The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY novel Chapter 11

Chapter 3

As we stepped into the courtyard, Stella squealed and ran toward the garden.

“You remembered our promise! You actually planted a whole bed of azaleas for me!”

Moonlight bathed her delicate face, but the smile on her lips felt like a blade stabbing straight into my chest.

In that instant, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze.

Wes had never cared about how I decorated our place.

Every time I asked his opinion, he’d brush me off with some vague answer.

But the first time he set foot in the yard and saw the irises I’d planted everywhere, he suddenly turned to the landscaper:

“Rip all these out. I’ll order something else to replace them.”

The landscaper glanced at me, hesitant, and spoke up.

“Mr. Vaughn, Ms. Cross planted these herself. She spent days working on them…”

“It’s fine. Do what Mr. Vaughn says.”

I smiled and agreed, feeling no sadness at all. If anything, I thought his request meant he actually cared about this place.

Back then, I was touched by the smallest gestures, brushing aside the days I’d spent under the scorching sun to plant

those flowers.

Now, watching Wes smile and ruffle Stella’s hair, my heart twisted like a knife was lodged inside.

I pressed hard against my chest, bending over to catch my breath.

But the two of them acted like I wasn’t even there, standing among the blooming azaleas and snapping photos.

That’s when I finally understood how ridiculous–how worthless–my persistence had been all along.

Wes and I had nothing left to say to each other.

My phone buzzed. A message from him.

[Wedding’s in a week. I’ll pick you up in five days and bring you to NYC.]

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The Verdict on My Husbal the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 3

I took a deep breath and replied without hesitation:

[Okay.]

In five days, I’d leave Seattle for good. I’d belong to someone else.

Wes would be nothing to me.

I wiped the warm tears from my cheeks and walked past them into the house.

After a shower, I went to bed early, but woke up in the middle of the night with stabbing stomach pain.

I forced myself to sit up, reaching for my phone to call a friend–then realized it was 3 a.m. Outside, thunder roared and lightning split the sky.

No choice. I knocked on the door of the other bedroom where Wes was staying.

I clutched my stomach, feeling like a thousand needles were piercing me all at once.

“What’s wrong?”

Wes frowned and reached out to steady my arm.

“Stomach pain. Can you take me to the hospital?”

I forced the words out, cold sweat beading on my forehead.

“Okay. Give me a second.”

Wes went to grab his jacket from the living room and helped me toward the door.

But then the guest room door flew open, and Stella came running out in tears.

“Don’t leave, please. I’m so scared of thunder…”

Wes froze in place, hesitating as he looked back at Stella’s tear–streaked face.

“Don’t leave me alone again.”

She wore a thin white slip dress, looking fragile and pitiful as she threw herself into Wes’s arms.

The last shred of hope inside me snapped in two. The pain in my stomach surged, and my breathing turned ragged.

I didn’t look at them anymore. I just reached for my phone with trembling hands and used the last of my strength to

dial 911.

Before I could finish speaking, a violent wave of dizziness h

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The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 3

The couch, the lights, the rain outside–everything spun.

My phone clattered to the floor.

Through the receiver, I could faintly hear the operator’s voice.

The last thing I saw was Wes carrying Stella back to her room.

He never looked back at me.

Not once.

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