earned it [h.s.]

61.

part of a double update, read chapter 60 first!!

TW: mentions of non-consensual sex and sexual/emotional/physical abuse

Harry.

"Does that look okay? Baby, is my tie twisted?" I asked in a panic. Genevieve turned around, her lip between her teeth as she fiddled with the knot on my tie. I was breaking out into a sweat, waiting to be let into the courtroom for the second day of testimonies.

Today was our turn.

Me, Genevieve and Blair. And they'd go over the video and audio footage. It was about to be another rough day for sure. Diane was sulking, still pissed over last night. We didn't meet up early today to practice the cross-examination.

Diane and Genevieve avoided one another like the plague, and my mother was off to the side chattering with Sarah as we all paced around nervously.

The bailiff came in, as did the judge. We were let into the courtroom the same way as yesterday, taking our seats. Blair and George Williams arrived late. I was anxiously checking my watch, Judge Evans losing her patience as we waited for them to arrive. She shot them a stern look as they walked in about twenty minutes late.

"Dude, apparently Blair fired a bunch of people yesterday." I heard the hushed whisper of Jeff in my ear. I turned around with a frown, "Really?"

"What?" Diane butted in, clearly listening on our conversation.

"Yeah. Kenny texted me last night that she let go a whole lot of them for no good reason." Jeff spoke.

I licked my lip, "You think the business is tanking?"

"Or she's making it tank so you don't get too much." He whispered back before the judge called for order. She fixed the glasses on her nose, "Now that we're all here... Good morning. Today are the three main testimonies of Mrs. Hilton – who will go first as the applicant – then Mr. Styles and then Ms. Watson. This court is now in session."

I exhaled a breath, fiddling with my fingers. I snuck a glance at Blair, who wore the same thing as yesterday but in dark blue today. She held a hand on her stomach, leaning back in her seat. I tore my eyes away when Diane shot me a look. Blair and George Williams both got up to the front, she got sworn in and she took her seat.

She was right in my view and I watched her, shifting nervously. I wondered if she hated this as much as I did. George Williams whispered something to her and then cleared his throat, "Mrs. Hilton, you are here today, on this stand, because you filed for divorce from your husband, correct?"

"Yes." She spoke. George nodded, "How long were the two of you married for?"

"About six years." Blair said, "We've been together since eighteen and got married when... Harry was twenty five and I was twenty four, I think."

My eyes got drawn to the screen next to Blair, where they portrayed some pictures from our wedding. Diane let out a huff from next to me, "Jesus Christ." She mumbled. I watched the slideshow of our wedding day, Blair in a white dress and me in a dark blue suit. My throat got tight, watching the genuine happiness in our faces, our wide smiles and how hopeful we were.

I hardly heard Blair as George asked her about our marriage, Blair answering politely yet monotonously. It was rehearsed. I blocked most of it out, her mentioning my shortcomings and hanging out the dirty laundry for everyone.

George Williams focused heavily on the sexual part, Blair explaining the problems we had from her side. She put it back to that, none of the other things that happened. Not the loneliness, not the fighting, not the drifting apart. She brought it back to sex.