp eyes - a look she had never shown in the past few days. Looking at Lawyer Tang’s cold and pretty profile, I suddenly had a bad feeling in my heart. She must have had a plan, but I was totally unprepared. What exactly did she mean by this? Not being able to figure out the opponent's intentions is the passive situation that all lawyers fear most.

"Ms. Chen, before you were raped this time, had you ever had sexual experience with the opposite sex?"

Why did she suddenly ask such an intrusive question? I didn't have time to figure out her real intention. I instinctively objected to the judge and stopped her: "I object to such a question! Your Honor. This question has nothing to do with this case."

The judge turned to Attorney Tang and asked her, "Defendant's lawyer, do you have reason to believe that this is a relevant issue in this case?"

"Yes, Your Honor. Please believe me."

"Okay. The objection is not valid. Ms. Chen, please answer the defendant's lawyer's questions truthfully."

I felt a little angry. I had not expected to be able to successfully prevent the question, only to give my client more time to consider how to respond. But the judge was undoubtedly biased in agreeing to let the defendant continue without asking her lawyer to give any explanation.

Miss Chen replied with obvious uneasiness: "...No."

"So, Ms. Chen, before this, have you ever had any form of sexual contact with any member of the opposite sex? For example, touching each other's sexual organs with your hands or any part of your body?"

I once again stood up and protested, pretending to be particularly angry: "Your Honor, I strongly object to the defense attorney's invasion of my client's personal privacy with such irrelevant issues."

The judge turned to Tang Jiahui again and asked: "Defendant's lawyer, can you explain why you think this issue is directly related to this case?"

"Of course, Your Honor. This is a sexual rape case, and the client's understanding of sex will directly affect her ability to identify the criminal. Please allow Miss Chen to answer my questions."

"Okay. Please answer, Miss Chen."

Looking at Tang Jiahui facing the judge with her beautiful face and asking such sexual questions in such a large courtroom without blushing, I suddenly realized that the judge had an instinctive preference for her - a man's natural reaction to a woman. What's more, Tang Jiahui is such a pretty beauty. I began to realize that meeting such a beautiful opponent of the opposite sex was not a fun thing at all.

I didn't want to offend the judge, so I sat down in silence, feeling more and more uneasy. This female lawyer seemed to be working on Ms. Chen's ability to identify the defendant. But what does this have to do with her sexual experience? In any case, my interference gave Ms. Chen enough time to think about how to answer Tang Jiahui's question. Miss Chen replied somewhat embarrassedly:

"I... have never had what you call sexual contact with the opposite sex. I... I only had a few... hugs and... kisses with my ex-boyfriend."

"Very good, Miss Chen. Thank you for your straightforward answer. Next, I would like to ask you some details about that day. According to what you said, you were blindfolded, stripped of your clothes and humiliated by that person. Where did this happen? In your living room, or in your bedroom? Or in..."

"In my bathroom. He forced me into my bathroom."

"On the floor of your bathroom?"

"...Yes...I was pinned to the ground..."

"Did he gag you?"

"No."

"You didn't resist? You didn't yell for help?"

"...No. He...he held a knife and threatened me."

"I see. Did he tie you up?"

"He...he tied my hands...behind my back with stockings."

"According to your report to the police, the man forced you to perform oral sex on him. What words did he use to coerce you?"

"He...he started saying that if I would...blow him, then...he would not rape me. Let me choose...and I would..."

"So, you chose to give him...oral sex, correct?"

"No... I... It wasn't my choice... I... What choice did I have? I was forced."

"I see. You were forced to give him a blowjob. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, Ms. Chen. So, in what position did you give him oral sex?"

"I object to your asking questions in this manner, Your Honor. These questions constitute a direct and unnecessary invasion of my client's privacy." I couldn't believe that such a young female lawyer could say the word "oral sex" in front of everyone without blushing. I still couldn't figure out her methods, but I knew I had to object early. We can't let her do whatever she wants and ask questions in the way she designed.

"The objection is not established. Witness, please answer the question."

What? The judge's reaction was hard for me to accept. He completely stood on Tang Jiahui's side and rejected my objection without even turning his head. I suddenly realized that everyone in the courtroom, including the judge and the jury, seemed to be listening attentively to Miss Chen's forced account of how she was humiliated. Oh my god. I felt very angry for Miss Chen that these people were so interested in the details of the rape.

