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21. Justine

"What do you two have to say for yourselves? Monique?"

"We didn't do anything." The two of us were standing in front of his desk Monday morning like two whipped puppies who were caught peeing on the carpet.

"What does the phrase ‘keep a low profile' mean to you?"

"He started it. Didn't he, Justine?"

"He sure did." That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

‘Damn straight, and he's lucky I didn't get my hands on his ass, or they'd still be picking up pieces of his slimy ass with tweezers.'

Not now, Justice; I have to concentrate before Marcus trips me up. He's a slippery one.

"Tell me again what happened."

"I was so scared. If Mo hadn't been there, I don't know what I would've done."

‘Good, that's good; now turn on the waterworks.'

Huh?

‘Cry bitch!'

"Whaaaaa!"

‘Bitch you sound like a trapped dingo.'

"Okay-okay, don't cry, come ‘ere, it's okay now. Monique, was it really that bad?"

"What do you think? You think we're lying to you?" I can't believe that worked. Marcus had even forgotten that we were at work and we weren't supposed to be touching each other. As soon as I started crying, he bounded out of his chair and rushed to my side to comfort me.

I could get used to this.

‘You and me both bitch, that's my damn hug you stealing over there. Who was it that told you to cry?' I ignored Justice's little meltdown and enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms after such a long time. It felt good to be held by him, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until now.

"I can leave and come back if you two need some time alone."

"Mo, go away."

"Fine, I'ma go check on the kiddos." The daycare was open for the first time today, now that the sick room was operational. Now, we have a waiting list that is a mile long.

I didn't know there were so many employees here, but as soon as the doors opened and the moms and dads who had already signed up came in and saw what we had done, they'd blabbed to their coworkers, and people had been lining up to sign their kids up.

I felt a little bad that some places were going to be losing their clientele, but Marcus assured me that most of the daycare centers around here had waiting lists, so it shouldn't be a problem. I just can't stand the thought of taking food from someone else's mouth.

I don't even know how he knew about it. I would've given him a watered-down version at some point but saw no reason for him to know that Monique had knocked the stuffing out of my ex and broken his arm just for spite.

That's not what I told the cops, though, when they showed up. "Of course we were afraid, officer. Two women alone with three young children in the next room. We only heard someone breaking in, and our fight or flight kicked in."

And when Paul had to admit that he and Monique had never met when the cops asked her if she didn't recognize him as the homeowner, that just solved our case for us. All he got was a pat on the shoulder and a ‘sorry mate' nothing we can do.

"You get back here." He let me go to sit in his chair again.

"The cops didn't press charges, so I don't see why you're getting your nose out of joint."

"That's not how that saying goes."

"How's it go then?" The two of them started arguing, and I went back to my desk to file my nails because, obviously, I wasn't needed for this part of the Laurel and Hardy show.

* * *

MARCUS

* * *

I'm fussingat Monique because I'm pissed and have to find a way to hide it. I should've been there, no matter that my presence would've opened a whole other can of worms. He shouldn't have gotten that close to her on my watch.

I want to go find him and tear his limbs from his torso and beat him with them, but that wouldn't be of any help to her or the situation.

I called Caleb as soon as I kicked Monique out of my office. I know she was lying to me; she didn't need to break that man's arm, but I'm not mad at her either since I couldn't do it myself. Not yet anyway. I have a feeling there'll be plenty of opportunities in the future because Paul seems to be one of those men who thinks everything revolves around them.

I'd only been out of the country one day because I had some things to take care of, but I didn't know that that was all the time that was needed for him to make a play. He hadn't shown any interest in her or the girls since that night at the party, as far as I can tell, which was working out swell for her case, according to Caleb.

"I want you to push everything forward. Use all the information we've found to bury him."

"Even the stuff from work?"

"Yes, use it to get him to sign off on the divorce, but don't let him know that I know, of course. Make it seem as if you'd keep it to yourself as long as he signs, but I want it done by the end of this week."

"Will do."

"Call me once you've taken care of it." I hung up the phone and sat back in my chair with a heavy heart and a restless mind. Even if Monique was embellishing a bit, the fact still remains that he'd been to her home. What was his reason for going there late at night?

Was he trying to get back with her? The emotions that thought brought forth in me are the reason for my call to Caleb. I don't want that asshole thinking for even a second that he has any hold over her or any say in her life.

His children, I can't see myself coming between him and them if he really wants to be a father, but that's up to the courts to decide, though if it were left up to me, he'd never be around them again. As far as I'm concerned, he gave up the rights to his kids the moment he cheated on their mother.

But I might be a bit biased when it comes to that. Though I was already an adult when my parents split, I still remember my father trying to get me to side with him against my mother. I can't imagine how that would've gone had I been a much younger, impressionable kid like her girls.

It hurts me to think of them being hurt by this as well because I know that pain, but how is it going to be for them at this age?

* * *

JUSTINE

* * *

"What already? And Paul agreed?"

"Yes, he did. He wants to get the divorce over with as well; it looks like."

"Wow, I thought this would drag on for months, if not years. Are you sure?"

"Yes, his lawyer just left my office. It's a done deal. All that's left is custody, and I don't think that's going to be much trouble. As of now, he doesn't have a permanent residence, so you'll have primary custody for the time being."

"Wait, doesn't he live with his girlfriend?"

He didn't answer me but looked over at Marcus, who was sitting there saying nothing.

"That's all for now, Caleb, thank you. Let us know when everything has been filed."

I can't believe this is it. I'd just signed my divorce papers, and it felt like nothing. Are these things really that easy? I thought I'd have to spend months, if not years, fighting because Paul would never give me everything I was asking for without a fight.

I looked at Marcus, who had a blank look on his face. I'll have to ask Mo what she knows about this because I'm pretty sure he had something to do with it, but what?

* * *

PAUL

* * *

That bitch!How did she know I had embezzled funds? I'd put that money back as soon as possible, but it had been so easy the first time I kinda got into the habit of doing it every once in a while. But I was always good for it.

It"s not like I was gambling it away or anything. It's just when a place I was interested in came on the market when I was low on funds; it was easy to dip into the corporate account to take care of things and then put it back over time.

No one ever missed the money, so what was the big deal, right? But how did she know? No one knew, not even Melanie. Speaking of which, how did they know about her substance abuse? That was used against me as well because the kids can't be around her and I lived with her.

I feel like I got kicked in the balls. First, that bitch broke my arm, and now this. I haven't even had a chance to get my thoughts together about how to handle the divorce, and Justine came out swinging.

She's never been docile or anything, sure, but she didn't have as many resources here as I did. I have friends and work colleagues, while all she has are the other stay-at-home moms; what power do they have?

Her family was miles away, and they didn't have the kind of money that would afford someone like that slick lawyer of hers. He looks and smells like money. He must be very good at what he does because he'd just got me to agree to everything they wanted.

My lawyer had advised me to do it if I didn't want to end up in jail, and the lawyer had promised not to tell my boss as long as I signed the papers. What choice did I have? None of this was turning out the way I expected.

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