Page 5 of Rejection Overruled

“Go ahead, Miss Owens,” Judge Morris replied.

I watched both women stand and walk to the far end of the room. My eyes stayed with them, in particular Brooke Owens. She no longer wore glasses and I suspected she had contact lenses. I somehow recalled how soft her eyes had been in school. Now those pretty brown eyes were as sharp as razors and when they glanced my way, I felt them cut into me. Shaking my head, I dragged my eyes away and focused my attention on the file in front of me.

They spent almost five minutes in heated discussions before coming back. I didn’t like the look in Brooke’s eyes. Her client seemed subdued as they returned to their seats.

“My client wants the mansion, half the business and a brand new Lexus. After all, she gave the man twenty years of her youth,” Brooke announced. “She will take the three million dollars up front, with a monthly alimony of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the next five years.”

“That’s ridiculous! Why should I pay alimony when we don’t even have kids?” Devon almost shouted.

Brooke looked sharply at me, then at Judge Morris. “Your Honor, please advise my learned opponent to control his client.”

Judge raised a brow. “Mr. Styles, remind your client that this is a civil arbitration.”

Though I was pissed at Brooke for causing this, I leaned close to Devon and told him to calm down.

“What now?” he whispered.

“We’ll convince them to accept our terms. Did you get anything from that investigator?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing incriminating, unless you call buying shoes cheating.”

“She’s good.”

“Who, Marla?”

“No,” I replied. “Brooke, the lawyer.”

“She’s the best female divorce lawyer in the city, that’s why I hired you. I heard you were the best.”

I gave myself a mental pat. Of course I was the best divorce layer in LA and I wasn’t about to allow Brooke Owens to put one over on me, even if that meant going to court.

4 -Brooke

Things weren’t going well. For the first time since I could remember, I allowed my emotions to guide me at work. Every time Jamal Styles opened his mouth, I objected. Things got from bad to worse, then Devon and Marla started arguing. This resulted in Judge Morris using his gavel, which was rare for such a meeting.

“See you in court!” Marla shrieked.

“See you in court,” Devon countered.

“Well it seems we’re going to court,” the judge pointed out unhappily. Training his sharp eyes on us, he said, “You two, I want to see you in my chambers in twenty minutes.”

His office was next door at the courthouse building. The couple stomped out of the room, huffing and puffing and blowing down the room. I packed my files in my briefcase. Jamal hadn’t moved and he was looking at me as though he wanted to wring my neck.

“Are you happy now?” he finally charged.

I looked around and noticed that Sophia was outside the door talking to Judge Morris, while the couple still argued in the hall. That left only us two in the room.

“Are you talking to me?” I asked innocently.

“Do you see anyone else in the room?”

I wasn’t going to allow Jamal Styles to pull me into an argument. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” was my reply as I picked my briefcase from off the table.

As I made my way to the door, he came up behind me, standing too close. “Are you still mad at me for that incident fifteen years ago?”

I twirled to face him, almost colliding with the prick. I looked him deeply in his dark brown pools. “Do I know you?” I queried, puckering my forehead. “I can’t recall meeting you before, Mr. Styles.”

His lips moved ever so slightly in an amused smile and his eyes penetrated me. I could see the mockery there and stood my ground. I would not give Jamal the satisfaction of knowing how much I thought about him for a decade and a half. I would not let him know how I dreamed of making him scream my name in ecstasy, only to leave him panting after me. All those years, my payback would be to make him unable to resist me then dumping him just when he declared his undying love.

---