Chapter 21
Beth
It was day two of the divorce trial and today was Candy’s turn to present her side of the story. Yesterday was intense, but I felt confident that everything was proving that the marriage was indeed not created on acts of love and that the whole thing is a trick.
But what is the trick? What is it that Candy wants?,Aand what does Brad have to do with the whole thing?
After an early hearty breakfast, we were supposed to be in court by mid-morning. We met with McKinney outside the courthouse and discussed how the day would go. We learned that it was confirmed that Brad would be a witness today, which had Jacob rolling his hands into fists immediately. I tried to soothe him by taking his hands in mine and getting him to look at me.
I brought my hands to the sides of his jaw and I smile.
“Remember who is in your corner.” I whisper to him as he nods. “This will all be over soon.”
McKinney clears his throat and our attention is brought back to him.
“There will be security footage from the night that you and Ms. Waters met. I’ve seen the footage and you are pretty stoic but somewhat responsive to a lap dance she gives you and Brad in a private room.”
“Somewhat responsive?” he asks.
“You have your hands on her.”
“I thought you’re not allowed to touch?” I ask.
“Some places allow exceptions.” McKinney shrugs.
“So, then that proves nothing. “Jacob says.
“There’s footage of the three of you leaving the club together that evening.”
“Have we cross-referenced with whichever hotel I was at in regards to the footage from that evening, to see whether I came back to my room or if I was with her?”
“You came back to your room, several hours later. Stumbling and alone.” McKinney answers matter-of-factly.
“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Did the PI get anything on Brad’s rooms when we both came to Vegas?” Jacob asks.
“Let me give him a ring. We start in twenty.” McKinney pulls out his phone, presses a button and places the phone to his ear as he turns and walks away from us.
Jacob’s whole body is practically vibrating as he watches his lawyer talk heatedly on the phone. He eases up some of the tension as McKinney starts to walk back to us.
“He’ll have footage for us within the hour. I will see if I can add it into my cross examination as a last minute addition, but I cannot guarantee it will be allowed. I’m going to see if I can speak to the judge about this right now. I’ll see you two in there.” McKinney turns on his heel and walks into the courthouse leaving Jacob and me alone. I motion for us to sit on a bench away from the entrance and away from the leering press.
“Today will be a piece of cake.” I say to him confidently.
He nods, holding my hand and squeezing in response.
“Brad will be taking the stand today. He’s going against the family. He’s choosing sides with some chick who is trying to stay married to me for some strange reason. He’s lost everything that was attached to his name. I just don’t understand.” he says, looking off to the distance.
“Look at me.” I direct. When he does, I continue. “We don’t know all the details and we have to focus on the end game.”
“We’ll never know.” he says sadly.
“Come on. Let’s get inside and get this day over with.” I stand and hold my hand out to him. He stands and it’s as if his whole demeanor has changed. He’s back to the confident Jacob Maddox with an impenetrable suit of armor and a cold distant look on his face. We walk hand-in-hand through the courthouse and into the courtroom. He kisses my cheek softly as he sees me to my seat behind his and then goes to sit at the table beside McKinney. The two of them have a hushed conversation and I can see the smile on Jacob’s face as he looks forward.
Candy takes the stand along with a barrage of other so-called witnesses who she works with. All of them say how they have been in the presence of Jacob and Candy outside of the club at social gatherings and each story gets more and more over-the-top that it’s miraculous the judge hasn’t stopped the parade yet. The judge is writing a lot more in her notebook today than she was yesterday and she seems to have an irritated look permanently attached to her face.
McKinney saw no need to cross examine Candy nor any of Candy’s witnesses. Candy had random receipts as her evidence, and the video in the private room as evidence of the two parties meeting. But overall there is nothing there to support any claim of the marriage being real. We broke for lunch and when I asked McKinney why the judge hasn’t called out the obvious incidents of perjury on the stand, he shakes his head and simply claims that it is what it is. The judge likely wants to see how bad it gets, and then can make another claim on that side once the whole thing is over.
I know the afternoon docket holds one final witness and I’m not looking forward to how Jacob will react to it.
