Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 61 - Chapitre 70

CHARLOTTE~•~I would strangle Alexander if it wouldn’t land me in jail.Alexander’s petition didn’t feel real, not when I first got the papers while I was with Dave, not even when I confronted him in front of his penthouse. It wasn't until the first court hearing, when the judge questioned Nyla’s living situation, that it dawned on me that it wasn’t just a prank.This wasn’t just anger from a fight that had gotten out of hand. This was real.I sat stiffly beside my lawyer, my fingers clenched so tightly around the edge of the table that they had gone numb. The courtroom felt too cold, too quiet, too suffocating, too… everything. And across the room sat Alexander. He sat as if this were just another meeting on his schedule. He looked calm and composed. I hated him for it. I hated how unaffected he looked while my entire world felt like it was collapsing. I’d begged him not to take this to court almost a month ago yet we ended up here anyway.“Ms. Watson,” the judge’s voice cut throug

CHARLOTTE~•~I didn’t even make it ten steps out of the courthouse before the microphones were shoved in my face.“Charlotte! Is it true you hid your child from Alexander Calloway for years?”“Are you afraid of losing custody?”“Were you cheating during your marriage?”The last question made my steps falter. No matter how untrue it was, it was a part of my reputation at this point. I kept my head down, trying to push through the crowd, but they closed in, cameras flashing so fast it made my eyes hurt.“Charlotte, is the child really his?”“Why didn’t you tell him?”“Are the cheating rumors true?”“Get out of the way,” I suddenly heard a familiar voice. I looked up to see that Dave was beside me, pushing through the crowd. My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. When and how did he get here?He stepped in front of me, one arm stretched out like a barrier, his other hand gripping mine tightly as he pulled me along with him.“Back off,” he snapped. “She’s not answering any questions.”At hi

ALEXANDER~•~Leah offered to be present for the second hearing. I refused her presence because I knew she would go straight to Charlotte, so I told her a later date than the actual date.She’d find out from the news eventually, but at least, the traitor wouldn’t be present.The hearing passed by in a blur. At least, the first part of it. My lawyer spoke. Her lawyer countered. The judge listened and occasionally asked questions.Based on our situations, everything was going my way. Then Charlotte stood up. “I’d like to say something.”That caught my attention immediately. She usually let her lawyer handle most of it, only speaking when the judge addressed her directly. Even her lawyer shifted beside her like she was taken aback as well.The judge hesitated, then nodded. “Go on.”Charlotte let out a shaky breath. “With all due respect, Your Honor,” she began, her voice steadier than I expected, “this case is being framed as a matter of stability versus instability.” No one reacted at

CHARLOTTE~•~As soon as I hung up, the number called again.I looked up at Lucy. “He’s calling again.”“When last did you speak to them?”“Speak to who?” Nyla asked. “Is daddy calling again?”Someone’s father was calling but it was definitely not hers. “Why don’t you go to your room and play with your Legos?”Nyla sighed, noticing that she was being dismissed. “Fine.”I waited until she left before I turned back to Lucy. “Like three years ago?” I couldn’t recall properly but at some point, I’d stopped reaching out to them and they returned the energy which I was grateful for. “They’ve done a good job pretending they don’t have a daughter. Why would they call now?”She stared at me pointedly. “Even if they’ve seen the news, it’s none of their business, is it?”“Why don’t you answer and see what they have to say?”I chewed on the inside of my cheek, debating whether to answer or not. They already had my personal number. Even if I ignored them, they would call again. There was really n

CHARLOTTE~•~I sighed as I watched them drive off.I didn’t want to leave Nyla alone with Alexander, but I had no choice. I couldn’t leave her alone and I also couldn’t take her to the hospital, not yet.I grabbed my bag from the living room and locked the front door before heading to my car as well.I wouldn’t say I was nervous, but my hands were shaky as I drove to the address my mother had sent to me a few days ago. It was a forty-minute drive, giving me enough time to ponder whether or not to back out. I could just stay at home, ask questions, and send whatever they needed for the surgery, but that would be too cold of me, wouldn’t it?The hospital smell hit me immediately after I stepped in. My father’s room was on the fifth floor and I took the stairs instead of the elevator, trying to delay as much as I could.But I got there eventually.When I pushed the door open, I saw my father lying on the bed. He looked small in the middle of tubes, monitors, and bandages around his head