Maybe not such a strong marriage

[Clayton POV]

Since Joshua saw me matching Ellen's ward he was changed into another hospital. Apparently, I would have done some stupid thing if he hadn't been moved.

And I wished I had done that stupid thing, because now the same Joshua is telling me and my wife that the monster that put her through hell might get off with just a slap on the wrist.

"Okay, Leah is resting, tell me you have a plan to counter this," Joshua doesn't reply, I know it is because his hands are tied.

"I am sorry man, we might not have a way out of this," Joshua says.

"But we will try our best he is locked up okay, we can apply for the appeal to his sentencing after that," Evelyn says, "I spoke to your uncle about this, and he will try and get his other friends who are in the industry to help out."

This seems like it doesn't want to end, nor does it want to end well for us, whatever lucky star that fool was born under must be destroyed.

"But we were able to get Mrs. Mule off obstruction of justice charges, though she got community service, it was worth it," Evelyn said, "and the Mule company just went under after the share price started falling since this scandal started."

But it didn't feel like a win at all, it felt more like a loss to me, "they are still free and happy." I muttered.

"No, they had to sell the house to get her out on bail last week and the state seized all the other properties Ellen Mule owned," Joshua says, "they probably swimming in poverty now."

"You think that is enough, my wife has scars all over her body, she flinches in fear every time she is surprised, my daughter cries when she hears louds sounds or yelling, and you think all you told me is enough to compensate for that?"

"No, I am sorry, we failed you," Evelyn said, "we will continue to fight for the deserved justice."

I had to pay that fool Mimi Dawson to stop spewing nonsense about my wife, now I have to pay that foolish judge for the justice that is deserved.

Joshua and Evelyn tried their best to get us ready for the trial and stop me from doing something stupid.

But it was not enough, my wife still locked herself in the bathroom for hours before the hearing, and I was so close to doing said stupid thing when I saw the fool at the court.

"Seems he is fully recovered, what a shame," I muttered, he could stand and though he was bandaged, he looked really healthy.

"Let… let us go to our side of the stand," Leah says, she was shaking in fear, she has been trembling since we got here. We had left Zoey at home with grandmother and only Cyan and Conan came with her other friends Aaron and his sister were also in the court when we arrived.

Before the trial started Ellen had looked at our side and gave this disgusting smile, I wanted to jump at his side and crush his skull yet again. I hated this, him having to just look her way and she would crumble in fear.

The whole thing was awful, even with the clear evidence of how of a monster this man was, it was clear that judge was against our side.

Especially when he smirked before dismissing an important point Joshua raised in court. I don't know what was more infuriating, the judge or Ellen being smug the whole duration of the hearing.

"Are you okay?" I asked my poor wife, who had been sitting frozen in our car, which was sure a scary experience for her.

"I will be okay," she said softly, I moved from my seat to give her a hug, "it doesn't seem that the judge care for these sorts of cases."

"He will pay for it okay," I mutter, it is not the first time that I had to get rid of a monster myself, I don't mind doing it again.

"Don't do anything stupid Clayton, Zoey needs her father," she says sweetly.

After calming her down for a bit, we were able to drive away from the courthouse, we are to go to the next hearing the next day, but I don't think my wife is ready for it.

I hate it more that she threw up the moment we reached home. This is becoming a bigger problem than it already is.

"So, what is the way forward? You saw that psycho smiling like a fool," I asked Joshua.

"I don't know man; I emailed the state about Judge Naidoo's unfair conduct, but it seems he already have something planned with them." So much for the best lawyer in the country, stupid fool.

"I got it," just then Evelyn came in.

"What? Share it with us," I asked sarcastically.

"Well, psychiatric arrest," Evelyn says, what, what does him going to a psychiatric ward have to do with justice.

"Oh… yeah, so we fool his lawyer into proving he is mental then have him get sentenced to stay in a psychiatric ward and based on how crazy he is he will never leave because he could never be better," Joshua says, I roll my eyes, they have run out of ideas, and they are starting to sound crazy themselves.

"You know what, just do whatever you think would work, I am going to my wife," I say leaving the two husband and wife.

I had checked on Leah who was now playing with Zoey upstairs before making her food. She sounded very distant, and deflated, I had thought it was because of the case and tried my best to reassure her.

The next day Joshua and Evelyn started with their trick, and it worked, they ordered a mental health evaluation test on him for the next four days until they could come back with a verdict after that.

"That sounds better, at least he will not get a slap on the wrist," but not even that made my wife better, she still was distant.

And the drive home felt too quiet, was a rift forming between me and my wife, was it trauma?

"Wait…..." I say, before we enter the house, I needed to defuse the whatever this might be, "do you think you could want therapy?"

"Huh… what? Why? I am okay..."

"You are not though, you don't feel comfortable if any man is too close to you, you haven't slept a good night sleep in forever, I think you should. Think about it first then decide."

She nods, "are you uncomfortable around me?" I felt I needed to ask; she has been very distant.

she shakes her head, before giving me a forced kiss on the forehead before leaving the car.

I had hoped the conversation would help, but it didn't, it made us more distant, and me having to go back to work made it worse.

I had only seen my wife only when Zoey needed to attend to, not to greet her husband or making me coffee like she used to.

"Sir? Are you okay?" Cain asks.

"What?"

"You sighed so I got very worried about you," yeah, discuss my marital problems with Cain? Yeah, this might help, "Well, the thing is..." my phone rings before I could speak, saved by the bell.

"What is it Conan?" "Well, apparently Kaleah went to the hospital, and I wanted to know if there is some sort of check-up, she hasn't been talking to any of us recently and it is worrisome."

"Check-up?" it was not making sense I made sure that every medical check-up was to happen at home she wouldn't need to go to the hospital, "I don't know, I will try and call her and see what was happening."

What is happening with my wife and what she is hiding, is it the trauma making her like this? I could put a finger on it, but I hoped she would tell me what bothers her one day.