Weeks turned to months, and it was crunch time in the theatre club as they were finally rehearsing for the last act while the set designers were done making all the costumes, props, and of course, the backdrops of each scene.

It was bittersweet for everyone to those who were so passionate about the play. Some of them were relieved that it was going to be over soon, including Gage and some of them were sad since they had fun practicing with fellow theatre actors.

Anyway, the ex-couple was getting used to the idea that they were broken up. The Romeo still could not find it in his heart to forgive his ex-girlfriend he still looked at her with disgust for being untruthful during their time together even before they were an item.

As for the Juliet, she stopped wearing the Love Knot that Gage gave her when he surprised her with a paint picnic. Although, she kept it in the outside pocket of her bag. Oddey did not want to be delusional that her ex-boyfriend would just walk to her and they get back together, and that she knew she had to return it, but it was difficult since the guy kept dodging her.

Probably, their feelings for each other were not entirely gone, but it was still hard for them if either one was being approached by any guy or girl that would go their way. How Courtney relished her closeness with Gage and used her role of Juliet to her advantage, while few other guys in CarmU were throwing themselves at Oddey.

One night, the Juliet was in her dorm room, sitting by her desk staring at the red braided wristlet and just could not help but reminisce all the wonderful times that she had with Gage.

Suddenly, Rita came out from the shower, already in her PJ, and saw her roommate drying out her curly hair. "You still have that," she snickered.

The art student became startled, "Yeah," she replied while feeling bashful. "I know, I should give it back to him."

"It's almost been a month, Bestie. If he wants it back, then he should have come to you and told you that."

"That's the problem. He's been avoiding me like I've been infected by COVID before there were vaccinations."

"So then just keep it," Rita advised. "It is a gift anyway. What's the big deal about it?"

"It's not just any gift. This was his mother's," Oddey reminded. "I don't deserve that."

"Oh..."

The Juliet let out a heavy sigh. "I guess I have to do the hard way then."

----

The next day, when the rehearsing session was over, the art student went inside the lift. She was the only one there at first as the door was slowly closing in, "Hold the elevator!" a voice exclaimed.

"Oh, okay," she responded and pressed the open button.

However, it was Gage entering quickly to get to his class. They both subtly flinched that they were going to be inside the same elevator, but he had no choice. "Uhm... thanks," he muttered to her.

"No problem."

At that moment, when they were waiting to get to the ground floor, the atmosphere was thick, and the silence was loud as if they were trying to be strangers to one another.

they both remembered being trapped in that very elevator one stormy evening. It was the time when Oddey had an asthma attack when she was experiencing claustrophobia and how the Romeo swooped in to help her. Also, she admired how caring he was of her, yet she lost all that and him.

Gage looked back at how he had her sleeping in his arms, and it was the night when he started to fall for her slowly. It was from there that he realized how wonderful it was to be with her when she offered to help him get ready for the audition. Those were the happiest times of his life, but at that time, it was not. However, he was confused as to how he felt about it after everything that happened.

Once they got to the ground floor. "After you," the architect student said in a soft tone.

"Thanks," Oddey replied politely as she walked out of the elevator first, then after her ex-boyfriend exited. "Gage, wait."

"What?" he responded in a hostile way. "I'm in a hurry."

The poor girl jolted and could sense the hostility in his tone, which made her afraid of him. "Nevermind. I'm sorry to bother you," she stammered, so she abruptly walked away.

Gage instantly felt bad from her reaction. "Wait.." But it was too late. The girlfriend was already out of earshot. "I'm sorry."

Later, the lousy guy got to class as he and the other students there were waiting for their professors to come. He was still guilty about how he treated his ex. As much as he hated her, it did not feel right.

Felix then came and sat with him, "damn, ten minutes to spare," he panted and even sweating. "I forgot to set my alarm for my thirty-minute nap. Good thing I woke up in time, or else Prof. Gomez will kill me for being late again."

"Yeah..." Gage responded as he tried to look like he cared.

His buddy noticed his submissive behavior. "Dude, are you okay? You seem down? I thought you'd be a little thrilled that the rehearsing will be over soon."

"I am. It's... Oddey."

"Oookay..." Felix was actually on his buddy's ex-girlfriend's side not only because he was dating Rita. Though at the same time, he was still a friend to Gage. "What did she do now?"

"Nothing."

"I... don't get it."

"She just called me, and I accidentally snapped at her today before she could tell me anything after practice," Gage explained.

"Oh, that's rough." The roommate cringed.

"I know I should be over it by now, but I can't help being mad at her over the littlest thing."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but presence puts the heart in danger."

The architect student weirdly gazed at him. "Philosophy class?"

Felix rolled his eyes. "No, spoken word bar. Anyway, listen. Maybe you're agitated by her presence."

"Sounds just about right. What's your point?"

"I know it has been a month, but you might find yourself searching for her... or not. But what if she's gone? Maybe you'll start to... not hate her," the best friend explained.

