Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
My nostrils flared, tears pricking my eyes and flowing over my cheek bones before I could stop them. I didn’t wipe them away. I didn’t cry harder. I just blinked and let those silent tears fall as my heart raced and my next breath racked out of me in a shudder.
I nodded, a silent thank you, a quiet mercy.
“And Mr. Hearst,” he said, sliding his specs back into place. He looked down at his notes before shaking his head and lifting his gaze to my ex. “Sir, all I can say is shame on you.”
I let myself glance at Marshall, let myself take one moment to see his jaw tightening, his face turning a bright red before I drew my attention back to the judge.
“I am very familiar with men like you. I know how you firmly believe your education and profession protect you. I know how you hide behind a public persona when you are nothing short of a monster at home. The fact that you came to this court and tried to convince me that it is, in fact, your ex-wife who is unfit for parenting is quite comical, and in the same breath, absolutely despicable. It is my belief that every man and woman have it within themselves to make changes for the good, but I can tell that you have a long road ahead of you if that is to be your story.”
The judge looked down at his papers again, shaking his head before addressing us both.
“In my twenty-two years of serving as a judge, I have never ruled in court during a case such as this. I have always taken at least two weeks to deliberate before coming to my decision.” He shook his head, glancing at his notes before his eyes were on the courtroom again. “But, with the evidence presented before me, along with the uncontrollable outbursts from the plaintiff that I witnessed myself, I have made my decision. And I cannot, in good conscience, wait to pass my judgment.”
He caught my gaze, a soft smile on his lips before his eyes slid to Marshall. He gave him what I could only describe as the look of a disappointed father before he sat a little straighter in his chair.
“I hereby grant full custody of Sebastian Calvin Hearst to his mother, Madelyn James Hearst,” Judge Hall said. “Effective immediately.”
Marshall cursed and kicked a chair, which had the judge beating his gavel as my heart worked overtime, all the adrenaline of the day coursing through me.
“I am also ruling that your visitation with your son will be supervised, Mr. Hearst, until you have completed two-hundred-and-fifty hours of anger management courses and have successfully attended weekly AA meetings for one year. Now, I take no pleasure in keeping a father from his son, but I will have you know that I will never stand to put a child’s safety in jeopardy. You prove to me that you can be the man I think you have inside you, and you will have your visitation rights invoked. You will not harm that young boy, Mr. Hearst. This is your chance to turn things around for you and for your family. I truly hope you take it. But believe me when I say that should you not, I have no problem doubling down.”
“Fuck this and fuck you,” Marshall spat to the horror of the entire courtroom.
His lawyers tried without any luck to get him to calm down, grappling at his suit sleeves to no avail.
“If I’m going to have my visitation supervised, I don’t even want it.”
My heart thumped hard in the silence that followed that statement.
“Be very careful with your actions right now, Mr. Hearst,” Judge Hall warned, his patience growing thin.
“I shouldn’t have to put up with all this.” Marshall turned to where Kyle sat now, glaring. “If you want the kid so badly, you can have him.”
“I’ve had enough,” Judge Hall said, his voice booming. “Consider that verbal statement your surrender of your rights as Sebastian’s father, Mr. Hearst. I will accept the defendant’s request for stepparent adoption.”
Marshall flopped back down into his chair with a sneer and a wave of his hand like he couldn’t care less.
The rest of the words blurred in my mind, as if my soul had floated up to the top of the courtroom and I was watching everything from above. It was all muted, distorted, distant.
My husband’s temper had caught up to him. He’d shown his ass in court like I never thought possible. Gone was his restraint, his fake smile and professional demeanor.
In the blink of an eye, he’d shown his true colors to every person in this room.
The rest of it happened like an out-of-body experience. Eventually, I was being wrapped in a hug by my parents. Kyle was kissing me and taking me by the hand as we walked out of the courtroom, the courthouse, and into the drizzling, cool rain.