Touching the Heart of Ace

I did not understand people most of the time. I did not get why some people behave the way they do, including myself.

Yet... I knew calling the Judge stupid inside the court was... well, stupid.

The exact sentence was 'Holy crap! Are you fucking stupid or what? Look at that ring... HE GAVE IT TO HIM!'

I wanted to laugh so bad at Marshall, Janice's lawyer, who was sweating pigs.

I had been attending all of their divorce sessions.

I never knew Janice was a pathological liar. She just got a kick out of lying for no reason whatsoever. I would get it, if she wanted to get sympathy from the audience and Judge herself... but, to lie that Robbie forced her to get a plastic surgery?

That was just a shitty thing to do.

Last session Robbie's financial worth was analysed and Janice was not at all happy with the amount.

Suck it up Bitch!

He was mine; everything he had was mine; everything he owned was mine!

He had transferred quite a big chunk of his unconcealed worth in Lia's name and Lia could not access it, until she was twenty.

The court was happy with it, but Janice was not. She claimed as his wife she had the right to decide how his money was handled and distributed, but not-so-sadly she did not.

Then the rest was in several investments which was dropping the values drastically in stock markets. With an iron clad prenuptial, Janice was leaving this marriage without much.

About his real assets transferred to hidden private accounts in both his and my names... well no one knew about that.

Hence Janice pointed out the cost of my ring. It varied from 3 million to 15.5 million in various online blogs but honestly I did not care. Robbie gave it to me... no... he slipped it to me. It could never get more precious than that.

It was in no sense the only ring or jewelery he had gifted me. I had quite a large collection of expensive rings which he had bought me; or cheap rings for that matter. Coming to think about it, I even owned a fifty cents plastic ring from his 'apology pile'.

But this was special.

Since they could not trace Robbie purchasing it, there was nothing the court could do. I was a multi-millionaire. I could buy a ring for myself, couldn't I?

Janice did not see it that way and she thought it was okay to ridicule the Judge by calling her stupid.

It almost seemed like court had heard from both sides but not even close.

I signalled Simon and he looked so giddy as a toddler on sugar rush and I could almost see him jumping on his soles.

Calm down, Si.

Marshall was afraid of Simon.

Every time Simon left the court without any objection he was steadily getting nervous. But Janice and Terry- Robbie's ex lawyer- were over the moon.

Janice had quite a box full of claims on how Robbie had 'destroyed' her life.

Him showing up in several of the offices she had worked, abusing her and making scenes had made the bosses fire her; him not letting her work and earn on her own, had made her afraid of work environments; him psychologically pressuring to get plastic surgeries, claiming that would make her a better wife, had destroyed her self-esteem and beauty; him traumatizing and alienating her from parenthood, had wiped her daughter from her life... and what not.

Well, now let us blow on her house of cards, shall we?

Unsurprisingly Robbie and his lawyers could not build up or bring up enough defences in their favour but who could?

Me!

Ace Davidson Truscott in play.

I did lose some nights' sleep but if this was the reward, I wanted to do it again.

Crap!

Now I was excited and shaking in my boots too.

"Ms. Janice, you had told the court... that you were thrown out of your working environments because of Mr. Brantley making it stressful. Am I right?" Simon sounded sympathetic.

"Yes, not once or twice... I finally lost my will to work. I am still worried to go for work. The amount of money I could bring in if I could work for all these years..."

"Hmmm... You say, you were working as Assistant General Manager in all these firms."

"Yes. I could have made so much money and..."

"Yes, yes... but why does all your termination letters say that you had lied about your education qualification and they had to let you go because of you not meeting their eligibility criteria and office conduct?"

"W... what? That is not true... I was working and he came... "

"Well, this says it so."

Simon handed her the termination letters of three of the firms she had claimed to be fired from because of Robbie.

"And the other five firms have given us the statement that a person named Janice had not worked there in over like five years... So?"

How could Simon sound so sympathetic and burning at the same time?

"W... Well these are forged documents. I... I have proof... my friend who worked... there... will... will..."

"Which college did you get graduated from?"

"Wha... what?"

"You heard me. Which college? Education qualification to the post of Assistant General Manager is at least graduation with 3-point GPA minimum, unless it is by promotion with 10 years of experience under the same firm as sales manager... So... which college?"

Janice said a made up college name and I saw the Judge's eyes popping out.

Yet, Simon waited for Janice to bring up the 'correct' name of the college... which was a bit cruel.

"How did you get in the college if you dropped out of high school?"

"I am not... I passed and I... I am stressed and could not... remember... I graduated from King..."

Simon handed over the documents I had pulled up and it, in fact, stated she had not got her highschool diploma.

Then it was gorgeous, beautiful fall from there.

I was not even kidding. The way she beautifully crumbled from the cloud of her lies was so smooth and I wanted to push a replay button.

God! I did an amazing job.

I pulled up the call records of Janice threatening to hurt our unborn Lia for money. Then after pregnancy, guilt tripping Robbie for plastic surgery, stating the delivery destroyed her body. Some I could not listen to without having a panic attack.

Robbie had recorded a video of her slapping his cheek when he refused to give her money; which reinforced the call proof.

Another call record of her stating she would bring up Aunt Marie's Will about handing over Lia to foster care. I wanted to clear my Aunt's name- my other mother. Whatever her one mean bitch of a daughter did, my Aunt had nothing to do with it.

Oh I loved it. I loved it so much.

The final nail on her coffin was when I could hack into Terry's PC and bring up the original contract my stupid man had signed... and surprise surprise... a video of them talking about changing the one year to five years... which tapered off to him putting his hand between Janice's thighs. It got nasty from there.

