Page 124 of Love Me Not

Lucas made a gagging noise.“God, I'm gonna be sick.”There was no venom in his voice, though.In fact, he looked… pleased.

I laughed and took the matcha Marci handed me.And for the first time in my life, I let myself be cared for and pampered by the people who loved me, knowing they were here to stay.

Juliette

I'd never been in a courtroom before.

Not even when my parents had the accident because there was no culprit.I mean, there was, but they could never findher.Until now.

Even if she ran away from the scene at the bridge, I was glad so many people had witnessed what Lux's mom did to me, most of whom had volunteered to testify against her.

Not only that, but I was finally getting justice for my parents.

Lux and I stood in the courtroom side by side.A united front.We hadn’t let Bella come with us this time even though she wanted to.The now nine-year-old didn't seem to fully understand what was going on, and that was for the best.She didn't need to know her grandmother was a killer.We’d get to that when she was old enough to grasp it.

We watched as Lux’s mother tried desperately to reason with the judge.Her lawyer’s head was down as his client decided to take matters into her own hands.

She was frantic.Crying, pleading, begging.Crying so hard her makeup was running, ruining the picture-perfect image she never let slip.

She was no longer the rich, put-together woman involved in charity who had raised two kids and gained everyone’s sympathy when one of them had been taken too soon.

Here, she was… unhinged.

“She’s a fucking liar!I have never hurt a fly.You heard my character witnesses.They all say I'm a great and loving person!She's lying!”

“Mr.Fritz, if you cannot get your client under control—" the judge started.

“So maybe I did, but I didn't kill anyone!She talks about some random car accident and blames it on me even though I've never driven drunk in my life and I've never killed anyone!”

The judge leaned forward, clearly out of patience.“Ms.Sterling, were you paying attention to anything that was said in court?”

That shut her up.I wouldn't be surprised if she truly wasn’t listening.Every time she saw Lux and me, she still acted like we were the ones to blame for this.

Turns out the policeman she had slept with to cover up her crime liked to keep note of thefavorshe did.And Mia and Laura were a force to be reckoned with.I would not want to be on their shit list.No lawyer, no matter how expensive, would be able to get her off the hook now.

My hand found Lux’s, and I took a deep breath.Laura looked calm and collected as ever, but I could see just the barest hint of a smile pulling at her lips, and I knew she was proud of what she had done in this courtroom.

“You are without remorse and still trying to save yourself.I fear there is no hope for you.On top of the already issued life sentence, I am ordering you to pay two million dollars to the Hayes family for the wrongful death of their parents.One million for each parent.One million for each life you took.”

His words had tears filling my eyes.

When the judge brought down his gavel, I looked back into the audience and met Lucas's eyes.I was taken back to the small boy who wouldn’t let me go when he heard the news of our parents.

He was much older now and stronger too.His eyes were red, but his shoulders were back and his chest was puffed, showing the entire world just how proud he was that our parents had been vindicated.

And I was beyond proud of him.He had come right from his training, still wearing his lineman vest.He had moved out and left our aunt behind when he realized the part she’d played in helping Lux’s mother.But more than that, he was pursuing his own goals in life, and I couldn’t wait for him to have everything he wanted.

I turned back to the judge and watched as they dragged Lux’s mother away, kicking and screaming.

“Court is adjourned!”

We all filed out, but Laura stopped us at the door.

“I'm glad I could see this to its end.”She gave both Lux and me meaningful looks.“It's not every day we get a happy ending like this.”

“Thank you for everything,” I said, and wrapped my arm around Lux.

I looked up at her to catch her smiling at me already.

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