The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 101

Laila’s POV

I stood in the courtroom, my heart breaking. Despite my lawyers‘ best efforts, the judge looked at my paperwork, wherein I was trying to win custody of Vanessa’s sisters, Jessica and Hannah. The judge was shaking his head

My case had been hastily thrown together, I could admit that, but I’d hoped to ride the coattails of the investigation into Victor all the way to success.

Unfortunately, only this morning, in a different courtroom, another judge had thrown out the case against Victor. Sheila had put in a statement that basically exonerated him, making excuses for any and all of his involvement. She fully accepted the blame, which made Victor, in the eyes of the law, totally untouchable.

Everyone knew he was guilty of something, that he wasn’t innocent, but without the means to convict, no one could do anything. He was going to get away with it.

And now, in this courtroom, a feeling of dread washed over me. With Victor’s investigation halted, my own custody case had no legs to stand on.

“This is a waste of time,” the judge said with clear annoyance. “This shouldn’t even be on my docket. Custody will remain with Victor. And Ms. Harper?”

I stood. “Yes, judge?”

“You will increase your payments to Victor. Your current payments do not reflect your present salary. You want to help your sisters. Show it this way. And leave your grandfather alone before he decides to push for a restraining order against you.”

If anyone should have a restraining order against someone, it was me against him! But the judge wouldn’t hear it. The truth was more than the words written in the court documents.

“Yes, judge,” I said, lowering my head.

Across the aisle, at the opposing table, Victor smirked. He was surrounded by lawyers that I was certain my payments had helped him buy. He seemed exceedingly pleased with how this was turning out, and why wouldn’t he be? He was getting everything that he wanted.

“Case dismissed,” the judge said, slamming his gavel.

In the hallway outside the courtroom, Jessica and Hannah both came running up to me before anyone else could. Worry shone in their eyes, as they desperately grabbed at my arm.

“That money you’ve been putting into our accounts,” Jessica said. “Victor has been making us give it to

him.”

“He said that if we don’t, he would come to our colleges and harass us,” Hannah added. “Or worse.”

“He’s threatened to pull us out of our studies and force us to work,” Jessica said. “We need that education, though, don’t we? I don’t want to work minimum wage the rest of my life.”

“I understand,” I told the girls. “I’m doing the best I can. Maybe we can find some other way for me to give you money without

his –”

“Plotting against me?” Victor said loudly as he approached. “You three have always been vile. The court has decided now, so you had best play along. Vanessa is going to give us more money. This will help me pay for your studies, girls.”

In a whisper, Jessica said, “We never see that money.”

“What’s that?” Victor asked.

“Nothing,” Jessica said quickly.

+25 Bonus

“Help us, please,” Hannah whispered.

Gods, I wanted to. But if I didn’t have the approval of the courts, and if Victor was monitoring their personal bank accounts –

what could I do?

As I tried to think of something, my phone rang.

Realizing it was the hospital, I excused myself and answered.

Jessica and Hannah were important to me. But Ava’s health had to come first.

“This is Vanessa Harper.”

“Ms. Harper, we need you to come in at once. Ava has been asking for you. She’s becoming upset, and we worry that her health will take a turn if she remains this way.”

“I will be there at once.” I hung up. To Jessica and Hannah, I said, “I’m sorry. I have to go. Ava needs me.”

They gave me heartbroken glances, as Victor smirked. But Ava needed me too.

Overwhelmed, I was starting to feel like I was failing everyone that I loved.

At the hospital, I rushed to see Ava. She had been crying from a nightmare she suffered while in my absence. I held her until the tears dried up and the healers and nurses looked at me with relief. Eventually, Ava cried herself to sleep, finally calm.

As I sat nearby, watching her sleep, my heart was heavy. Sitting there gave me little comfort, as with nothing to do, the guilt threatened to crush me as the day’s events replayed in my mind again and again.

I should have known that Victor would find a way to weasel out of responsibility and consequences. But how had he convinced Sheila to save him?

I didn’t want to think that Sheila had only agreed just so I would suffer, but… well… I supposed I wouldn’t put that idea past her.

Even so, I felt like I was going out of my mind, sitting there, reliving the worst moments, unable to do anything about it. I didn’t even have a plan now. Money was already tight. Where was I supposed to get more of it?

Seeing the water pitcher on the table was nearly empty, I stood and grabbed it. Refilling this water was a task I could accomplish. Maybe the small victories would help me feel like less of a failure.

Stepping out of Ava’s room, I started to search for a place to refill her pitcher of water, when I saw a commotion farther down the hallway. I should have ignored it, but in the crowd, I could have sworn aw Sarah. That meant…

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify