Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose. - Chapter 145

Chapter 145: The hearing.
Leilani.

When I woke up the next morning, I looked like a very large piece of hot mess. My hair was all over the place, my body felt as though I had been run over by a train, my limbs protested whenever I moved… but that was not the highlight of it all.

The highlight was the fact that I had shifted, and now I felt like shit afterwards!

My bones still felt sore and even though I was considerably weak, it was nothing compared to the very first time I’d shifted. It was nowhere close to the raw agony I’d felt the last time.

Hell, at least, I wasn’t in the hospital this time.

—So maybe I was really healing.

With this thought, I dragged myself to my feet and because I’d slept off— or passed out— in the bathroom last night, all I needed to do was put on the faucet and dip myself into the steaming hot water.

The hot water against my skin seemed to loosen the knots in my muscles, it calmed me for a little while until I remembered that I needed to be at work in a few minutes… then at the courthouse later today.

I rushed out to the bathroom, that is after draining out the water from the tub and quickly towel-dried my body. I then changed into a pair of simple gray pants, paired it with a white shirt and then finished off the look with my pair of black So Kate’s.

—I knew I looked a mess, but there was no way I would allow myself to feel like a mess as well and with this in mind, I set off.

Work was good. I got through the day working nonstop like a zombie, and when the meeting with the Landrys finally came to an end, Alpha Richard quietly walked up to me, a slow but sure smile playing on his lips as he muttered; “I always knew that you were good. I just never realized that you were this good.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Also, you should know that my offer to hire you is still on the table… and if by chance, you no longer wish to work here, you can always switch. You’ll always be welcome to work with us.” He said softly but I could only smile.

I knew that I was never going to ever take up the offer, but it was better to let him hope for something he would never get than tell him off, so I said instead; “I would like to assume that you’re satisfied with my work then, right?”

“Yeah, right.” He answered softly, “…and to celebrate our successful collaboration, I’d like to invite you over for dinner tonight.”

I frowned. My eyes met his gaze briefly, and even though his smile seemed genuine, I couldn’t bring myself to accept his invitation. I shook my head. “I’m so sorry, but—”

“It doesn’t have to be today.” He chirped in, interrupting me, and again I shook my head.

“I do not wish to promise you when I know that I won’t be able to keep to my own end of the—”

“Leilani…” he drawled, his voice gentle, “…this won’t be the first time we eat together. Moreover, you promised me long ago that we’d have lunch one of these days… so don’t turn me down now.”

After hearing his words, I nodded politely, but reluctant to simply ‘agree’ with him, I said instead; “I’ll think about it,”

And with that, I walked away even before he could respond. I briefly joined Jarek to talk about a few things, and when I was done with that as well, I leaned close to whisper into his ear. I said; “I need to leave now.”

He instantly turned to face me, his eyes thinning in worry as he asked; “Do you want me to come with you, Sweetcakes?”

“Oh, no! I’ll be just fine.” I answered softly and with that, hugged him briefly before slipping out of the place.

The drive to the courthouse was extremely quiet and tense, save for the country music playing on the radio; and by the time I arrived at the fancy two storey building, the first people I ran into were the triplets.

I frowned.

Caelum rushed over to me before his brothers could stop him and then his hands closed around my upper arm as he hissed; “Leilani, please I need to talk to you.”

For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. It was quite surprising to see that the almighty Caelum Stormborn could ever speak to anyone, especially me, in this manner.

He continued; “I’m so sorry for everything, Leilani. I hurt you. I enabled Chalice. Gosh, I did so many bad things to you and I am sorry. I really am.”

My eyes snagged on his face for a moment and I couldn’t help but feel nothing. No anger. No hatred. No love. Not even disappointment.

Gosh, it was a peaceful place to be.

I answered softly; “Do you not realize how late it is for you to make amends?… or how baseless your weird apology sounds?”

“Leilani please, I had no idea.”

“Yes, you had no idea, but did you lack common sense as well? Did you mishear me whenever I screamed that I didn’t do the things she accused me of?”

“Leilan—”

“Did you… did any of you ever stop to wonder why it was always Chalice seeking me out, but I was always the one hurting her? I mean, she’s smart, and maybe I am biased but she seems to be smarter than you three… so did you ever think that she— the smart ass— would’ve kept coming back to me if I was indeed hurting her?”

Silence.

They couldn’t respond. They didn’t, because they knew I was right.

I brushed past Caelum and walked into the courthouse. And a few minutes later, they came in too.

We all waited anxiously at the reception for our turn and when it finally came, best believe that I was a bag of nerves.

I gracefully rose to my feet despite the not-so-slight tremor in my spine and walked into the courtroom which now housed about five people, who were; two strange men, the judge, my lawyer and theirs included. I sat down.

Several seconds later, the triplets walked in too, and as soon as their eyes found mine, a strange emotion clouded their features.

Caelum began to walk over until he realized that it was against court rules. He sighed and turned away but would occasionally glance back at me every now and then.

I shuddered when the judge finally asked; “Please state your appearance for the record.”

And after hearing that, my lawyer rose to her feet, that is after she squeezed my hand softly, and answered; “Good afternoon, your honor. I am Ms Winifred Stone, counsel for the plaintiff, Ms Sinclair, who wants to request for a restraining order against the defendants.”

As soon as those words were said, the room was plunged into a deafening awkward silence. Kael, Caelum and Zevran turned to look at me, their eyes wide in shock and panic.

But ignoring them, she continued; “We are also suing for bullying which made my client here suffer from emotional, physical and psychological distress.”

The triplets froze, and like the complete fools that they were, they said simultaneously;

“That is impossible!”

Oh, here we go again!