"This is a shock for all of us. But we will still follow the procedures. Witness, please state your name."

She took in a deep breath then said, "Vanethya Elizabeth Silica." She replied with confident smile.

The Judge turned to the deputy for a moment a whispered something, and the deputy whispered something back.

"Do you admit that you are the "Silk Touch"?" a tide of murmuring washed through the crowd.

"Yes!" she clapped her hands together in enthusiasm.

The crowd broke into chaos once again, and the judge went all Thor again. The crowd finally calmed down again.

"Objection! This is an outrage your honor! For almost half a century I have never seen so much drama in a court. Your honor please, if there is any sense in this place right now it would be you. I think she should not testify!"

"According to the jurisdiction...we shall hear out Ms. Silica's testimony without further ado. Past records shall be put aside for now. Ms. Silica come forth to this table and swear on the bible or any holy book, that you will tell the whole truth and complete truth."

"No."

"Excuse me Ms?"

"I don't believe in any religion, I believe in myself and myself only. So I shall swear in my own name instead."

The judged sighed then said: "Go ahead Ms."

She swore the oath.

"Now defense counsel you may began cross examination with Ms. Silica.

"Thank you for the honor, your honor." Said Professor.

"I don't want to talk to this old man, I want to talk to my Cherie!"

Why God? I wasn't a religious person, but at that point I would beg even the devil for this to stop.

"Your Cherie?..." the professor looked at me and gave a calm smile. At that moment I realized what was going to happen, but it was inevitable.

"Is he Chinese?"

"Yes!"

"Is he about 6ft tall, brown eyes, black hair?"

"Yes!"

"Calm most of time, but can be very cynical at times?"

PROFESSOR! Man this is bad...I thought.

"Yes! But that's the him I like." She said it with a dreamy smile.

"Then you are in luck because he is right here, in the defendant box right here. So why did you turn yourself in?"

"Because of love!"

"Young lady, are you absolutely sure about what you just said?"

"A thousand percent sure!"

"Very well then, you talked to the right man."

"You are not Ling's father are you?"

Professor chuckled for a moment and said, "Nope, but a very good guess."

"Then who are you?"

"Mr. Wang we are getting off-track from the case."

"Sorry your honor. How about this Ms. Silica let's make a deal."

"I am listening."

"You give me your testimony of the case and Ling could get out of here, without any charges being laid on him."

"Really?" that caught the interest of Silk.

"I know the both of us are thinking the best for Ling. So deal or no deal?"

"Alright, I will tell you everything I know."

"Thank you, start from wherever you want."

"Hmmm...that might be a little tricky, since a lot things are going on around me. But I didn't quite keep track on it because I was so focused on my Cherie."

"Do you remember what happened in the roof top that day?"

"Yes. Down to every last detail."

"Then tell me what really happened that time."

"I killed Louis." She smiled with her eyes closed.

The place went quiet as ever. And then I thought: if you were going to lie, could you at least not smile?

"Is there anything you want to add Miss?"

"And I killed both bodyguards."

She did the same expression again.

"And?"

"Over took the security camera room."

And used the same tone again.

"And?"

"Property damage, arson, explosives..."

And did it again...

"I would say, you are quite successful as a criminal."

"Thank you." Silk said. At that moment I realize why Silk answered in that way. She's is trying to cover for me, by admitting to all the crimes.

The place was in bitter silence.

"Well that's all the questions I am going to ask, your honor."

The judge's face was unreadable like a stone statue.

"Your honor." The prosecutor stood up all of sudden.

"Yes?"

"She is clearly trying to cover up for him! No one would admit such crimes in a situation like this, I mean any sane person wouldn't..."

He was right, the fact that Silk was trying to cover for me was beyond obvious.

A clerk walked up to the judge and whispered something into his ear. The judge nodded.

"The jury has reached a verdict..."

"Your honor." Silk's voice was icy and sharp.

"Miss you do realize you are going against court procedure?"

"I don't care. My question is do you underestimate me because I am a women?"

"I never said that." The judge addressed back. But Silk continued.

"Let me tell you something...I am no sane person right now. In fact I am not really conscious about the words I am saying right now, nor the actions I was taking. But I know one thing for sure, I am in love."

The place was as silent as a tomb.

For love? Love...is crazy, it makes you insane, make you unreasonable...I know better than to mess with those things...I never underestimated love, it is more powerful force in the world, and could do more damage to you than any weapon...then I recollected myself and focused on the situation right now.

"Your honor, have you been in love?"

The judge didn't reply, his expression remained unreadable.

"Your honor, do you know being in love feels like?"

Still no reply, nor any hint of emotions expressed.

"It's like the best dream in the world, one you don't want to wake up from. Because you want to be inside your dream forever if allowed and waking up would be painful. Everyone needs a dream once in a while, whether in being loved, or in pursuit of love. The feeling is...beyond words. I've stolen treasures across the world, for almost about a decade. I stole them because they were beautiful, so they must worth a fortune. But I was wrong, I never knew true treasure until I laid my eyes upon him. Compared to all the rest of the treasure in the world, it was comparing sand to gold, rocks to diamond. It holds something of true value. And never in my entire life have I ever felt the urge to have it so bad. And I am ready to pay for all the prices in the world for it. And just a warning, once a master thief laid eyes on something, she's getting it for sure." Then she tilted her head a little and gave a world-class thief's smile.

The place was silent. Then there was clapping, the clapping echoed through the courtroom. Professor was standing up and clapping.

"Bravo! That's my future daughter in law!" Normally one person clapping would seem awkward, but there was only pride on Professor's face. In my heart Silk was showered with glory. Then someone from the crowd clapped, then more and more people even the jury gave a little clap, soon followed by the entire court officials, and about half the crowd joined in. And I finally gave into the crowd and stood up and clapped a few quick times.

"That was an impressive speech Ms. Silica." The judge was clapping too.

"Thank you." Silk smiled brightly.

"But sorry I have to tell you, that we have a few more problems not yet cleared up."

"Tell me your honor." Spoke up the professor.

"No matter how impressive her speech was, she is still a criminal and her name is not cleared."

"But that means Ling will go free right?" Silk interrupted.

The judge's expression was impassible.

It was silent. A few moments later, which seemed like eternity the judge spoke again.

"That will be up to the jury..." that moment a clerk walked up to the judge and whispered something into his ear. The judge nodded, his face still impassible.

"The jury has reached a verdict."

Eerie silence filled the room this time, deathly silence some may call it. Because whatever the jury would speak of next, it would mean right or wrong, life or death, heaven or hell. It could be a whole variety of contradicting words, but not fate, never fate.

Then as the entire placed watched in grim silence the clerk handed the judge a pile of papers, most which the judge just scanned through. Then he looked up and spoke: