The Breakup Read Online Free PDF

induced her to re-enter her son’s room at that moment. He was being hateful. She understood that he was in pain and angry at what happened to him. But after she saw the pictures of darling Aja that morning on television, she felt conflicted in her heart. Of course she loved her son, of course, but… She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned against the wall in the hospital corridor. Only a monster could have done that to an innocent woman, especially one as sweet as Aja. After all, she had given Mrs. Aldridge a wonderful Christmas present last year, and it was one she’d picked out herself. Never had one of Stephen’s girlfriends done something so thoughtful before. She really was a sweet girl, and those bruises…
     

     
    Stephen’s lawyer arrived full of determination that he wouldn’t show how much he despised his client. He nearly lost the battle the moment he entered the room and Stephen started berating him for taking so long. He had arrived nearly twenty minutes after hanging up the phone. In downtown Vancouver that was a bloody miracle, but you’d never see Stephen Aldridge give someone credit for doing a better job than expected.
     
    “Bob, you’re finally here. Do your other clients put up with such pathetic response times?”
     
    Bob Henderson gritted his teeth. He forced a smile onto his stiff lips. “I got here in record time, man.” Then not giving Stephen time to counter his comment, he said, “Now, why don’t you start by telling me exactly what happened.”
     
    Stephen settled back with a low moan, making full use of his pain now that he had an audience. “That bitch nearly castrated me. She’s damn lucky she didn’t complete the job.”
     
    Bob wrote, ‘Why the hell couldn’t she have completed the job?’ in his notebook while nodding with what he hoped was a suitably sympathetic face.
     
    “Okay,” Bob said. “Now, can you elaborate a little? Why did she cut you? She and her father were on the news this morning and she stated that you tried to rape her.” Bob didn’t mention the bruises. That would come later. He could see Stephen getting ready to explode again with just the mention of his former girlfriend.
     
    “She asked for it, Bob. You don’t know how provoking that little…”
     
    “Please, Stephen, could we just keep to the facts. I need to prepare a legitimate case here. For God’s sake, I can’t just stand in the courtroom and tell the judge that she should be made to pay because she’s ‘provoking’.” Bob tried to calm down, determined not to let Stephen get him worked up again. His doctor told him at his last visit that his blood pressure was too high. Bob could have told him the exact reason why, but that reason had made him a very rich man and he wasn’t one to let go of a golden goose, no matter how infuriating.
     
    For the next two hours Bob made notes while Stephen ranted and directed his lawyer on how to win the case. Many of his notes started with, ‘She should have cut his tongue out,’ and similar invectives.
     
    Stephen finally wore himself down, though he would die before admitting it. He’d had enough painkillers to knock out a horse, yet he was still wide awake and fired up. Bob was beginning to doubt his sanity in staying with a client like Stephen when there was a knock at the door.
     
    Bob saw Stephen’s face turn white as three large men elbowed their way into the room. The lawyer saw his chance and bolted into the hall with Stephen cursing him for his cowardice. The shortest one, with curly black hair, winked at Bob and then shut the door in his face.
     
    Bob smiled and leaned up against the door. He had a good idea who these three men were and he was happy to make sure they weren’t interrupted. He just hoped they didn’t go too far and kill him. Bob didn’t want to be charged as an accessory.
     
    There were muffled thumps and yelps inside the room and Bob couldn’t help smiling at a passing nurse. She was a little startled