Bad Desire: New Beginnings - Fast Forward

Chapter 73

It was a Friday morning and now the summer holidays had officially started, Juliet had all three children at home with her. Even though she had expected it all to be a little hectic, it had actually been running surprisingly smoothly so far. She had managed to get them all sat down for breakfast at the same time with absolutely no fuss made and it most definitely had to be a first.

Just as she was about to sit down with her own coffee and breakfast, the post came through the door with the usual bills and pointless leaflets however, something else caught her eye. It was a handwritten envelope that was addressed to her and the handwriting was one that she recognised instantly.

With confusion over her face, she pulled it open and carefully read the lettering on the page.

~

Juliet,

I was going to text you but I was told it was more appropriate to keep this formal due to the circumstances.

After our previous meeting when we discussed Hunter and I asked if I could have him for half of the week, it was clear we didn't come to any kind of agreement.

~

Juliet was confused as she read the words before her because it didn't sound like Matt. It was his handwriting but it was clear that someone had helped him write this. It was excessively formal for someone who had only ever attended school when he felt like it.

~

So after talking this through with the right people, I have decided to file a court case and wanted to give you a heads up in advance.

Hunter is my son too and I wanted us to agree on joint custody however, due to your disagreement we will have to go about this a different way.

You will be receiving a letter from the courts soon where you can put forward your own case but know that I am determined to get joint custody of my son so will not give up.

Speak soon

Matt

~

Juliet was now holding the letter in her shaking hands with utter confusion over her face. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand where this was all coming from.

Yes, her and Matt hadn't been as civil and compromising as they could have been at the coffee shop that day but she didn't realise he was that intense about it all. He had never put any interest in having joint custody of Hunter so it all seemed a bit sudden and she didn't like it.

She knew he was Hunter's dad regardless of anything else and she would never stop Matt from seeing him but that didn't mean she would easily accept joint custody. He hadn't done enough to prove to her that he was serious so she could never fully trust him.

Firstly, he was always moving about. He had been back and forth from Vegas too many times for her to know if he was serious about being stable this time. Then secondly, he was still a part of the gang that had put so much fear in Juliet when she was with him. She didn't want Hunter being dragged into that life and if he was spending half of his time living with Matt; surely, it would only be inevitable that he would be dragged into it?

"Mum!" A voice shouted from the kitchen where they were all sat eating breakfast.

"I'll be one minute." Juliet called back with her voice breaking off at the end.

She couldn't bring herself to walk back in there just yet. She had been drowned with fear and looking at Hunter would just make things worse. She didn't want him taken away from her for half the week. She didn't like the idea of him being in someone else's care that wasn't hers. It wasn't fair.

Pacing back and forth in the hallway she didn't know what to do with herself. She was home alone with the kids with no one to fall back on. She wanted to scream and cry but she couldn't. She couldn't put the fear and confusion that she was feeling into her own children too.

Rushing into her bedroom to get her phone, she quickly dialled Dylan.

She knew he was working and this probably wasn't the best time but she really didn't have any choice. She needed to speak to someone.

There were several rings before she heard his voice however, her moment of relief was shut down the moment she realised it was his voicemail.

"Damnit." She mumbled under her breath before her eyes fell on the letter once again.

As she re-read the words in front of her, watching as they all blurred into one through her teary eyes, she finally screwed the piece of paper up in her hand through aggravation and threw it against the wall.

This wasn't okay. None of this was okay.

He couldn't just write her some stupid letter to try and scare her. That wasn't fair and she didn't understand why he was doing it.

....

"So what happens next?" Abbie asked as she stood across from Matt who was sat on the sofa.

"I have to fill in the paper work for the court and then they take it from there." He responded, looking down to the sheets of paper before him.

"You have to have as much evidence as possible Matt or this won't be in your favour." The male voice beside him spoke up, skimming through the pages of information on his laptop. "You can't let your past come and ruin this for you. Your background is worse than hers is but she was involved at one point. She has connections."

"But what if this doesn't work and it just backfires?"

Matt was looking back at him with slight uncertainty over his face. This was all new to him and he wasn't sure how all the legal stuff worked.

He thought it was a stupid idea taking it to court due to his past and present inclusion in the gang but it was clear those around him thought otherwise.

"I might end up losing him completely!"

"No, you won't. I've been doing this a long time and I know someone who is probably even better." The male smiled with a hopeful look on his face. "You might even know her."

"Who?" Matt asked while frowning. He didn't know any lawyers or past lawyers so he couldn't imagine he had any clue who they were.

"Estee Carter. She fort a lot of tough battles in her days of this job."

"Estee Carter?" Matt looked back as though he was stupid. "That's Sophie Carters mum... she's friends with Juliet, she's not going to help us. Are you fucking stupid?"

The male began chuckling at Matt's shocked response as if he was the stupid one.

"But money means everything to that woman, being faithful... not so much."

*

:))