I began to realize Tang Jiahui's strategy. Oh my god, is she really that cunning?

The power of life and death of the entire case lies in the hands of these jurors. Offending them will be extremely disadvantageous to either party. If you can gain even a little bit of their favor, the balance may tilt in your favor. Of course, the goodwill that Tang Jiahui had won was not enough to change the jury's strong impression of the defendant's guilt that I had built in their minds over the previous three days. Unless she can find another crucial flaw. But I could already sense the presence of danger.

Miss Chen seemed to be recalling the scene in pain: "I...he...I was kneeling on the ground...he first...probably sat on the edge of the bathtub, then stood up..."

"Perhaps sitting on the edge of the bathtub? Are you sure?"

"…Yes. I am sure of it. My head was held down very low."

"I see. Miss Chen, can you recall whether his legs were bent or flat when he sat on the edge of the bathtub?"

I suddenly understood where Tang Jiahui was trying to find a breakthrough. She wanted to find evidence to prove that the criminal was of a different stature than Zhao Taijiang. As long as Miss Chen gave a wrong answer, it might give her an opportunity to take advantage of her. He is indeed a cunning lawyer. It was a pity that I did not anticipate that she would start from this direction, and did not give Miss Chen any guidance on how to deal with it. I secretly broke into a sweat.

Miss Chen hesitated and said, "He... I can't see him. I don't know."

This is a very good answer. I looked at Tang Jiahui. Although I couldn't see any reaction on her face, I guessed that she must be a little disappointed. The calm lawyer continued without changing his expression:

"Ms. Chen, how did you feel that the man was standing again later?"

"He... I have to look up to reach his..."

"His what?"

"Ah...his...that thing..."

"You mean his penis, don't you?"

"……yes."

"Were you still kneeling on the ground at that time?"

"Yes."

"Do you have to stretch yourself up to reach his penis when he's standing there?"

"Yes. I have to keep my head up."

“…”

Tang Jiahui asked questions one after another, but it seemed that she didn't get what she wanted, so she stopped as if she didn't know how to proceed. I secretly felt anxious for Miss Chen. If this goes on, I don’t know what kind of accidents will happen.

Tang Jiahui changed the topic and asked:

"Ms. Chen, were you wearing clothes when you gave that person a blowjob?"

"...No. No. I...was not wearing any clothes. He took them off."

"Miss Chen, do you know if the man is also naked at this time?"

"... He seemed to be wearing a shirt. But his lower body... was naked."

"Are you sure? How do you know he was naked from the waist down?"

"...I...was held between his legs, so of course I knew."

"Ms. Chen, can you tell us in detail what happened to you at that time?"

"……I……"

"I mean, can you describe how you performed oral sex on that person?"

"I object to this kind of questioning! Your Honor. This kind of question involving the personal privacy and dignity of the parties has no direct relationship to this case. I strongly object to the defense continuing to ask questions in this way."

"The objection is upheld. The witness may not answer this question. Defendant's counsel is requested to reconsider the suitability and scope of application of the question."

My objection was recognized by the judge for the first time, which made me feel a little relieved. But I know this female lawyer will not give up. She lightly brushed her hair with her hands, stared at Miss Chen again, whose face had turned ugly, and said in a slow tone, somewhat gently:

"Okay. Let's imagine this: the man is naked, sitting on the edge of the bathtub, and you are naked, kneeling between his legs, blindfolded, with your hands tied behind your back, sucking... uh, giving him a blowjob. Is that right?"

"...Yes. But why do you..."

Miss Chen could no longer hold back her sadness and almost sobbed.

The stimulating picture described by Tang Jiahui appeared clearly in my mind.

I looked at Miss Chen guiltily. Her sad face was still pretty, the dignified dark blue suit tightly wrapped her graceful lines, and her bulging breasts rose and fell slightly in excitement. Through that layer of clothing, I conjured up the image of her naked body kneeling on the ground. My lower body suddenly started to swell. Oh my God, why am I here at this time... Suddenly I realized that a similar scene must be appearing in the mind of everyone here.

For the first time, I deeply understood what kind of vulgar society a raped woman would have to face. And I am just a member of this vulgar society.

Miss Chen's situation at this time was far more embarrassing than I had expected. But she just wiped her eyes with a towel and raised her head again. I have great respect for her courage in facing all this. For many years, as a lawyer, the law has always been just a lot of written documents to me. It is more used to maintain and coordinate the interests of all parties. I never think about justice and fairness, and I never sympathize with the plaintiff or the defendant. But now, a strong desire to bring the criminal to justice suddenly surged in my heart.

