Chapter 7
Brayden hit the ground, scraping his elbow,
drawing blood.
Brayden howled.
Brayden’s mom scooped him up, and
screamed at Josh:
“What are you doing?”
“You’re Brad Sterling’s brother! That loser
doesn’t deserve to disrespect you!”
“What’s wrong with teaching her a lesson?”
“Why did you hurt our son for that tramp?”
She fired off four questions in a row.
Josh ignored her, looking at me and Ashley.
He stuttered, but couldn’t speak.
Just then, a black SUV and a few police cars
pulled up.
<
My legal team’s lawyers got out of the SUV
and rushed over to me:
“Sorry, Ms. Sterling. Traffic was a nightmare.”
“We brought the police to deal with the
assault.”
Seeing the lawyers being so respectful,
Brayden’s mom sneered:
“Playing a role, as usual? Calling yourself Ms.
Sterling?”
“Who do you think you are?”
She spat on the ground.
101
The parents chimed in.
“Pulling a female CEO act?”
“Who are you kidding?”
“Calling the cops? Embarrassing yourself!”
Lignored them and faced the police “These
<
I ignored them, and faced the police. “These
people assaulted me and incited their kids to
hurt my daughter.”
“They destroyed my car and my art!”
“I’m not settling. Do your job!”
The formerly confident parents went pale.
A few doubled down, yelling.
“She’s lying! How could she afford that stuff?
It’s a scam!”
“She’s a liar!”
The crowd nodded, encouraging the parents.
The parents perked up.
The police glanced at the car and my
daughter, and said:
“Public brawls, destruction of property, and
assault? What were you thinking?”
The police took pictures and took notes.
Brayden’s mom scoffed.
“Kids fight. They don’t know their own
strength.‘
وو
“It was all fake. It didn’t cost anything!”
“I can pay for it.
“My husband’s Brad Sterling’s brother. He is
rich.”
She nudged Josh. “Honey, say something!”
Josh recoiled from her, snarling: “Shut up!”
“You are ruining me!”
Brayden’s mom staggered back, staring.
Josh walked toward me.
He got to me and kneeled.
“Ms. Sterling, I am sorry!”
