bChapter /bb11 /b

bChapter /bb11 /b

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “What crap are you going on about?” he snapped.

Divorce? Not on his watch..

Brian piped up, chin high, full of attitude. “Mom, you mess bup/b, you own it. You really think acting like this fixes anythingb?/bb” /b

Maxine yanked her wrist free, her face hard as stone.

She red at them both. “You wanna know the truth? I’m so over you two. Just seeing you two makes my stomach turn.”

She turned and walked away, not giving them

a

second nce.

Maxine didn’t care what her coworkers at the firm whispered about her now. Sebastian and Kathleen? Done. Even Brian–she was through trying with

him.

She hopped in a cab, heading to the police station as the workday fizzled out.

Earlier, after finding Ivanna’s body, she’d called the cops. They’d carted the body to the morgue and were watching Ivanna’s little girl for now.

Back then, Maxine had been too pissed, dead–set on tearing into Kathleen.

Now, with her head clearer, she’d decided on the ride over: no way was she leaving Ivanna’s kid high and dry.

At the station, Maxine spotted the girl on a bench by the entrance, a female officer kneeling beside her, murmuring softly.

The officer’s face softened with relief when she saw Maxine and hustled over.

She pulled Maxine to a quiet corner. “Honestly, Ms. Hudson, I wasn’t sure you’d show,” she said, almost surprised.

Maxine frowned. “What, and leave that kid here? Not a chance.b” /b

The officer nced back at the girl, her eyes heavy with pity. “You don’t know the half of it.

“After you left, we checked Ivanna’s records. No family. Nobody.”

“So, yeah,” she said softly, “that little girl’s got no one now.”

Maxine froze, a lump choking her throat. Words wouldn’te

Guilt hit Maxine like a punch to the gut. ‘If I’d gone all in against Sebastian, kept Kathleen from touching that case, or screw it, just barged into court myself–would it have made a damn bit of difference?‘

Maxine dragged in a breathb, /bsteadying her shaky voice. “What if I adopt her?”

The cop’s jaw dropped, eyes wide.

Time crawled by, the moon glowing bright overhead. Maxine followed the police to the hospital morgue to im Ivanna’s body, then sent it bto /bba /bfuneral home for crematione morning.

Back at the station, the girl was out like a light in the duty room. Dim light spilled over the space.

The kid–tucked into the bottom bunk, wrapped in the cop’s jacket—had tear stains streaking her cheeks.

Maxine hovered in the doorwayb, /bstaring at the girl, her heart heavy with a bitter sting.

The cop eased up beside herb, /bvoice soft, “Hey, Ms. Hudson, I checked. You can adopt Jessicab, /bbut the paperwork’s ba /bbfreaking /bbmess/b. bWe /bbcan’t /bbhelp /bbmuch/bb. /b

b10:44 /bbTue/b, 17 bJun /b( G bD /b

bbut /buntil the orphanage steps in, you can look after Jessb./b”

bShe /bpaused. “You sure you’re in?”

Maxine’s gaze didn’t budge. “Damn sure.”

Her husband’s cheating ways and her son, practically someone else’s now–she had nothing left to lose. Nothing left to gain.

She’d been ready to divorce Sebastian and ditch this town. But now, Maxine had a new battle: clearing Ivanna’s name.

Taking in Jessica? That was her shot at making things right for not fighting hard enough before.