𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

forty nine.

─☼☼☼─

𝙍𝘼𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙍𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙇𝙀𝘿 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 around the Chateau as the sound of the boys celebrating Ward Cameron's imminent arrest flowed from inside. 

John B had finally turned in the tape to Shoupe who had acknowledge that John B had been set up, which only meant that they were headed after Ward next. With Rafe already in jail, his arrest was the last step in the route to justice.

But while the mood inside was full of excitement and glee, the one outside held a more melancholy tone. 

Sarah and Charlotte were seated on one of the couches, Kiara on the recliner across from them. The latter wore a slightly amused face, the other two wore expressions that were told in a different story in their eyes. 

Both the Cameron girl and the eldest Carrera were clearly conflicted. Ward and Rafe were facing the justice they deserved, they had all achieved what they had worked so hard toward for the past few weeks, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less. 

Sarah loved her father, and Charlotte loved Rafe. No matter how badly the Cameron men had hurt either girl, their arrests weren't anything to necessarily outwardly celebrate. 

"Do you regret it?" Kiara's voice carried toward the two girls, but her eyes were focused on Sarah. 

"No." Sarah's answer was instantaneous. "He deserves all of it and I know that."

Kiara nodded, a sympathetic look covering her face, "He's your dad, I get it. I'm sure it sucks to be in the middle." 

The chiming of Sarah's phone caused her to pause, looking down at the screen. From where Charlotte sat next to her, she could see Topper's name flash across the display. 

Glancing inside for a moment, Sarah stood up and face the Carrera girls. "Sorry." She whispered, stepping around the corner before answering the call. 

When it was just the two of them, Kiara looked toward her sister. The two of them had very seldom been alone in the past few days, never having a chance to discuss all the was happening in their lives.

"I know it must suck for you too." She announced, reluctance in her tone, "I mean with Rafe getting arrested."

Giving a small nod, Charlotte pulled her knees up to her chest. "How'd we end up here, Kie? How'd it all get so fucked."

Her younger sister let out a sigh, shaking her head. "You know what mom would say."

Charlotte couldn't hide the smile that covered her face as she sat up, ready to imitate their mother, "'It's those damn boys...they're always getting you into trouble.'" 

Kiara let out a loud laugh at her sister's attempt of mocking their mother's voice, it was actually pretty spot on. She was then quiet for a moment, eyes falling downward. "Has mom said anything about letting me come home?"

"Not yet." Charlotte admitted. "But I'm working on it."

Nodding, Kiara wore a saddened expression, and Charlotte couldn't imagine how she was feeling right now. Between her breakup with Pope and getting kicked out, it probably felt like she was completely on her own.