Him and I {Chuck Clayton}

Chapter 25

Veronica's words hit me like a freight train, as if all the air and life inside of me evaporated like a snap of a finger. I study her facial expressions as she is talking to me about her father to detect any lies or dishonesty so I'd have a reason to kick her out of my apartment. I'm not able to tell if her words are truth or lies and so I decide to bow my head down and just listen.
"My dad was holding fights between the prisoners inside the prison for some very rich, powerful and connected people. Some of the guards in the prison did not like that the fights were taking place, one of them being your dad. Your dad was the only guard however who had the guts to stick up to my dad and threaten to tell the Sheriff and anyone in law enforcement what was going on. Your dad died a week later."
Veronica pauses and gives me a sympathetic look and I respond by getting up and grabbing a bottle water. I motion one to her as my way of asking if she wants one and she holds her hands out as I throw one to her.
"I swear, I did not know anything about your dad until recently. I recently acquired some of his businesses and I started putting pieces together and realized what happened. My dad is so evil."

I rub my temples trying to once again process the information being told to me and I let out a heavy sigh.
"Veronica why are you telling me this? You exactly haven't been nice to me since we've been in each other's presence."
"I know and I want to apologize for that. I was really shitty to you and I shouldn't have taken up sides with you and Josie and I barely knew you.. What I did was very high school."
"Yeah," I mumble turning around rolling my eyes heading back into the kitchen.
"I want to make things right. I'm willingly to pay whatever to help you and your family—"
"Yeah your dad needs to be in fucking jail."I cut her off mid sentence. "I need all the proof needed to put him in there."
"I have that here." Veronica hands me a Manila folder full of documents. "Everything is here. I still want to do this for all the crimes that my father has committed against your dad. I feel horrible."
"As you should," I snap before taking a deep breath.
"Let me talk to my family. I can't just make this decision alone. It's not up to me."
"I understand," Veronica nods, gathering her things and heading towards the door.
"I'm sorry that this happened and the way I treated you. Seriously. I hope that down the line we can be friends or at least cordial."
"We'll see," I nod letting Veronica out and shutting the door behind her.

I lean my back against the door and take a deep breath, closing my eyes to keep the tears from falling down my face. I look over the documents and I see emails dated in chronological order and financial statements showing that people were paid and meetings were made. As I rummage through the documents a photo falls out the folder and lands face down. I pick it up and I let out a blood curdling scream and slam the photo face down on the coffee table, clenching my fist within the photo in my grasps. My father, laid there in a pool of blood and a wound in his forehead with blood trickling down his face. Why would Veronica include this photo in there? Did she know it was even there? Did she not think about how this would affect me?

I close my eyes again trying to get the image out of my head but all I see if my dad, dead on that cold hard floor. I feel the walls in my apartment closing in and I grab my keys and practically run out of my apartment, bumping into someone just as I lock my door and turn to leave. I look up and see that Chuck is back and my heart is filled instantly with sadness and pain, tears forming in my eyes.
"Serena, baby what's wrong?" Chuck asks me with concern on his face and kissing my forehead.
"My world. Everything is fucked up." I sob heavily into his chest.
"Is it about me? I'm sorry for everything and I don't want to lose you—"
"You are just the tip of the iceberg," I sigh heavily moving my head of his chest and wiping the tears off my face.
"Do you want to go somewhere?" Chuck asks me pointing towards the door.
My better judgment in my head was screaming no and I knew better. I did but the hollowness I was feel in my chest and the way my heartached said another. That voice was stronger and it influenced my decision.
"Yeah," I nodded walking past him and to the doors.
"Let's go."

AN: Heeeeey I know this chapter is extremely short and I am so sorry. I have had so much going on and writers block was not my friend.  I definitely wanted to get a chapter in to you guys. I'll post when I can. Love you all ❤️