Terry did not trust Janice that she would give him the 'promised' amount.

So he had thought a video was enough of a blackmail material.

Yeah it was, but tsk... sorry man... Wait... oops... I was not sorry...

Not one bit.

He messed with my man.

I did not know how I could sit still and not scream out in joy and excitement. The difficult part was controlling my urge to look at Janice and stick my tongue out.

Whaaat?!

She had called my man names. She had no right to.

He was mine.

Even when knowing I could get away from calling him any names I wanted to and could get him to do anything, I could not bring myself to hurt him.

was mine, yes... But he was mine to love, to protect, to cherish, to make a better home for him than yesterday,

And

what the outcome was, but I refused to celebrate. I would not let myself be happy until I could see

saw Janice slapping Terry. But unlike all the other men Janice usually dealt in her life, Terry was not at all a gentleman; he back stabbed his

universe was that an honourable

slapped her right back, if not, with

ushered me

at all until

else, you know that?" Robbie was staring at me with wonder. "From where did

ideal time to admit you were wrong and be eternally grateful

"Brat!" I giggled, looping my

"Huh?"

this earth, heaven and hell... for giving

don't talk about that ever again, remember?" I gulped down my saliva. Even after these much

better

not want to

hated to remember that incident, I hated the feeling of helplessness and... hated that it

to beat erratically and I hated

big deal? It was not like I wanted anyone else to touch me

Robbie brushed his finger on

pushed away from

taking us out. Nick, let us go home and pick my Little

before informing the cars that were

"Babe..." He tried again

You pick." I crossed my hands in front of my chest

greenery slowly took away the weight and pain in the middle

I always will... I just... just... wish

many, so many ways

and we left that

thought of that fateful day when I lost

FROM NOTHING! YOU

You are not sleeping well as it is. Let

Robert Brantley... Nobody, no fucking body made me lose my sleep like you had. You think I was

dizzy. I rubbed my temples and pushed the heavy

"You gave me nightmares."

Ace.

me feel worthless. You made me question my morals, honour, and you fucking... fucked me like a cheap whore... made me believe I was a whore... gave me anxiety... gave me so much shit that I could not look

what? Sweetheart, what are you

the victim card, now,

more disheartening to know that he understood me, he felt my pain and he

to breath properly. Yet with my fuzzy head, I somehow managed to convey the hurt in my heart; which

Do you not... feel the same? It was me... You love me and I love

tell the man who was kneeling in front

as he was? That I did not know or feel his love when he came to my hotel room that day? That the time when he kissed me and rubbed on my body, drunk out of his mind, I was seeing it as

It made no sense.

me...

him... but

when he asked if I felt the same about the night I lost my

was, I was confused about why it

moment I was aching for though I was not

my virginity. He was married and I

I

"Baby..."

the answers he clearly did not know and I

with

said with finality and climbed on him, straddling his

now? I will do whatever you ask me to do...

know. Can we just not talk about it?

"Whatever... whatever it is."

want you to let me

"I..."

Unless you are sure it would literally kill me or Lia, I want you to be

even when he did not completely

ago,

eyes suddenly and saw Robbie gently shaking me. I left

every bitter emotion

here little girl, come to

me running her tiny arms already flapping on her sides for my

girl. What

face with lots of kisses and then asked if she had fun, had the food I had placed on her high-chair only for

hours, but I did miss

quickly dressed her up for the outing. I wanted to do something to take my mind off the ugly

in our life. I had a

new friend at the bakery Simon's boyfriend owned. It was funny to watch the kids use Robbie's legs to play peek-a-boo. He did not even blink or look down before placing a hand

excellent father, though he

how he managed to spit it out the scary L word

took shallow rapid breaths and asked

"Wha?"

was confused; she had no idea why Daddy was sitting on the floor and staring at her. Her big adorable eyes looked into mine to check if

I am

to go, The Robert

mental eye

who made his employees sniffle on daily basis; but Uncle Andy said the office atmosphere had

Of course it did.

competitors to be the reason of unrest among disrespectful employees. They were just waiting for an opportunity to resign. So, I just handed them their termination letters

CR. It was not

last second they would work for us, were given an immediate raise and promotions to the

Good, yeah?

to reckon with. Some tried to ass lick their way back to his company when they did

made a 45-year-old man

was shaking to say the L word to

Lia." I prompted my Big Baby and he gulped before

off before kissing her forehead. "I love you so much, girl. Dada

done

thankfully sun has not fallen down

of his fear

is not

a

when Lia was still waiting for what Dada

Baby girl, go back to play."

"Dada." She scowled.

"Yes, Baby Angel."

"Wha?"

you. Yeah. I wanted to tell you that

She looked at me again to understand the situation but honestly this was

Lia gave out a deep huff, more mature and understanding than an army veteran, left her dad's lap, stood

a caring mama at this young age; I could

jo. Naw go wek." She patted and pecked his cheek before leaving to her

go to work?' Did she really? Angel,

back on the floor, clutching my stomach and laughed very good,

cannot believe I was scared for this reaction." He

been weeks and I

after placing treats on our table and handing me a giggling Lia to hold. Her little friend was holding onto Robbie's pants and

young man. Who might you be?" I booped his nose and chuckled when he wiped

kid; Raphael. Simon and Logan are babysitting him. Isn't that

and asserting her that he was not a baby

Aw...

a crush

away before Robbie could notice that the kid was staring at Lia with open mouth if he was not giggling at what Lia

It was cute.

eating all the goodies up, Lia was jumping

to stand still to tie her shoelaces, the little brat jumped

Lia... St... stop... Lia...

cackled and started