I looked towards Zhao Taijiang sitting in the dock. He could sit there as if nothing had happened, seemingly appreciating and recalling the crime he had committed. I couldn't help but feel angry. I really don't understand why such a talented, young and promising female lawyer would defend such a scumbag. I don't believe she can get much defense money from him as a porter.

I couldn't help but stand up again and said loudly to the judge: "Your Honor, I strongly object to the defense attorney's attack on the victim in this case in such a humiliating way. These memories are both unnecessary and completely unacceptable. I ask you to stop her from continuing."

The judge raised his head slightly, thinking, Tang Jiahui quickly interrupted:

"Your Honor, you know, if we don't even know what happened at the time, how can we accurately determine who the real criminal is? As a woman, my sympathy for Miss Chen is no less than any of you. But as a lawyer for the defendant, I must also be responsible for my client."

She is indeed a powerful opponent with good words, and she knows how to use her being a woman, which is an indestructible weapon. I could feel the burning momentum from her words. I have to admire her ability to debate.

Sure enough, the judge sided with her again:

"Miss Chen, do you need to take a break?"

"No."

"Okay then. Please continue asking questions, defense attorney."

"Ms. Chen, you just said that your body was sandwiched between his legs. So, can you feel whether his legs are smooth or covered with hair?"

“His legs are all hairy.”

Once again, I felt how cunning this seemingly gentle female lawyer was. Before she knew it she was searching for loopholes. From her expression, I guessed that Ms. Chen's quick answer didn't give her any chance.

Tang Jiahui then asked, "Miss Chen, besides the hair on his legs, did you notice any other features?"

"……No."

"Ms. Chen, your eyes are blindfolded and your hands are tied behind your back. How can you take that man's penis into your mouth?"

"I... He held my chin and put that thing in my mouth, and I..."

"I see. Miss Chen, have you ever given a man a blowjob?"

Tang Jiahui bombarded Miss Chen with question after question, hardly giving her a chance to breathe. Moreover, these were questions that were difficult for a woman to ask. Even she herself had to pause when she talked about a man's penis. Tang Jiahui's purpose was very clear, which was to make Miss Chen make a mistake in panic. I know there must be many more behind her serious questions. However, facts are facts after all. I believe that as long as Ms. Chen answers all questions truthfully, Tang Jiahui may not be able to find an opportunity. But I still felt worried for Miss Chen.

"I...I've never had any of these...sexual experiences."

"So, have you ever seen a woman give a man oral sex?"

"No...I just heard about it."

"Ms. Chen, when you first put his...that thing in your mouth, what special feeling did you have?" Tang Jiahui was getting more and more excessive, but I still endured it. Miss Chen was obviously irritated by this question: "I...what can I feel? I feel so sick. I just want to vomit. If you don't believe me, try it?"

"Please don't be angry, Miss Chen. You didn't spit it out, did you?"

"...He...How could I resist? In order to...to preserve...my chastity, I had no choice but to..."

"I understand you, Miss Chen. When you hold that... penis in your mouth, do you actively move your head, or..."

"He held my head with his hands and moved it back and forth on his... that..."

I objected again, hoping that the judge would ask Tang Jiahui to give reasons for asking these questions. But it was again rejected by the judge.

"I see. Ms. Chen. Is this man's penis big? Does it feel big in your mouth?"

"Yes. Big."

"Did it all go into your mouth? Or only half?"

"I... I don't know. I couldn't see. But... it went in quite a bit, deep inside my mouth."

"Is that so? Do you feel like vomiting?"

"…I started to feel…"

"I see. You started out feeling nauseous, but then you got used to it. Is that right?"

"No. It's not that I've adapted. It's... I'm being held down. There's nothing I can do..."

The jurors listened attentively to the details of how the victim was forced to perform oral sex, and the entire courtroom was very silent.

My mind also began to wander, and I kept seeing the image of Miss Chen kneeling on the ground with a penis going in and out of her beautiful lips. My lower body became more and more swollen.

"Ms. Chen, did the man say anything during this process?"

“…”

"Ms. Chen..."

"Yes. He said a lot."

"Can you recall anything he said?"