Jacob
“The Respondent would like to call a Mr. Bradford Maddox to the stand yo.r honor?” Candy’s lawyer says to the court.
I knew that he was going to testify today, but hearing his name still shook me to the core. I look around the courtroom and didn’t see my cousin anywhere, until the doors at the back open and a bailiff walks him in. Brad looks like his normal self, not too flashy, but still holding his head high as if he was distinguished.
Little does he know that I was well aware of him being here today. So, if he expected pure shock from me, he wasn’t getting it. He wasn’t looking at me or anyone else on his walk to the stand. His motions were purely robotic.
He raises his hand and swears on the Bible, saying the oath quietly. I can only hope that this is some masterminded plot; that it’s some joke and he wasn’t really about to go against his family.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened for the hour he was sitting up there. Brad lied about everything he was asked, from my involvement with Candy, to my trips to Vegas and my living arrangements. Even though he had no idea about the relationship I had with Beth, he lied about that too. I was flabbergasted that I trusted this person so many times, and here he was plain as day fucking up everything that we’ve built over the years with his time on the stand. I did notice that he refrained from any emotions and lacked all of his general charisma that I’ve seen him display on many people through the years. Something was off.
I was lucky though, that even with Brad’s false testimony, the Judge saw right through Candy’s lack of defense. The sudden rental of a San Francisco apartment was just one of the questionable things that helped my case. The fact that trips were only one sided also was beneficial for my case, as it would make perfect sense that I, as a prosperous, single male, would go to Las Vegas multiple times a year, as well as Atlantic City, which went to show that I was in those areas for pleasure and not to visit my stripper wife.
When McKinney got his turn to cross examine Brad he provided the footage that the PI got of Candy and Brad at the club on several occasions, including the night that Candy and I wed. There was enough compromising situations that proved to the court that the relationship between Candy and myself was not built on love, but on stupid decision-making under the influence of alcohol.
Candy was seeking monetary compensation, which the judge denied.
After what feels like forever, the judge granted me a divorce, and cheers erupted on my side of the courtroom. The judge also slapped a charge of perjury on all witnesses who testified on Candy’s behalf.
I turn around and see Beth smile proudly while Tyson and Allison stand beside her. My mother had a scowl on her face directed to the other side of the courtroom, but I could tell that she was relieved that the debacle was over. They must have snuck into the courtroom after I was seated, as I wasn’t aware that they were here today, but I am glad they were.
I shake hands with my team of attorneys and then go to Beth. I wrap my arms around her as hers circle my neck and pull her against me.
I kiss her lips gently. “I’m no longer a mistakenly married man.” I say against her lips as she smiles.
“Thank god. I was starting to feel that I was a homewrecker.” se jokes.
“If anything, the role would have gone to Candy. Never you.” I say, as I bend to kiss her lips again.
A hand on my shoulder stops me from groping Beth any further. I pull back from Beth, but hold onto her waist.
“You okay?” Tyson asks.
“Never better.” I say sincerely, as I look to Beth.
“You okay with how things went down with Brad?” Tyson asks.
“Not at all, but that’s something to deal with another day. Today, we celebrate.” I smile, feeling free.
“Can we celebrate by getting the fuck out of Las Vegas?” Beth asks.
“You bet your sweet ass we can.” I wink. “Ty, mind calling up for the plane, say in two hours we depart?”
“I think that can be managed. Go ahead get out of here, kids. I’ll text you when I have confirmation.” My brother smiles and squeezes my shoulder.
Beth and I leave the courtroom hand-in-hand. Candy is standing beside her lawyer and a bailiff with her arms crossed. Iit looks as if she’s being scolded like a child. She eyes us as we walk past her, flips her hair back and huffs loudly. Beth snickers and shakes her head and we walk out the doors and into the lobby.
My hands are on her body as soon as the door closes and the car starts to move. My lips are attached to hers as my fingers began to inch down the side zipper of her dress. Oblivious to everything outside the vehicle, all I want is to devour Beth, but she stops me, nodding her head to our driver who had one eye on the windshield and another on us in the back seat. We pull apart; I adjust my groin and take a deep breath.