I raise a brow.
“I’ll kill him if he doesn’t forgive you for this. I’ll never forgive him. That will show him!”
I laugh, loud and hard, clutching at my stomach. His words are so juvenile and so much like a younger brother that my chortle soon turns into a sob.
To have that kind of love.
Parker doesn’t hesitate to come wrap me in a hug. He smells a bit like Owen, and it only makes me cry harder.
“I’m so tired, Parker. So fucking tired.” I sob into his chest.
He strokes my hair gently. “I know you are. It’s almost over.”
Tomorrow. It ends tomorrow.
Chapter 35
I’m surprised to find every seat in the courtroom completely full. Every single employee at Regenerative Industries and every person Owen has ever helped with his money—and his big heart—is here. Maybe I’m not so surprised, but it throws me a bit. After all, this man murdered three people, and yet everyone still came to support him.
If I ever get close enough to Owen ever again, I’m going to throttle him for not fighting harder for himself.
Parker’s gaze drops to my clenched fists, and he laughs.
I’m not mad at all the people taking up every single seat, but I’m mad at Owen for ever doubting himself and the love that these people have for him.
“He’ll see it,” Parker whispers in my ear, giving me a big enough smile to flash that dimple of his.
“He better,” I mumble as a familiar face steps in front of us.
“Charlotte!” I shout, instinctively pulling her into a rough hug.
She chuckles into my hair, embracing me back.
“You’re here!” I squeal a little too enthusiastically. I didn’t think the head of the school, or any of the other people involved in Owen’s charities, would show up.
She smiles widely. “Of course I’m here.” She looks at Owen’s brother and back to me. “Parker told us everything, and there’s never been amoment when any of us doubted Mr. Mills and what he was trying to do. It doesn’t matter the outcome of this trial. We will be here to support him.”
I smile back at her, squeezing her one more time before she finds a seat amongst all the volunteers and workers from the charities set up by Regenerative Industries.
Even more people flood into the courtroom. Someone nudges my shoulder, and I turn to find Declan smiling. “Seems I need to meet this man properly.”
I snort. “Did you ever doubt my choices?”
“Well, yes.” There’s humor behind his words.
I scoff, shoving his arm.
“What can I say? On paper, the man is a murderer. How could I condone that relationship?”
“He has a fair point,” Parker chimes in next to me.
Noell snorts but refrains from comment.
“You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Dec,” I say. “Haven’t you learned that by now, simply from being around me for the last ten years?”
Noah laughs behind us, and I shoot him a quick wink before returning my attention to Declan.
“Fair point,” he replies.
