My Best Friend's Brother: The Husband - Book 2[First Draft]

Chapter 13: Ounce of Truth

Chloe:

Lydia took her oath and waited patiently for Lilian to question her. I gripped onto my husbands hand with a strength I didn't know I had. How could she? How could she testify against her own daughter? What kind of monster is she?

"Ms. Santiango," Lillian started, "Tell me about your daughter; what kind of person is she?"

Mom kept her face neutral, "Chloe was always an outgoing person. She had a lot of friends and she is intelligent. She just graduated from Herman's School for the Gifted."

"I see. Is Mrs. Humphrey still that kind of person?" the lawyer pushes. The anger in my blood began to boil it and poison was running in veins. What is this bitch playing at?

Mom merely glanced at me before answering, "Unfortunately no. She was staying in the dorms but when she was eighteen she moved back home and I could tell she was different. She kept to herself, she became quiet, barely ate and she only kept close to her best friend from college."

Lillian turned to look at me and the hatred burning in her eyes made it clear what her intentions were. "Ms. Santiago, please name this friend," she demanded.

"Rachel Humphrey."

Lillian's facade twitched for a bit before she swiveled back around and glared at my mother, "So isn't it possible that the only reason she remained close to her was to get close to Mr. Humphrey and then she frames her ex, Mr. Nixon for kidnapping and rape? Doesn't that sound suspicious to you?"

"Objection! Your honor, she's making assumptions based of personal reasons," Mr. Darcy called out.

"Sustained," the judge replied and gave Lillian a look of disapproval, "Ms. Dawn, please refrain from bringing your personal feelings into this case." The lawyer gritted her teeth but faked a smile instead, "No further questions."

Mr. Darcy got up immediately and approached my mother, "So, Ms. Santiago, you said Mrs. Humphrey was different. Do you have any idea what could have contributed to her becoming so different?"

My mother looked at me then and I can see the gears turning in her head. Is she hiding something else from me? She breath out and sighed, "Chloe grew up without a father and she was never properly taught how to interact with the opposite gender. She just made the wrong choice with men. Her two former boyfriends before Mike were complete idiots and delinquents and she let them go the moment she realized that she couldn't change them. She always sees the good in people, even when there is none."

She then glared at Mike, "That man right there did something to my daughter and when she was able to finally find happiness he somehow got out of jail to terrorize her and our family."

Mr. Darcy nodded, "You said, Chloe grew up without a father. Did she ever meet him?"

My mother's eyes widen and a fear came into them making my anger dissipate. I could feel her hesitation before she finally looked away from me. She's under oath so she must answer the question.

"Chloe's father couldn't stay with us. I cheated and no matter how much he wanted to be with me, with us he couldn't. My husband wouldn't have let me leave."

The courtroom gasped and I could feel my eyes stinging. How could she? How could she keep something like this away from me? My dad is alive? Then why did Lisa say he's dead? Why is my family life so messed up?

Christian wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. He isn't saying anything. He's just being my support. Even though things are getting messy, he's sticking around.

"Can you give us the name of this man?" the judge then asked softly. You could see she just wanted to help because before a judge, she is a woman.

"Carlito Gravano."

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Christian:

Carlito Gravano.

Why does that name sound so familiar? Carlito Gravano. My eyes widen as the familiar face pops up in my head. I glance down at my wife. She kinda looks like him but that's impossible; Gravano had no kids. Chloe pulled away from me and ran out of the room. I immediately followed after her and caught up to her. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and spun her around.

She took one look at me and let out a sob, falling into my arms. My heart clenched; why did they do this to her? "I..I.." she mumbles helplessly before letting out another sob. Her face was buried in my chest and her grip on my shirt sleeve was tight.

I waited until she calmed down before pulling away and palming her face in my hands. I used the pad of my thumb to wipe away her tears and kissed both her eyelids. "I'm right here baby," I whisper, "Let me make it better. How do I make this better?"

She took a deep breath before opening her now red eyes. "Can you.....can you find information on my ...my dad?"

I blinked in shock. Did she really just do that? Did my Chloe just opened up to me like that? Happiness surged through me and I pressed my lips against hers. "Okay. I'll have all the information I need by tomorrow," I told her softly.

Seeing as she was in no condition to go back into the court room, I took her home. She fell asleep on the ride so I put her to bed and immediately went into my office. I went into my safe and pulled out the information I had gathered on Chloe, all those months ago. There was a separate file that was sent to me pertaining to her lineage on her father's side. I never read it.

I locked my office door and pulled out the unopened file. I teared it open and gulped as I slid out the documents. I felt my whole world spin as I read the first page. How did I not notice it? My eyes glide over the picture of the dark skinned, Carlito Gravano; my cousin's right hand man.

Why? Why is this happening? Should I tell her? If I tell her then she'll need to know about my family. I wasn't ready to bring this up to her as yet. That world is dark to push onto her, especially since she's pregnant with my baby. I cannot let her know; at least not yet.

I run a frustrated hand through my hair. Our world just became a lot more complicated and will not take long for the press to catch on to us.

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