Strange Bedfellows
~ ch. 13, concluded ~
Dara watched the proceedings
unfold exactly as Stefan said they would. In fact, if not for the unimpeachable presence of Judge Cho,
Dara would have suspected Stefan of scripting the entire event.
The judge stood huddled over
the mass of documents with Stefan and Aristide Cassadine.
Their voices, calm but confident, were just audible from the end of the
room where they stood. Phrases like ‘original language’, ‘current
translation’ and “spirit of the document’ were bandied about among the
three men.
She should have been there in
the middle of their discussion, Dara admitted.
But she’d promised Stefan that she would allow him to defend to the
judge the wisdom of the choice he had made in her.
It was, Stefan assured her with a knowing little half-smile, a task that
he could undertake with complete confidence.
That little smile sparked a
flicker of interest deep within her. It
was an interest that Dara resolutely crushed beneath the narrow heel of her
Manolo Blahnik shoe. If she were
not careful, Stefan Cassadine would succeed in charming her into the palm of his
hand. And Dara had no doubt that
was his goal. Not because of any
attraction on Stefan’s part, but because it would ultimately make manipulating
Dara – and the Cassadine family fortune – all the easier.
“Tell me, Miss Jensen…what
is the going price of integrity?” The
cool, clipped words pulled Dara from her thoughts.
She looked up to see Helena Cassadine standing directly beside her.
“What price did you set when you agreed to this farce?”
Dara was spared from having to
respond by Judge Cho, who at that moment directed Stefan and Aristide Cassadine
to resume their places. What had
been decided among them was uncertain. The
young attorney was unable to read either man’s body language or expression.
“Despite Mr. Cassadine’s
compelling arguments,” the judge began without preamble, “I am unable to
rule in his favor on this particular point of law.
The Doctrine of Trusteeship is clear.
Candidates for the position must be a member of the Cassadine
family.”
Dara’s heart sank.
Though Stefan had been very pragmatic about their chances of success, she
had allowed herself to hope that Judge Cho would look beyond the precise wording
of the doctrine to the intent beneath it.
Judge Cho continued.
“I will therefore conduct, as I did with Miss Jensen, the required
interview with Aristide Cassadine for the position of Trustee.”
He looked over the desk at Dara and Stefan.
“You are dismissed.”
