The next morning, at eight-thirty, Severo Laris left the house and rode his bicycle, as usual, down the alley on Fourteenth Street.
At the end of the alley, there were four beaters with steel pipes that seemed to have been waiting for him for a long time.
“Severo, my master told me to come and tell you to drop the case.”
Severo Laris got off the bike, took off his suit jacket and hung it on the bike, then rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, his movements looked sloppy, but his eyes were stern and sinister, “If you want to fight, hurry up, I’m in a hurry.”
The four beaters snorted coldly, “You seem to be toasting wine, so we’ll show you what it means to know your place.”
“Brothers, go!”
…
The case is scheduled to begin at ten o’clock.
At nine-thirty, Milagros and El padre de Milagros were already at the entrance of the courthouse, waiting worriedly and anxiously for Severo Laris.
Rufio called Severo Laris twice and there was never any answer.
Milagros’ father could not resist asking, “Attorney Rufio, isn’t Attorney Severo coming?”.
Rufio knew what worried El padre de Milagros and reassured him, “El padre de Milagros, don’t worry, Severo is not a shy person, even if the defendant is a very powerful person, he won’t be afraid of the court, maybe it was the morning rush and he was late.”
Rufio himself does not believe it when he says this, it is not that Severo Laris drives and the morning rush hour is ineffective for his motorcycle.
But Severo Laris is an extremely punctual man, and in a case of this importance, the hearing started at ten o’clock, when normally he would have been there.
…
Inside 14 Lane, the ground is a mess.
Severo Laris lay on the floor, bracing his arms against the pain of the wound and crawling up from the floor.
In his right lower abdomen, he had taken a stab wound and was now bleeding all over, staining the corners of his shirt.
The men, after stabbing him, fled in a hurry for fear of being seen by people coming and going.
In this area, there is no surveillance.
Severo Laris stumbled out of the alley, covering the wound in his lower right abdomen.
He lifted his wrist and looked at the time: nine forty-five. He couldn’t call the police, let alone an ambulance, now; he had more important things to do.
Severo Laris’ right abdomen was covered in blood, oozing from his covered fingers, a shocking sight to see, and pedestrians on the road couldn’t help but approach to greet him.
“Sir, do you need a ride to the hospital?”
“Take me to the courthouse, please.”
…
Ten minutes before the hearing, the interested parties were already entering the courtroom.
At the entrance to the courtroom, Rufio was met by the family and lawyers for the defendant.
The other side’s face was smug and arrogant: “Attorney Severo, the eloquent one for the plaintiff, isn’t he here today? I didn’t expect him to give in so quickly.”
Rufio stared at him with a weathered smile and said in a voice that only two people could hear, “If Severo Laris’ tardiness had anything to do with your backstabbing, you’ll be waiting for a subpoena. Don’t forget that we’d better be lawyers.”
The other side grunted and looked at Rufio before entering the arena.
Rufio looked at the time, court was about to start, it was too late to enter and said to El padre de Milagros and Milagros, “Let’s go in first.”
Milagros’ father asked, “And when will lawyer Severo arrive?”.
With a determined gleam in his eye, Rufio said, “I’m sure Severo Laris will be here on time.”
“What are we going to do if Attorney Severo really doesn’t come?”
“If Severo Laris doesn’t come, I will be in his place, and I am one of his instructing attorneys.”
But the defense and the evidence were in Severo Laris’ hands, and Rufio wasn’t entirely sure.
But this is a case that Severo Laris would have won and sent the other side to jail for more than ten years if he had taken the stand.
…
At 9:58 p. m. in the large courtroom, the plaintiff’s trial lawyer had not yet arrived.
Rufio’s heart was pounding as he watched the time on his watch, which was ticking by the second.
He wasn’t so much concerned that he was replacing Severo Laris in the field as he was that Laris would suffer some sort of accident on the road.
Exactly ten points.
Severo Laris had not yet arrived.
The judge banged his gavel, “Plaintiff’s counsel, not yet present?”
Milagros’ father looked anxiously at Rufio, who was seated at the hearing table, glanced at the arrogant face of the defense family and prepared to get up and take the stand.
Just as Rufio was about to get up and head to the courtroom, the courtroom doors burst open.
The eyes of everyone, rested on Severo Laris.
The eyes of the crowd were either stunned or inquisitive.
This man was so badly wounded and dripping blood down the right side of his abdomen, and he had come to court for a session?
Severo Laris ignored the stares and walked calmly toward the plaintiff’s attorney.
“Sorry, I’m two minutes late.”
“Plaintiff’s counsel will be asked to state the reason for his tardiness.”
Severo Laris approached the attorney’s chair, pale but calm, and stated, “He was unexpectedly attacked on the road and was injured.”
The wound on Severo Laris’ right abdomen was visible even to the courtroom audience, and the judge nodded his head, banged his gavel, and officially opened the case.
Rufio looked at Severo with concern, damn, Severo was out of his mind! He’s not even going to give up his life!
Every minute that passed in court was difficult for Severo, as if he was stepping on the razor’s edge.
His lips were pale and even his voice weakened, but he still pushed his opponent back.
…
Two torturous hours.
The judge finally pronounced: “According to the regulations of the Criminal Code, the rape of a woman with violence, coercion or other means is punishable by a prison sentence of not less than three years and not more than ten, but the defendant Alonso, by his bad methods, caused the plaintiff Milagros a serious psychological illness and committed several acts of suicide…. …”
In the end, Alonso was sentenced to ten years in prison.
The war was over.
Alonso was taken away.
Milagros’ father shed tears of emotion.
When Severo Laris stood up, a sharp, dull pain erupted from his right abdominal wound, his face was frighteningly pale, and a great cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Lawyer Severo!”
“Severo!”
Severo Laris could take no more, fainted and collapsed.
…
After Paula Rouco’s class, she rushed to the IFC Restaurant to wait for Severo Laris.
She stood outside the restaurant waiting for him, but there was no sign of Severo Laris.
At first, she did not call him for fear of disturbing his court session. When he waited until half past twelve, thinking his lawsuit was over, he made several calls in a row, but no one answered.
It’s 12:30 and Severo Laris is nowhere to be seen, which would make anyone angry.
Paula Rouco bit her lip and made another call, which went unanswered.
Severo Laris didn’t stand her up, did he?
…
On this end, Severo Laris was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was soon in the operating room for surgery.
Although the cut was not vital, Severo Laris did not seek medical attention in time, resulting in severe bleeding and a three-hour operation before it was completed.
Severo Laris was transferred to the general ward and awoke shortly after 7:00 p. m. He was taken to the general ward.
Rufio was sitting in the ward, peeling an apple, when he woke up, he sneered, “Lawyer Severo, you are really something, you have been seriously injured and you are still going to court, you are really desperate! But you’ve become really famous, you’re all over Weibo, the internet is talking about your bravery!”