I Would Kill For You

40. Courage, Dear Heart

❝ some rise by sin, some fall by virtue. ❞

william shakespeare

__________

"Miss Ingold, please stand up."

My legs were trembling as I obliged. I clasped my hands in front of myself, glacial chills turning my blood to ice. It wasn't cold in the courtroom, but that didn't keep me from quivering. My lawyer wrapped her warm fingers around my wrist for support.

"Having regard to the totality of this evidence, the unanimous decision of this court is the following: On count one, in the case of Rosabel Ingold against Her Majesty The Queen, the defendant is found not guilty and acquitted of the charges, on the grounds of self-defense."

I almost passed out because of the tide of emotions that immersed me. 

"Thank God." I heard my mother whisper and saw her hugging my dad from the corner of my eye.

 My lawyer gave me an encouraging smile and squeezed my wrist.

"On count two, the killing of Joseph Belfort, the murderer of Monica Anderson and Gabrielle Colton, is ruled a justifiable homicide. The jury is thanked and excused. The court is adjourned."

I closed my eyes and hid my face in my palms, overwhelmed by relief and happiness. Two strong arms wrapped around me, and I giggled nervously, his familiar scent flooding my senses. He lifted me up in the air as if I were a feather and spun me around, right in the centre of the room, without caring about the fact that we had an audience. He placed me on the floor a second later and kissed me instantly, without even giving me a chance to properly look at him. I smiled against his lips and kissed him back. I drew back slightly and swept some rebel strands of hair from his eyes lovingly.

"We did it."

"I never doubted that for one second, love."

Everywhere I turned I saw genuinely happy and benevolent faces. Even detective Carter approached me and apologized for the emotional distress that the police had put me through. I ran into my parents' arms excitedly, akin to a little girl. I held onto that feeling: it was so good to feel protected, to feel such elation, without having a worry in the world. 

"I love you all so much." I blurted out, as my mom wiped some happy tears from her face.

Damian gave me an adorable crooked smile, while my parents exchanged a slightly awkward look. It must have been a little weird for them to hear their daughter confess her love towards them and her boyfriend so openly.

 Her boyfriend. I still couldn't believe that Damian was my boyfriend at times. And to think that it all started with a dare to slap him.

"Too soon?" I asked them apologetically, scrunching up my nose.

"Well--" my mom started, but my father's laugh interrupted her.

"Not at all, Rosie." he assured me.

"We love you more." Damian replied, making me all fuzzy and warm on the inside. 

The radiant smile on my parents' faces suddenly faltered as they looked over my shoulder. Damian reached for my hand instantly and pulled me to him. 

I soon understood why: his mother was standing in front of us, her cheeks slightly puffed and smeared with mascara. She straightened her lilac dress with her palms and inhaled deeply. She looked older; her brown eyes were glinting with something I couldn't decipher. I prepared myself for hurtful words and lethal looks, but to our astonishment, she extended her hands towards me defeatedly with a kind smile.