Page 203 of Charlie

There's some shuffling and muffled whispers behind me, and then my dad squeezes my arm and murmurs words of support. I whisper my thanks and kiss him on the cheek, watching him walk over to where my mom sits several rows back. She doesn't look at me.

Thanks to Lauren's expertise, everything goes off without a hitch. All the nights I spent in the cottage looking up bank statements, old bills and tax information were worth it. Rob has nothing prepared, and the judge doesn't take kindly to him, awarding me half of all marital assets within twenty minutes of stepping foot in the courtroom. I drop my head in my hands when he bangs the gavel, relief bringing tears to my eyes. It's over.

"You couldn't resist showing how much of a whore you are, could you?" Rob calls out, his face red. "Do your parents know you're sleeping with all of them?" Security grabs his arm and walks him down the aisle, but he has enough time to look at my parents directly. "How does it feel to know you raised a fucking whore?" He looks back at me as he's jerked out the door, rage pouring from him. "You'll pay for this, you fucking slut."

I look at my parents and see it on their faces that they're connecting the dots, recognizing the truth in his words.

"Whatever's going on in your head, stop," Jack murmurs, his voice low. "Lauren, I know you said not to, but she's hurting, and I need to get her out of here. Thank you for going to battle for her. We can't thank you enough."

"So it is true? You're with all three of them?" Lauren asks me, curiosity burning in her eyes.

Heat flares in my cheeks, mortification sinking in. I nod, too tired to pretend otherwise.

"Good for you, Charlotte. Get it, girl." She winks at me, packs her briefcase, and kisses me on the cheek. "Have a good life. I hope I never see you again."

"Charlie!" My mother's screech has me ducking down, nausea rolling in my stomach as years of verbal thrashings flash through my mind. Jack doesn't give her a chance to get close. He swings me into his arms, pushing past my mother, ignoring her demands to put me down.

"If you want to talk to her, you'll have ten minutes while we're packing her things," I hear Lach tell my mom, her indignant scoff making a wildly inappropriate giggle rise in my throat. Then we're out in the open air, speeding toward Cam, who's waiting at the curb with the car. I tense as Rob sees us and starts walking our way, ignoring the pleas of his lawyer.

"Just you wait, Charlie," he seethes, his voice getting louder with every word. "Everyone in this town will know what a cheating sl—" He crumples to the ground as Lach taps the back of his knee with the side of his shoe as he walks past. Lach looks down at him, hands balled into fists at his side.

"If her name ever passes your lips again, I will hunt you down and fucking ruin you, do you understand me?" He shoves Rob's shoulder with his foot, forcing him to lose his balance and fall back onto his hands. "I said, do you fucking understand me?" Lach seethes, enunciating every word.

"Yes! Okay? I understand." Rob holds his hands up in surrender, staying on the ground as Jack rushes me toward safety.

The car is dead silent as we pull away from the courthouse. I drop my head into my hands, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Charlotte?" Jack's hand is warm and heavy on my shoulder. I look up, tears streaming down my face. "Are you laughing?" he asks incredulously, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hair.

I snort, wiping at my eyes. "Did you see the way Rob looked up at Lach? Like he was two seconds away from saying 'Yes, Daddy.'" Laughter grips me again, stealing my breath.

I sober up quickly as we pull in front of my parent's house. My mom is waiting for me on the front porch, arms crossed, a scowl on her face. This is going to suck.

109

My heart jumps to my throat and decides to stay there as I step out of the car and slowly start walking toward my mother. Her arms are folded over her chest, the muscle in her jaw clenching as I approach.

"Is this what you wanted? To make me a laughing stock? To drag my name through the mud? I always knew you didn't care about me, but I didn't realize how much until today."

I sigh, a dull pain stabbing behind my right eye. "Not everything is about you, Mom."

"It is when your husband yells in front of the entire town that you're sleeping with three men. What am I supposed to say when they start asking questions?"

"Ex-husband," I whisper, massaging my temples. "You can start by telling them the truth."

Her face goes even redder. "You want me to tell my friends you're fucking three guys?"

"At the same time. Yes." The corner of my mouth tilts up when her eye starts twitching. "Or you can tell them I moved to Scotland to be with the men I love. Men that respect and cherish me. Men that love me."

"And what? Huh? Live in some hovel while you pimp yourself out to market some grimy, run-down castle?"

I rear back like she slapped me. "You have no idea how far from the truth you are."

"Enlighten me."

I struggle internally before finally deciding to tell her, at the very least so she doesn't think badly about the guys.

"Jack is a baron, Mother. We'll all be living in his in-tact, gorgeous waterfront castle. Cam has his doctorate and works as a professor and researcher of archeology at a university one island over. Lach, well, let's just say Lach made some very good choices and isn't struggling. So, no, I won't be living in a hovel while all three of them rail me. I'll be helping make the castle sustainable for future generations."

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