Actions Speak Louder Than Fortune Cookies

51 - Verdict

— HEAVY TW —

This chapter includes a large chunk that depicts rape, as well as physical and mental abuse.

If you would like to skip that portion I put a
" ~ " at the beginning and end of that portion of the chapter.

If you skip this portion, you will not miss anything crucial to the storyline, just keep in mind that obviously Rylee has been through a LOT of not okay things because of Michael.

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"The jury declared him guilty of all charges."

All Rylee could do was cry when she heard Jane say those words over the speaker of her phone. Sebastian was sitting beside her on the couch when she got the call, arm around her shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

"Oh my god, Jane."

"He got 45 years, Rylee. No parole." Jane said, practically smiling into the phone.

Rylee began full out weeping at this point. Phone dropped into her lap, hands on her face as she completely leaned into Sebastian's side. He embraced her with both arms now, rubbing comforting circles into the side of her arm with his thumb.

"That's incredible Jane, thank you so much for everything you've done." Sebastian said in lieu of Rylee.

"Of course, I've been happy to help. We still have a bit to talk about, but I will call you back tomorrow, so you can have some time to process everything. Alrighty?"

Sebastian picked up the phone from Rylee's lap, "Sounds good, thanks again."

"Bye Sebastian, Rylee."

Sebastian and Rylee both said bye in unison and Sebastian hung up the phone, tossing it on the table in front of them.

Sebastian curled back into Rylee, who had pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on her knees, tears still streaming.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Sebastian asked, pushing back Rylee's hair, waiting patiently for her to be ready to answer.

"I'm just...overwhelmed...elated...relieved... Michael's done so many things...so, so many things to try to ruin, change, or mess up my life. Things that didn't even come up during trial talk..."

"When we were together, he eventually controlled every waking aspect of my life. Where I went. Who I saw...and at one point, I didn't know or realize until much later, he got me fired from my job so I would have to depend on him monetarily.

"Alexa saw the signs. She tried so so hard to get me to see it but I couldn't...not until the night when Alexa came over and finally talked some sense into me but that was also one of the-" she paused. Taking a deep breath. "One of the worst nights...." She recalled it, shuddering.

September 10, 2015

Alexa ran into Rylee's apartment building, folding up her umbrella from the downpour that had just occurred. She knocked on Rylee's apartment door, umbrella dripping heavily on the ground. She stood there for a moment, waiting and a beat later, Rylee opened the door in shock, eyes red and puffy, as if she'd just gotten done crying. "Alexa? What are you doing here?" She sniffled.

"I came to check on you. You're my best friend Rylee, I can't leave you alone to stew with your thoughts."

"If Michael finds out your here, he might get..." angry, livid, pissed, "...upset." She hesitated about letting her inside, but chose to anyway. Alexa was her best friend. She couldn't turn her away. Alexa leaned her umbrella by the door and took a seat on the couch by Rylee.