The Daughter Of Rachel Mason - Book Four

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was 9am on a saturday morning. Chloe and Max had just woken up. Just as Max was about to try and get it on with Chloe, she pushed him away. "What's wrong?" Max asked.
"I wanna go for a walk."
Max frowned. "Its 9am. Why are you going for a walk?" Max asked her. Chloe shrugged.
"Clear my head."

Chloe carried Jay downstairs and placed him in his moses basket before she got her shoes on and left the house. Max came down. "Morning daddy!" Scarlett said sleepily. Max smiled. Aubree went over to Max.
"Sweetheart mind the kids for a few minutes?" Max asked. Aubree smiled and nodded.

Max followed Chloe to an alley way. He stood by the entrance and looked to see Chloe kissing someone. He walked up to them and was shocked to see it was Tom... Tom Clarkson... kissing his wife...
"What the hell?"

Chloe and Tom pulled away to see Max. Chloe's eyes widened. "Wh-what are you doing here?" Chloe asked.
Max glared at her. "Clearly interupting you," Max spat. Chloe was trying not to cry.
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, you're sorry? Sorry for ruining our marriage?" Max spat.

Chloe could feel her heart breaking. "I'm sorry!"
"Sorry isn't good enough Chloe," Max said.
Max went back to tell Charlotte.

Chloe and Tom panicked.
"He's going to tell Charlotte!" Chloe said. Tom and Chloe got in Tom's car and tried to beat Max there

Max opened Charlotte's door and Charlotte ran to the door.
"What's wrong?" Charlotte asked as Max never burst in.
Chloe and Tom rushed into the house. "Max, don't," Chloe pleaded. Max glared.
"Give me one good reason."
"Think of the kids. Please," Chloe said. Max scoffed.
"I didn't think you thought of that when you were screwing Tom," Max spat.

Charlotte's eyes widened. "You and Chloe?" Charlotte asked. Tom just nodded. Chloe glared at Max.
"I hope you're happy Max!" Chloe yelled at him.

Chloe ran back to the house with Max behind her. "Aubree, take the kids to Granddad's," Max said. Chloe walked upstairs and Max followed. "Open the door!" Max yelled.

Tom tried to talk to Charlotte. Charlotte pushed him out of the house and locked the doors.
"Taitlyn sweetie, go with Aubree and take the kids to Grandad's," Charlotte said.

Tom sat in his car. Max left the house and Tom went in. He got Chloe to open the door and she cried into him.

Charlotte looked at the box of pills and then her belt. She tied the loop in a belt. She was going.

Max was worried about Charlotte. He walked in to the house and heard a bang upstairs. He ran up. He saw Charlotte lying on the floor and paled - this was down to Chloe and Tom. He dialled an ambulance and told them what had happened.

Chloe was crying still. "He hates me. I've ruined everything," Chloe cried. Tom held her.
"Look, we'll tell Max that I co-erced you into it. You didn't want to," Tom said. Chloe looked at him.
"You'd do that?"
Tom nodded. "You and Max have four girls and a newborn together," Tom said. Chloe smiled and shook her head.
"It won't work. He hates me. Our marriage is over," Chloe mumbled. Tom sighed and kissed her head.
"Who's leaving the house?"
"Its my house so him I assume. I'm betting the kids will hate me. Aubree will. She's daddy's little princess," Chloe mumbled.

The ambulance had arrived and they started CPR on Charlotte. Max was blaming Chloe and Tom for this. They had ruined everything. They had managed to bring Charlotte back and they were taking her to Hospital.

Chloe came outside to see Charlotte on the stretcher. She ran over but Max grabbed her wrists. "You've done enough Chloe," Max spat. Chloe could see the hate in his eyes.
"Whatever I've done please don't hate the kids."
"I wouldn't hate my children. They don't deserve this!" Max said. Chloe was in floods of tears.
"You hate me though right?"
"No, I don't. I hate what you did," Max said. He got in the ambulance with Charlotte.
"What happened to her?" Chloe asked.
"Attempted suicide," Max said. The woman closed the ambulance doors and drove of.

Tom ran over as the ambulance drove off.
"What happened? Was it Charlotte?" Tom asked.
Chloe walked into Charlotte's house and saw the belt that was cut. The loop was still there.
"She tried to hang herself," Chloe told Tom as he walked up behind her.
Chloe turned to him. "This is our fault. We did this to her!" Chloe yelled. Tom sighed.
"I'm going to tell Max, it was me who started this whole affair. You tried to tell me no," Tom said. Chloe shrugged.
"He'll never forgive me. Why can't you understand that?" Chloe cried.

Chloe got in her car and drove to the Hospital. She took a deep breath before getting out th car and walking in. She saw Max sitting there. "I know I shouldn't be here but I understand if you don't want me anymore but you should know that I still love you," Chloe said. Before Max could speak, Tom approached them.
"This whole affair was my idea. Chloe told me it wasn't right. I didn't listen," Tom said. Max glared at Tom and punched him. He had broke his nose. Max went in to see Charlotte. Chloe thought he didn't want her anymore. Max turned to Chloe.
"I know she'll want to see you," Max said. Chloe smiled and walked to the bed with Max. Max squeezed Chloe's hand.

Charlotte looked up at Max and Chloe. They could see the red mark around her neck.
"Hey sweetie," Chloe said. Charlotte smiled up at her and held Chloe's hand.
Charlotte looked at Max. Her voice was raspy. "Why did you save me? I wanted to go to make Tom happy."
Guilt overwhelmed Chloe. "I'm sorry Charlotte," Chloe mumbled. Charlotte sighed.
"Who started the affair?" Charlotte asked. Chloe didn't want to speak so Max did.
"It was Tom. He told me out there," Max said. Chloe took her hand from Charlotte's and Max's.
"I know you despise what I did."

Tom had fallen in love with Chloe. He knew how Max felt when he was with her.

Chloe walked out and Max went after her. "Wait," Max called. Chloe turned back to him.
"I'm the reason she's there!" Chloe yelled.
"You're not! It's him! She asked to see you!" Max yelled. Tom tried to run in to see Charlotte but Max held him back.

Charlotte knew that Tom had to have started it. She couldn't fully blame Chloe, but she could blame Tom. Charlotte got her phone out and text Eddie to come to get her.

Chloe walked in with Max behind her. "She thinks you blame her," Max said. Charlotte shook her head.
"I could never hate you CoCo."
"I hate myself. Max, I'm leaving. You can keep the kids," Chloe said. Max frowned.
"You can't leave Chloe."
"Why? I've ruined everything."
Chloe walked out and tried to leave but Max grabbed her. "Chloe baby, you can't leave."
"Why not?" Chloe asked.
"I still love you," Max said. Chloe cuddled into Max and Max held her. Tom walked in.

Charlotte glared at him. "Did you love Chloe?"
"I still do," Tom said. Charlotte scoffed just as Eddie came in. Eddie had no idea what was going on.

"What's happened?" Eddie asked. Chloe and Max walked in.
Charlotte looked at Eddie. "Tom here convinced Chloe to have an affair. Says he's in love with her," Charlotte spat. Eddie looked at Tom.
"You've ruined everyone's lives Tom. Just go," Eddie said. Tom nodded.
"I just want to know. Chloe, do you want to come with me? We'll take the kids," Tom said.
Max was shocked and so was Charlotte.
"You can't take my kids!" Charlotte yelled. Eddie tried to calm her.

Chloe was confused. She looked between Max and Tom.
"I'll go with..."