The Sound of Silence 2 // H.S.

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Author's Note: I don't know much about the law. 😂 I left a lot of legal lingo out of this because it's just a fanfic...who cares?  🙃 The emotions and symbolism are more important to me. I may go through and edit the series later, so that it's more polished and fluid. Until then, 🤡.

Nikki's POV
January 3, 2017
London

Jeffrey Azoff did not appear in court; he had been bailed out until the trial began. He has somehow vanished off the face of the planet like his fucking half brother. They are both facing other serious charges. My old professor, William Murphy, has apparently been laying low for the last decade. He's wanted for several accusations of rape of a minor. There's proof on tape in regards to my situation.

I guess beknownst to my own sister, the half brothers had infiltrated our family over their obsession of me. My sister thought she was the one in control of how they tried to make me infamous...tried to make me "fall from grace". Jeff didn't want me put away per say; his plan was to make me disappear but his brother, William, would finally have me. He has a sick sadistic ownership over me. It's one reason I used to not stay in one spot for long. I knew he was always lurking, too cowardly to attack me.

My self defense classes probably scared him. I know I can kick his ass if he came at me now. I'd probably kill the fucker.

Lucy didn't know any of this. She was simply jealous that I made a name for myself—the weird little girl who played guitar until her fingers bled and got beaten by her parents for existing. She wanted to take it all away from me, but in her own way she knows she went about it all wrong. We were both raised in a broken household by the same parents.

My sister also chose to save me when I tried to kill myself. Whether it was out of guilt or not, I owe her my life. I had given up. If she hadn't found me on that bathroom floor almost five years ago I wouldn't be where I am today.

Old me would be rampaging to punish her. Blind anger and impulsive reactions, much like she has felt towards me. My sister and I are more alike than I would care to admit. I look at her unhinged and guilty-eyed across the courtroom and I see myself from not so long ago...myself before I met someone who changed my entire perspective on life.

Harry.

We both decided not to press charges against Lucy. Maybe I would regret this later, but if I got my second chance, then she also deserves hers. I want her to have a chance to win back joint custody of her baby sons once she gets the proper psychological help she needs. I'm paying for it as long as she needs treatment. She lost her psychologist license and therefore, lost her job and her home since she couldn't afford it. I bought it back for her, it's completely owned and under her name. I'd be able to help with employment when the time comes.

The only way we can communicate is through my lawyers. I have to put a barrier between us for an indefinite amount of time, maybe forever. Things will never be the same.

I can't, however, forgive my mother, for hurting me, for hurting Lucy and for using my dad's illness as a way to manipulate us. She was not in the courtroom today because I requested that she not be. She has already been found guilty in a separate trial for several abuse charges, attempted murder (She was the one who purposefully pushed me down the stairs when I was 13, all caught on tape.) and it also turns out she was convicted of tax evasion. The family has or HAD money, so how greedy could she be? As a last gift from her youngest daughter, I took care of all the debts she owed and even left her some money to live her life after prison if she ever gets out. She is never allowed to see nor contact me ever again.