Chapter 50 - Fifty

Alexis had woken up smiling and happy. Her mother was getting divorced today or filing for one to be accurate. Nonetheless, she was at her happiest. Vanessa has asked for her to come along and needless to say she was there within an hour.

"Is it okay for having some wedding jitters?" Alexis shakily asked her mother who sat next to her in the car.

"Do you think," she leaned a bit more towards Alexis, still wary of the guards hearing them. "That it's the right time to ask me this," she pointed herself, "when I'm getting divorced?"

"Well, at least you're sure about that. I'm having cold feet here." Sarcasm was visible in her voice.

"You'll be fine," Vanessa waved her hands around. "So how does this happen?"

"Well, we're going to meet their lawyers with ours because he refused to sign the papers without talking to you. Anyway, do you have the proof of him cheating on you?" It was finally happening. Now she could keep her mum close to her heart.

"Yeah, I got them." She looked down for a moment as if hesitating. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" She looked at her. What are you talking about?

"The bullying that they did to you."

Oh god, she wasn't scared now but frustrated. Why would she notice it now out of all the times?

"It's done." Her voice was firm indicating that this conversation was not to be argued with. "You were happy mum, I couldn't take that away from you and the majority of the time you were home and the other, I was at school or at the part-time job I had joined."

Breathing in a little she continued, "It's done now. You want a divorce and I did not affect your decision in any way. So all of that is in the past and let it be there." She held Vanessa's hand tightly. Alexis tried her level best to provide some warm comfort to her mother. She knew that Vanessa was suffering from shock about what had happened in her house for years and how she had no idea about it.

"The past is best where it belongs, mum, let it be there." She said and looked away from the words her mother was going to say, silencing her for the car ride.

******

The law firm was a part of Angelo's businesses but he was a silent partner here. For the deposition, a divorce lawyer along with the name partner practising law was seated with them. In front of them, were Thomas and Ashton Johnson, though it seemed that Ashton who be anywhere than here.

"Why haven't you signed it yet?" Vanessa couldn't wait to get her hands off of him. "I told you I didn't want this anymore so what was your reason for this?"

"I just want to talk, okay." Running his hands through his unkempt hair, he hesitated to speak but gave in eventually. "We can make this work. I have no problems with you going around the world, I can wait for you at home or even an open relationship I am fine with it. I can-"

"Mr Johnson," the firm partner; Claire interjected, "You have nothing to stop this divorce. My client has proof of your cheating and abusing her child in her absence and threatening the child into silence. I ask you that if you have anything to counter these proves, you bring them forward. If not, I would advise you to sign these papers, please. We don't have to waste anyone's time anymore." Vanessa looked at Alexis as the lawyers talked of abuse. She felt humiliated at the moment. The lawyer knew an out it and probably more than she did.

Ashton gave out a harsh breath and took the papers kept in between them. He uncapped the pen and shoved it in front of his father. "Just do it," he whispered, "This is a losing battle that you don't want to fight after fucking my girlfriend!"

His father looked at him with an ugly expression. Vanessa wondered what her child had gone through without her knowledge and protection. Thomas snatched the pen at the jab of insult made at him and signed his name quite harshly and then walked out of the room.

"Is there anything else left?" Ashton asked the lawyers when denied, he walked out of there as well.

Alexis thanked the lawyers for their time. They had heard the news of marriage and congratulated her about it. After the exchange of pleasantries, to which Alexis noticed her mother looking quite sullen, they made their way to the cars downstairs along with the guards. Sitting inside the cars and checking the perimeters, they drove to the new apartment of Vanessa.

"Where to now?" The mother asked her child with a little dead voice. Alexis wanted to question but according to Angelo, questions were meant to be asked in private which she low-key liked or maybe she had had enough of co the day.

"To your new apartment and there's a surprise there waiting for you!" She said in a sing-a-song voice. Vanessa didn't smile neither did she say something in return making Alexis's smile vanish.

Looking forward, Alexis wondered. Was she regretting her decision? But then again, she seemed pretty sure about it. Was it the abuse that made her upset? Alexis sighed, for her mental health she did not want to touch the topic and her mother had to respect that.

Usually, her mother loved the fact that someone opened her door, she even flirted playfully with him this morning, making the poor guy blush in embarrassment. But today, without waiting for them Vanessa banged her door shut making Alexis jump and run after her.

"Mum, what's wrong with you?" She asked as soon as she entered the house. The three guards stood outside and one closed the door.

"What wrong with me?!' Vanessa yelled. She never had to yell at Alexis and this came as a surprise to her. "Who else knows except me?"

"Who- what who knows ?" Alexis felt as if her head would burst.

"I mean, who else knows that my child was abused except me? Who does, everyone?" She started yelled again.

"Nobody does! Thomas and Ashton themselves and then Angelo and he told me to tell the lawyers for leverage! I told you I wanted you happy-"

"That's a fucking bullshit reason!" She yelled at the explanation given to her. "That's fucking bullshit reason and you know it. I am your mother I should have known!"

"Mum it's done okay! He threatened me and for the last time it's in the past!" Alexis felt tired. Past couldn't be changed, what's done is done, why couldn't people understand that there was no reason to cry over spilt milk.

"You know what's the real reason, Alexis," she talked in a voice that made it seem like it was very interesting to talk about, " you were a fucking coward as you couldn't-"

"That's enough," Angelo's voice boomed through the walls, making Alexis's shoulders sag, this wasn't gonna be pretty but her mum hurt her too. "I don't want to hear another word about you talking shit to her. Your skills as a mother are to be questioned before questioning the courage of a thirteen-year-old."

Walking towards Alexis, he held her waist making her unconsciously lean on him for support, "For your behaviour, you will only come to the wedding and not for these five days for fun." Saying that with so much authority that even Vanessa quietened down a bit. He led Alexis out.

"Who the hell are you're to make me stay away from my daughter?" She yelled at his back, walking after them.

"I can easily-" Alexis immediately clutched his hand making him stop. Her eyes pleaded with him to stop saying hurtful words to her mother. She was overwhelmed and she needed some time to herself. "Please.." She whispered.

He understood the need for her to protect her mother. They quietly went out of the apartment closing shut her apartment's door.

"She became vicious there for a moment," she shuddered at the tone her mother had picked up for the first time. "I could not recognise her there. She never yelled at me before."

"Just give her time to figure things out. She's overwhelmed." He squeezed her waist in reassurance. Alexis had left the house in high spirits and now she felt on the bottom of everything.

"I can't wait for all of this to be over," she whispered as she entered the lift with him. "You better surprise me with the honeymoon destination." She smiled, trying to lighten up the mood. 

'Oh yes, I will.' He smiled, kissing her forehead. Vanessa had upset his wife today and if she continued she surely would in trouble. No one could ever bother Alexis other than him. 

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