Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Two seconds later , his face was a storm cloud . He rushed back , voice tight . " Kathleen got jumped by the defendant . I gotta go ." " What ? " Brian's voice cracked , eyes wide with panic . " Is Kathleen okay ? Dad , let's go to the hospital ! " And just like that , Kathleen stole the show . They tore out of there , leaving Maxine high and dry . The photographer blinked , totally thrown . " Uh … we still snapping this pic ? " No family photo today . No family , period . A sharp ache twisted in Maxine's chest , like vines choking her heart . She shot the photographer a brittle smile . " Just take it . " One snap , and she bailed from Six Flags . She swung by the bank , swapped some cash , and tied up loose ends . Back home , she started packing . Time to hit the road . Later , scrolling her phone , she caught Kathleen's post : hospital gown , sandwiched between Sebastian and Brian , all cozy . Picture - perfect family . Maxine's lips twitched . She hit " like " and scrolled on . Sebastian and Brian dragged in near ten . After tucking Brian in , Sebastian found Maxine propped up in bed , nose in a book . He rubbed his neck , all sheepish. " Sorry , today was a mess . We'll hit Six Flags next time , promise . " Maxine didn't look up , voice flat as day - old soda . " Sure thing . " She wasn't pitching a fit , but her chill vibe made Sebastian antsy . His eyes landed on the bedside calendar , the 25th circled in red . " What's the deal with the 25th ? " Maxine paused , then shrugged it off . " Business trip . " " A trip ? " His brows knit , suspicious . " You never said anything . What's the case ? " She slammed her book shut , a smirk dripping with shade . " Why ? Wanna toss this one to Kathleen too ? " Sebastian's face turned to stone . He clenched his jaw , voice sharp as a blade . " You're ticked I gave Kathleen that assault case ? " Maxine let out a dry , bitter chuckle . Ticked ? That was putting it mildly . She was this close to smacking Sebastian silly . All these years married , she'd figured he was just wired cold , not the warm - and - fuzzy type . Now it hit her like a ton of bricks - he didn't love her . Never had . Drained , she squeezed her eyes shut , exhaustion written all over her . " Sebastian , you knew that case was my whole world . That slime who hurt that girl ? He's loaded , connected . Dumping the files on Kathleen out of the blue ? You know how bad this could blow up ? How many holes that creep could slip through ? " 1/2 Chapter 8 Sebastian would move heaven and earth for his precious Kathleen - Maxine was past giving a damn . But she wasn't about to let that girl's shot at justice get trashed by someone else's fumble . " If you know the defendant's got that kind of pull , you'd better play it cool , " Sebastian said , his stare icy . " Not go acting all reckless . " Maxine's laugh was sharp enough to cut glass . " Reckless ? Yeah , that's me to a T. " She slapped her book onto the nightstand with a loud thwack , stormed out of bed , and yanked the bedroom door open . " So , Mr. Mason . " she said . " How about you get a clue ? Go crash in the study . I've already filed for divorcé , and whether you're cool with it or not , you're gonna respect my space . I'm not sharing a bed with a guy who's about to be my ex . " Sebastian didn't say a word , but as he strode out , his face was a thundercloud ready to burst . It was the first time Maxine had seen him let his guard down like that . Back when she still cared , she'd have spent days picking apart what was eating him . Now ? She was over it . Sliding back into bed , Maxine set her alarm and tried to catch some shut - eye . Three days from now was the first hearing for the assault case . She couldn't plead the plaintiff's case , but she'd be in that courtroom , watching like a hawk . If there was even a sliver of a chance for a win , Maxine was holding on tight . As she drifted off , she clung to a faint scrap of hope . The case had rock - solid evidence - witnesses , the works . The only curveball was that hotshot defendant . ' But come on , could he really stand up in court and weasel out of all that proof ? ' she mused . With that thin thread of comfort , Maxine sank into a heavy sleep .