"Doubt it," Gage scoffed. "I have no plans on getting back at her."

"I'm not saying that, just at least it'll help you heal and not snap at her the next time you see her."

"We go to the same school, and you date her best friend," the architect major reminded. "How can I not see her?"

"You're going to intern at a firm after the play is over, aren't you? That could work," Felix told him.

The Romeo became convinced. "You're right, I can't wait to start," he replied. "Thanks, man."

"Anytime."

----

Meanwhile, their opposing family was preparing for their war in court with their lawyers and their partners. Both parties seemed to be ready to face one another.

They were about to enter the courtroom after some trash talk before being seen by the eyes of the jurors. "Nice suit, Hal," Adrian mocked. "But I suggest you better get used to wearing orange again. It goes better with your eyes."

"Stop it," his wife demanded her husband.

"That's alright, Marie. He can keep talking before he can eat his words," Leon responded.

"Oh, you sound confident," Mr. Munro added.

"And you sound stupid as always. Why don't you save your breath?" Leon scoffed as he entered the courtroom with Eva and his lawyers.

The trial started, and Leon's lawyers began questioning his client since he was the defendant after being sued by Adrian, who was sitting at the plaintiff's table. "Mr. Magnum, can you tell us the day when you were accused of embezzling money?" He questioned.

"Yes. It was a normal day at work until I was called to the office by the company president," Leon explained. "When I entered his office, he seemed pretty distressed, and I thought it was about work. Suddenly, he yelled at me about the accusations that he believed I made and threw documents in my face."

"Can you tell us briefly what happened when you were imprisoned for that accusation?"

"It was bad enough I had to pay for a crime I did not do, but I had to endure the hard life in prison. The inmate kept stealing my food and beating me up like I was a punching bag, Eventually, I learned to develop a thick skull and defend myself from there. However, I was stabbed in the back by an inmate when I was cleaning the bathroom."

Marie seemed to have sympathized with her ex-husband, even the jurors. "That must have been awful, Mr. Magnum," the lawyer remarked. "But let's go back from the beginning. What documents were those that the CEO showed to you?"

"There were invoices. To my horror, there were millions transferred to my bank account."

"Did you transfer that money?" The attorney inquired.

"Never, I have no motive to need that much money," the CEO of Magnum Tradings said. Adrian quietly chuckled as he rolled his eyes at his words.

"And why is that, Mr. Magnum?"

"That time, my wife. Excuse me, my ex-wife and I were just divorced." Leon even gazed at her straight in the eyes, which made Marie look away, and she was starting to feel uneasy as well.

"Do you know anyone who could do such action?"

"No, I don't," the man answered. That made Adrian puzzled since he thought his rival was going to point out that he could have done it.

"But do you know who reported that it was you who committed it?"

"Yes."

"Is that person here in the courtroom today?"

"Yes."

"Can you point him out?" The lawyer said.

Leon did just that, and he pointed to none other than his nemesis. "Him."

"Let the record show that he is pointing to the plaintiff, Adrian Munro. How convenient. No more questions." The attorney even turned to lock eyes with the prosecutor as he went to his seat.

It was Adrian's lawyer's turn to ask questions to Leon. "Redirect, you honor," he said to the judge. "Mr. Magnum, you said Mr. Munro reported you to the CEO of Ebony Estates. Don't you think he was just doing the right thing from your foolishness?"

"Objection, your honor," Leon's lawyer said out loud.

"Overrule," the judge responded. "The defendant may answer."

"Perhaps, but I did not take millions of money to my account, and I didn't even get a chance to prove myself."

"Is that so? So if it's not you, who do you think did it?"

"Objection, your honor!" Leon's attorney exclaimed. "Speculation."

"Judge, it could prove if the defendant is innocent or not."

"Alright, I'll allow it," the judge said.

"I believe it was Mr. Adrian Munro," Leon replied while Adrian looked down and snickered silently as he shook his head.

"That's a serious accusation. Are you saying that he took the money and framed you?" Adrian's lawyers asked.

"No."

"So why do you believe that he did it?"

Leon darted to his enemy, "I was nominated to be promoted as VP in Ebony Estate, and he was envious that he was not considered," he claimed as his rival started feeling tense. "So he come up with a plan to take that away from me and my ex-wife."

"And how did he do it then?" The lawyer inquired.

"He paid an expert of hacking named Tim Bowen."

Adrian became petrified when he heard that name and that Leon found out about him. "THAT'S A LIE!" he shouted and banged the desk with his hand. There were gasps let out by everyone in the court room then other people started to whisper.

"Mr. Munro!" his attorney grumbled at him that his client freaked out, which made their side look bad already. Even Marie had to hold her frantic husband down.

"Order! Order in the court," the judge demanded as he hit the block with the gavel.

Leon and his team were pleased to see Adrian react the way he did, which could lead them to victory.