The Art Of Revenge (Thalia Nash and Brandon) novel Chapter 107

Josh’s pov

I kept tracing my hand around the scar that ran from my ribcage to my abdomen. It was painful and had not yet started healing. But I was enjoying every bit of that pain, it sort of reminded me of Amber, I named her Amber. She was too beautiful to be in the hospital for days without a name.

I had no idea how I came to that name but her face looked like Amber. The scar reminded me of the life that I gave her, the horrors that I had gone through the entire year. It was going to be a permanent reminder but I was going to decide what reminder to cling to and I chose Amber.

I had already narrated my horror to my lawyer Kim and first thing in the morning she had driven to the hospital and was in my room trying to persuade me to go for the money.

Brandon Fraser was the richest b*stard on the planet and with all that money it was impossible to bury what Thalia confessed but he could be willing to shut my mouth with a lot of money.

However, all I wanted was baby Amber, I wanted full custody. I was not selfish, I was going to grant them some visitation rights.

I had dismissed her and ordered her to save the p*ycho couple with the lawsuit. I would have loved to see their faces but I was recovering and needed the rest. All I wanted was my Amber Nelson, that was what her birth certificate was supposed to read.

My mother cautioned me to put my baby first and that was what I was doing. Those two were animals, just like my father, they did not deserve to raise a child. I for one had learned my lesson and was going to start a new life away from the hate and revenge.

It was going to be just the three of us. My mother, Amber, and I. That angel gave me hope and a new start.

I slept on the bed, still circling my scar, waiting for Kim who went upstairs to deliver the suit. After an hour she walked back with a pile of papers in her hand. From her facial expressions, I could tell everything was wrong.

She slammed the papers on the bed and folded her arms.  “They were willing to settle, you should have gone with my s*upid advice,” she yelled on top of her voice.

“Calm down, what happened?”

“That sick p*ycho threw the papers in my face and asked me to quit!” She yelled. And began pacing the room. “He is going to use the sex tape to end me, Josh.”

I was lost for words, yes I never expected them to just sign and hand the baby to me. I knew we were going to court but threatening to end my lawyer’s career slipped my mind. Brandon Fraser was a power-obsessed maniac that I knew. He enjoyed taking down people and companies.

My first thought was that he would come for me but I had nothing to my name. The only thing I had was the family house and him blocking the sale was nothing to me. I was going to get a new job and start afresh.

But that b*stard was well updated, how could I have forgotten about the sex tape. Maybe my life was so overwhelmed with s*it that I forgot about that part. Kim had done so well to rebrand herself and she was lucky the p*ycho never persuaded her case to make sure she was stripped from practicing law. The bar had decided to give a warning and penalty only.

“Josh Josh Josh?” She called me out and I snapped out of my head.

“What exactly did he say?”

“Does that matter? I actually feel sorry for you and no matter how bad someone has been, they do not deserve to go through what you went through but settle and demand for visitation days,” she advised.

I sniffed, she was scared, I could see it in her eyes. Who wouldn’t be, considering what those two did to me but are still free and turned the hospital into their living room.

“Let’s say a man did what those animals did to me, they took out your womb and stole your eggs. Would you go for the money or the baby?” I asked her. She looked away avoiding eye contact.

I chuckled, “I did not think so, that baby is the only baby that I will ever have, and getting two hours a week or one day is out of the table. I do not need money, I have tasted what money feels and the happiness I have when I look at that baby is nothing compared to whatever amount that b*stard has,” I added.

She swallowed hard, facing me. She wanted to say it but she did not know how to say it. The woman always loved me unconditionally and it was just unfortunate that I had no feelings for her. I once destroyed her life and career and I was not going to do it again.

It was selfish of me, I never even apologized after the horror that sex tape did to her. She had just gone independent and started her law firm and we both knew Brandon Fraser was going to tear it apart and dig for every skeleton in her closet.

“So what’s next?” She asked

“My stance still remains intact, but you are free to go, I will find another lawyer. There are a lot of lawyers out there who owe me,” I lied. Deep down I knew I was cornered. I had no one, no seasoned lawyer would want to take my case, not after what happened to the previous lawyer or the dirty laundry my father aired on our last judge.

Brandon ruined those two careers and made it seem like we did it. Kim was all I had, but I had forgotten about our scandal before I consulted her. She stared at me with pity eyes like she knew that I had no one.

“Maybe you can talk to Thalia, according to my assessment it looked like Brandon did the thinking for her,” she suggested and moved closer to the bed, taking my hand into hers. “She confessed for the sake of that baby. If she wanted she would have taken that liver from you without you even knowing like they did with the sperm but yet they chose not to.

“Did you ask them why?” She asked. She had a point but it was obvious they thought they were above the law and could get the liver, with or without my consent.

“Talk to her Josh, you two can co-parent that little angel without destroying other people’s lives.”

“Then they should hand the baby to me.”

“Josh you need to look for a job, you do not have the money to hire a babysitter or a nanny. How are you going to look after her?” she asked.

“Those are the points they will argue against you.”

I did not like where she was going with her advice. Thalia needed to pay for her sins just like I paid for my sins. How special was she that she was supposed to go scot-free?

“Thank you for your advice Kim, I will think about it,” I replied.

” Please do, I am not asking you to give up, but when you get that job and enough money then maybe you can go after her and we both know Brandon won’t be around then,” she said with a wink. I stared at her surprised, I never filled her in on his sickness, most of us thought it was a rumor until I saw him.

“Do you have an idea how long he has?” she asked. I nodded my head.

“Then take it as a blessing, take your time, learn something from your father and stop using emotions before you lose everything.” She said and stood up. I only stared at her as she left the room.

She was right, the p*ycho was dying and I knew Thalia very well but what if she had changed and could not be manipulated like I used to? Giving them time was risky and could backfire and again striking now was risky, and I would lose.

I had no lawyer and no money. The list I could hire was an amateur lawyer or on pro bono service which would be embarrassing. I laid back defeated and p*ssed, trying to find a way out for both myself and Amber.