"...He...he asked me to suck deeper, saying...that I didn't suck deeply enough...I was worse than...than a whore...He asked me to suck harder...and use my tongue..."

"Ms. Chen, did you do as he asked?"

"I...I...don't know. I can't remember."

"Is he dissatisfied with your blowjob?"

"Yes."

"So. What happened next?"

"He...he forced me to...suck his...balls...and put them in my mouth one by one..."

"Wait a moment, Ms. Chen. What did he ask you to suck? His balls?"

"It's... it's the two below... those two..."

"Those two what?"

"That's... the two below..."

"Oh, I see. You mean...his testicles, right?"

"……Yes."

I felt that Tang Jiahui was also blushing at this time. It seems that she is not as determined as she appears, and she doesn't know much about the male body. It seems that she is not even familiar with the testicles that we usually call balls.

"Ms. Chen, what happened next?"

"Then he pressed my head down onto his... penis, and he inserted his thing deep into my mouth, pressing my nose against him..."

"I see. What happened next?"

"Later... later... he... said that I did a bad job, so..."

Seeing that Miss Chen couldn't continue speaking, Tang Jiahui showed no mercy and continued to press forward: "So what?"

“Just…just…raped me…wuwuwuwu…”

Miss Chen really cried this time. In fact, everyone knows the general idea of ​​this plot, but now that Miss Chen tells it herself, with so many details, it is really touching.

Now I don’t want to stop Tang Jiahui’s questioning anymore. Tang Jiahui is also taking a risk now. If she fails to find any major loopholes, Miss Chen's situation will gain the sympathy of the jurors. Especially her sincere tears now could move anyone with a heart of stone. I looked at Tang Jiahui's expression. There was no visible change in her inner self. What a seasoned opponent, he doesn't look like a young lawyer who just graduated a year ago.

Tang Jiahui calmed herself down and waited for Miss Chen to stop crying. Then she silently handed her a glass of water and stroked Miss Chen's hand a few times. From these seemingly unintentional little actions, I can see that Tang Jiahui also knows how to balance the sympathy of the jurors. But she still had to ask this question. Did she have any other intentions? I thought hard but couldn't get the answer.

"Ms. Chen, please forgive me for having to make you recall that pain again. Please believe me, I am as eager as you to put that inhuman guy in jail. However, before the matter is clarified, we cannot hastily put a possibly innocent person in jail while letting the real murderer walk free on the streets. Do you agree with me?"

"……agree."

Damn, that's cunning. I know very well what Tang Jiahui's hypocritical sympathy is about.

"Ms. Chen, was that person pressing on you when he was inserting into your lower body?"

"Yes."

"Do you think he is of a big build, average build, or rather thin?"

"I... look quite burly."

"Are you sure you have Mr. Zhao's body type?"

"Yes. He...his whole body was on me..."

"Ms. Chen, according to police records, you reported the case less than half an hour after being raped. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"Why, then, did the police not record any traces of the man? Hair, or dandruff, or--"

"...He flushed the bathroom before leaving..."

"I understand. Ms. Chen, there is one thing I don't understand. The police records mentioned that you had a vaginal examination that night, but why didn't you find any... any male semen?"

“…”

"Ms. Chen, did that man not ejaculate inside you?"

"...No. He...ejaculated..."

"Are you sure?"

"I am...sure. Of course I am sure... wuwuwuwu..."

Miss Chen suddenly burst into tears again. I was a little confused too. I have had this question before, but I didn't take it to heart. And it was not convenient for me to ask some sensitive details to a young woman. This time I was really careless.

"Ms. Chen, why are you so sure? Why didn't the police doctor find any traces?"

“…Wuwu…Wuwu…”

"Ms. Chen, can you tell us how you judged that he shot..."

"He... he... came in my... oooo... mouth..."

ah! The whole audience sighed. I don't know this detail either. It must have been too difficult to talk about, as Ms. Chen did not even report it to the police. The thought of a penis ejaculating in her mouth made my lower body swell again. I couldn't suppress my body's instinctive reaction, and my lower body was swollen and painful in my pants. The guilt inside me made my face flush.

I turned my head and looked over, and I thought I saw a faint smile on Zhao Taijiang's face. I turned my head back angrily, and the injustice in my heart lasted for a long time.

"Ms. Chen, I'm sorry. It's better for you to say this out loud. Keeping it in your heart will make you feel worse."

