Chapter 30: The Monster I Made.
*Xander*
“This is extortion. You’re in trouble with the law and you’re
itching to add another crime on top of it?”
Helena met my gaze. “Call it what you want, but I’m not playing
your games anymore.”
I hated her. I hated how calm she looked. I hated that she knew I‘
d fold because of Jane. And the worst part? She was right.
I swallowed the disgust clawing its way up my throat. “Fine.
You’ll get your damn freedom. But in return, you fix this. You
make her understand the divorce is a mistake.” More than that, I
needed to save my reputation.
Her smile spread like poison. “Gladly.”
I left the visitation room and called Felix, my Lawyer before I’d
even reached my car. He promised to be there as soon as he
could, so I sat in the car, waiting.
After about two hours, I called Felix again but he didn’t pick up.
Damn it. I needed him to get here and sort this out. I decided to
drive to the courthouse in hopes that he’d meet me there.
It took me roughly 25 minutes to get there, but Felix still hadn’t
arrived. The next thirty minutes were a living hell. I paced the
courthouse lobby anxiously. With ten minutes left before
Helena’s hearing, my control was beginning to slip.
Felix finally rushed into the lobby, holding a handful of
documents.
“Where the hell have you been?” I hissed, grabbing his arm and
dragging him toward the hallway. My wolf wanted to rip him
apart, but I fought to keep the urge at bay. “Her hearing’s in ten
minutes.”
Felix pulled his arm free. “I was digging through Helena’s file. I
can’t walk into a courtroom blind. I’ve never let you down,
Alpha Blackwood. I’m not about to start now.”
“Thank you.”
“But you should have told me.” He pulled out a document and
held it in front of me. “Helena Ashford is your mother–in–law?”
I adjusted my collar then ran a hand through my hair. “I didn’t
have time for details, Felix. I needed this to move quickly.”
“Complicated? You had me filing emergency motions for a
woman who tried to throw your wife off a bridge.”
Well, there was no point in sugarcoating it now. He’d seen the files, and knew how messed up the situation was.
“Jane won’t take my calls. Won’t respond to my messages. She filed the suit against her mother and left me. Helena’s the only one she might listen to,” I explained.
Felix stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “So your solution is to bail out the woman who tried to kill her and hope she plays cupid?”
That crossed a line. He didn’t get to question me because he’d seen my dirty laundry. I met his stare head–on. “I am the Alpha!” I yelled. “You will do well to remember your place.”
Felix rubbed his temples and sighed. His eyes dulled a little bit just as his shoulders relaxed. “You could just go to Jane. Own up
to everything. Apologize.”
I scoffed. “That’s not going to fix anything. She’s already got one
foot out the door and a goddamn court summons. I need more
than that.”
Felix didn’t say anything, but I could see the skepticism in his
eyes. I wasn’t doing enough to convince him. Well, I knew one
thing that no man could ever refuse.
Money.
“Fine. I’ll pay you three times your usual fee. We’ll call it a bonus for your extraordinary service.”
His eyes widened for a second, but then he quickly slipped into
his usual professional expression. “Alright, you’ve got yourself a deal.”
We shook hands on it and Felix soon disappeared to meet with his new client.
At 3:15 sharp, I entered the courtroom. The judge, a middle–aged woman, took her seat at the bench. The bailiff called the room
to order, and just like that, the trial began.
“Case number 9473. Jane Blackwood versus Helena Ashford,”
the clerk announced. “Charges: Assault and attempted murder.”
Helena sat beside Felix, chin tilted. She couldn’t even look
remorseful for the benefit of the court.
Felix rose, buttoned his suit jacket and addressed the court.
“Your Honor, the defense maintains that the charges brought
against Mrs. Ashford are a gross mischaracterization of a deeply
personal family dispute.”
I folded my arms and watched, wondering where Felix was
going with this.
“This wasn’t an act of premeditated violence. It was an
emotional moment, poorly understood by those who weren’t
there. A misunderstanding. Nothing more.”
“Your Honor,” Felix continued. “The defense submits that my
client suffers from bipolar disorder, and at the time of the
incident, she had not been taking her prescribed medication.”
What? I knew she had… issues, but a real diagnosis? Although it
seemed to explain a lot of her erratic and outlandish behavior, it
wasn’t quite adding up.
It was just too convenient. It sounded like a get out of jail free
card to me. But I was willing to let Felix do his job.
The judge lowered her glasses and pinned her gaze on Felix.
“Are you stating this as a fact, counselor?”
“Yes, your Honor. We have written confirmation from Dr. John
Winston, the Ashford family psychiatrist for the past ten years.
He diagnosed her with the disorder and she’s been under care,
though non–compliant at the time of the incident.”
My heart raced as Felix pulled out a folder and passed it to the
clerk. “Exhibit C… Dr. John’s official statement along with the
medication records.”
Felix was really going hard for this case. His defense strategy
was truly beyond my expectations. I didn’t actually believe that we’d be able to get her out, but this might actually work.
Felix went on. “While her behavior was unquestionably concerning, it’s important to understand that impulsivity and manic aggression are symptoms of untreated bipolar disorder. What happened wasn’t a criminal assault. It was a mental health crisis. A cry for help, if you will.”
“Objection your Honor!” the prosecutor barked, rising to his full height. “The defense is attempting to sway the court with speculation and emotional language. The timing of the diagnosis is highly suspicious and we question the credibility of the psychiatrist’s statement.”
“Sustained,” the judge responded. “Counselor, explain the
relevance of this diagnosis and why it wasn’t introduced earlier in the process.”
Felix didn’t even flinch. “Of course, your Honor. The defense isn‘ t in control of when mental health issues arise, only when the
court becomes aware. Dr. John has been treating Mr.s Ashford privately for years. That confidentiality was only waived in light of these charges.”
The argument continued, but I got lost in thought. Yes, I wanted Jane back… I needed her back. But was this really the right step
to take? Do I really want to do this? Jane might never forgive me
if she knew the part I played in releasing Helena. But she didn’t
have to know that. It was just one more thing I had to keep from
her.
“Bail is set at twenty thousand,” the judge announced, pulling me out of my thoughts. “A third–party custodian is required for
release.”
It was less than I expected and wouldn’t even make a dent in my bank account. But my eyes drifted to Helena, and I saw her turn lazily toward me. And then she smiled.
It was a devilish, victorious smile. When the cuffs were
released, my entire body went cold. It didn’t feel like I was one
step closer to fixing my marriage. It felt like I’d released
something uncontrollable.
Helena walked towards me smoothly. “You’ve earned yourself a
favor.”
I didn’t smile back at her. “Don’t forget our agreement.”
She arched an eyebrow. “I always keep my promises.”
