Page 137 of A Second Chance

The following silence is heavy, and I can feel Stone's eyes on me, filled with empathy and understanding. It's a relief to know that someone believes me.

"Scar, do you want to press charges against Cole Lawton?”

“Yes,” I respond without hesitation.

I felt relief wash over me as both Detectives offered me an encouraging smile.

"Cole is in custody, so you can rest easy knowing you're safe now." Detective Hans said.

"Scar, we're so sorry that you had to go through this, and we understand how difficult it must have been for you to come forward." Stone added. "But we want you to know that you've done the right thing, and we are here to support you in any way we can." Stone added.

"Thank you,” I respond.

As Stone leans back, his and Hans phone suddenly vibrates, alerting them to a new message. Stone quickly removes it from his pocket and unlocks the screen to read the message. As he begins to read the message, his expression slowly changes from calm to serious until his face becomes almost stone-like in its sternness.

Stone clears his throat and fidgets with his tie, his eyes darting around the room. I follow his gaze until my eyes finally land on Skylar, who has now moved into a corner, looking absolutely out of place. But nobody seems to pay her any attention, and the room remains silent, with all eyes fixed on me.

"We just received new information regarding your rape," he says. “It was premeditated.”

My eyes widen with disbelief as I process the information. "Wh-what?" I manage to stutter out.

Dad's voice rings out, cutting sharply through the stunned silence. "Wait, what do you meanpremeditated?"

Mom gasps audibly at the revelation, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

Tears stream down Maverick's face as he keeps his eyes locked on me, unable to hide his raw emotions. His hands tremble at his sides, a visible sign of inner turmoil.

I slowly turn my gaze back to Stone, my mind racing as he continues revealing the planned event's details. As soon as the words escape his mouth, the room falls silent. I can feel the tension building as my parents look at me, waiting for him to continue. I take a deep breath and look down at my hands, feeling the weight of the situation.

"We traced Cole's phone records that led to the same phone number he called for months before you and Cole dated," Stone repeats. “We traced the number to Skylar."

My dad's face contorts with anger as he barks, "What?"

My mom's tone is harsh as she demands, "Skylar? Is this true?"

Skylar doesn't say a word but stares at me. I can feel her eyes burning into me, but I can't bring myself to look at her.

"Skylar, tell me it's not true. Tell me it's all a big misunderstanding," Dad urges as he turns to face her, his body trembling with anger. Dad's voice is harsh and impatient as he calls out, "Skylar!"

Skylar starts yelling, her voice becoming louder with each passing second. "Maverick just couldn't stop looking after his precious Scar!" she says, her voice dripping with bitterness. "She was sixteen when I noticed him looking at her as more than a friend. He was mine and wasonlysupposed to be mine."

Dad staggers backward, his face contorted with unbearable pain as tears stream down his face.

“Hold on for a second. Were you the one that leaked it to the media?" Maverick seethes with fury.

Skylar, oblivious to Dad’s pain, continues to scream at me and ignore Maverick’s question." You had everything! Everyone wanted to be there for you. Do you know how many times I had to listen to Maverick talk about how worried he was about you? He would’ve done anything to be there for you!" she yells at me, her eyes blazing with anger.

Then she turns to Dad, her voice still raised. "You didn't want me! I felt abandoned when you chose Seth and Scar over me. Mom exchanges me for a new husband like a fucking useless gift nobody wants." With a sudden movement, she wipes away the angry tears, leaving behind a trail of mascara. “No one ever chooses me.”

Skylar's eyes blazed with a fire that seemed to consume her from within. "You had everything, Scar," she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "The perfect little image that everyone adored. So, yes, I was the one who leaked it. I wanted to humiliate you by letting the whole world know that the perfect little Scar was tainted andused. How clever on my part to hold off until the premiere, when millions of people would be watching.”

"I can't believe you would stoop so low," I say to myself, the weight of her words pressing down on me like a crushing weight.

My world crumbles as she utters the words, "I paid Cole todrugyou, and that I didn’t care what he did to you after that. Getting pregnant was a bonus." Tears stream down my face, and my heart feels like it is being ripped apart. The news hits me like a ton of bricks, and I feel my stomach churning. The overwhelming urge to vomit leaves me feeling dizzy and disoriented.

A loud, mournful wail escapes from Mom’s lips while Dad supports her.

Maverick approaches me and joins me in bed, his arms encircling me as I weep uncontrollably against his chest.

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