Miss Chen nodded and slowly calmed down. It seemed that just as Tang Jiahui said, she felt relieved after she had spoken out the heaviest burden in her heart. A resolute and indignant expression appeared on her face, and she no longer had the weak feelings of fear and shame.

"So, Miss Chen, how did he ejaculate his semen into your mouth? Did he force you, or..."

"...Yes...he...he threatened me that either he would ejaculate in my uterus and make me pregnant, or I would have to...let him ejaculate in my mouth...so I had no choice..."

"I see. He gave you a choice and you chose to let him cum in your mouth."

"No. I had no choice. In that situation... I was terrified. I didn't want to get pregnant. It was too horrible, so I had to let him... just let him... cum... in my mouth."

"I see, Ms. Chen. So, after he ejaculated in your mouth, did you spit his semen out somewhere?"

"...No...he forced me...to swallow it all...otherwise then...then..." Miss Chen could hardly continue speaking, but Tang Jiahui still did not relax.

"So you swallowed all his semen?"

"I had no choice."

"How is it possible that not a drop leaked out? Is that really the case?"

"...Yes. He finally..."

"Ms. Chen, please continue."

"He...inserted it very deep, and I couldn't even spit it out."

"Hmm. How deep did he penetrate? Miss Chen, can you recall it?"

"I... He pushed really hard... I..."

"Ms. Chen, can you recall how he thrust it into your mouth?"

"Yes... He grabbed my head with his hands and pushed hard..."

"I see. So, can you feel his penis at the bottom of your mouth? Or somewhere else?"

"I don't know. Anyway, it's very deep. My mouth is almost touching his body."

"Ms. Chen, how did you know that your mouth was almost touching his body? You couldn't see it, right?"

"My mouth touched his pubic hair."

"Ah, I see. I thought you said your nose was pressed against his. Is that so?"

"...Yes. He pressed my nose and hurt me. I... couldn't avoid it..."

"So, Miss Chen, since your nose can touch his body, it means that you have swallowed his penis into your mouth, is that right?"

"I... I don't know... Yes! Yes! Why do you have to ask these questions?"

"Ms. Chen, please don't be angry. I am very grateful for your cooperation. I just want to understand the situation clearly."

“…”

"Ms. Chen, he ejaculates in your mouth. What happens next?"

"And then... he... kept his thing in my mouth... and... asked me to lick it... clean... wuwu... wuwu..."

"Ms. Chen...what happened next?"

"Later, he forced me to drink water to clean my mouth, leaving no trace... wuwu..."

"I have finished my questions. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Chen. Do you need to rest for a while?"

I helped Miss Chen to her seat, and looking at her red eyes, I didn't know how to comfort her. I just kept praising her for her good performance and courage. Miss Chen wiped her eyes vigorously twice with the towel, then raised her head and asked me softly, almost in a very aggrieved tone:

"Mr. Ma, why does she keep harping on these questions?"

"Ms. Chen, don't worry. Her pressing questioning method is a common method used by ordinary lawyers. They will ask witnesses to repeat known things repeatedly to find inconsistencies in their testimony. This just shows that they have no other choice but to irritate you with these embarrassing questions and hope that you will make mistakes in your answers."

"My answer... Is there any... problem?"

"Ah, no. Absolutely not. Didn't you see that Lawyer Tang couldn't find any flaws in your answer? You performed very well, better than I expected."

"Will she... ask anything else?"

"Don't worry, haven't you asked all the questions? I believe she has nothing more to play. But she is right about one thing, that is, once you get rid of these heavy burdens in your heart, you will feel better."

Miss Chen nodded and seemed to feel much better.

Although I tried my best to comfort Miss Chen, I still felt a little unsure.

Judging from Tang Jiahui's performance, she must have gone through some careful preparation. It is hard to believe that she would give up so easily. Although she didn't get anything useful from the conversation just now, there may be some follow-up measures. My heart tightened. I never thought this female lawyer was so difficult to deal with. A few days ago, she deliberately kept silent and avoided my attack. After my offensive was over, he attacked from the side where I least expected it. This was exactly the strategy of avoiding the strong and attacking the weak in the military strategy, and it really caught me off guard.

However, the final victory still depends on strength. It is not easy to overturn the jury's already formed opinion. Tang Jiahui, let’s just wait and see. I secretly swore in my heart that I would make this female lawyer, who had never lost before, fall in front of me.