The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY novel Chapter 27

Chapter 4

Dad caught me half a block away.

He yanked me back so hard I thought my arm would pop out of its socket, then smacked the back of my head.

“What the hell were you thinking? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

He dragged me toward the parking lot.

I fought him the whole way–biting, kicking, scratching anything I could reach.

“I’m not going back there.

“You can’t make me pretend everything’s fine. I’ll do it again I don’t care.”

Dad froze. “Jesus Christ, Stella. Who taught you to be like this?

“That’s your sister. Your own flesh and blood. How can you even say that?”

His hand went up. Stayed there, trembling.

He didn’t bring it down.

Instead, he shoved me into the car and drove the other direction.

We ended up at Grandma and Grandpa’s.

“You’re staying here,” Dad said, staring straight ahead. “Your mother and I need to take care of Blair. We’ll deal with you later.”

He finally looked at me. “And don’t pull any more stunts. W won’t let it slide twice.”

He lingered in the driveway, keys still in his hand, like he wanted to say something else.

Then he just drove off.

I stood there watching until his car disappeared, somethingitter rising in my throat.

If he actually gave a damn, he would’ve stopped her years ago.

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The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 4

Living with my grandparents was weird.

They didn’t hide that they didn’t like me anymore.

Grandpa muttered every time I passed-“ungrateful,” “vicious little thing.” Grandma wouldn’t meet my eyes when

she handed me dinner.

But they still bought me stuff. New jeans. Chips and candy bars I actually got to finish.

And every couple of days, Grandma would get on the phone with my parents, voice sharp enough to cut glass.

“Blair’s been home for over a week. When are you coming to get Stella?

“She’s your kid too, you know. You can’t just leave her here because she did something you don’t like.

“And have you even thought about why she did it? I told you this would happen. I said you can’t let them beat each other bloody and call it ‘preparation for life.‘

“That child’s been taking hits for years. What did you think she was going to do–just roll over forever?”

My parents still didn’t come.

One evening, I tugged on Grandma’s sleeve mid–phone call.

“Can I stay here? Please? I don’t want to go back.”

She looked at me for a long time. Finally nodded.

“Yeah.”

But two weeks later, Mom and Dad pulled into the driveway unannounced.

“Blair’s better now,” Mom said brightly, like that fixed everything. “We can focus on both of you equally. So we’re bringing you home.”

Grandma actually smiled. “Thank God. That’s how it shouldve been all along.

“No more fighting. No more taking each other’s things. You at those girls the same, understand?”

Dad nodded fast. “We will. I promise.”

I stood in the doorway, silent, watching them all act like this was some kind of happy ending.

And the only thing I could think was:

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The Verdict on My Husbald the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 4

I should’ve done it sooner.

If I’d drugged her years ago, maybe I wouldn’t have spent my entire childhood getting my face smashed in.

Maybe I could’ve actually had something that was mine.

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Vandies on Me Huchand the Indge: GUILTY