Chapter 177

Chapter 177Chapter 177 Bullet
Of all the months and days Elijah had been sitting in the courtroom for, today, he felt more nervous and
impatient than he had ever felt before.
His fingers drummed against his leg and he bit his lip nervously as he looked around the room while
they waited on the reading of the verdict.
For the most part, his nervousness was due to leaving Peach when she was now eight pregnant, and
he just wanted this entire trial to be over so he can go back to her.
“We all have sat in this courtroom for days, listening to witnesses and going through the pieces of
evidence presented by both the defense team and the prosecution. After hours of deliberation by the
jury, the verdict is in.” The judge announced, darting her gaze from Ryan and Elijah to Jewel.
A slight look of disgust passed over the judge‘s face when she locked eyes with Jewel and then
declared, “The jury has found you, Jewel Hayes guilty on all accounts and not mentally deranged… For
first–degree murder, conspiracy to commit second–degree murder, fraudulent pretenses, fraudulently
obtained money and
properties, and fraudulently used false identification and documents and all charges will stand.”
Sitting at the back with his hands stuck in a jacket pocket, Dean stared at the police officer that allowed
him to walk through the courthouse back door without searching him for weapons, and then he glared
back at Elijah.
“Mrs. Jewel Hayes, for your crimes you will be facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.” The
judge said.
Beaming in excitement, Ryan looked over at Elijah as hewhispered, “We got her! Finally, we did it!”
With a smile, Elijah patted Ryan on the back and then said, “This was all you, man… Thank you.” A
scream crawled from Madam Jewel‘s throat after hearing the Judge‘s verdict, and immediately, a
couple of officers rushed to pin her down in her chair as she tried to rush out of it.
“Elijah! You arrogant lying bastard!!” Jewel yelled, fighting against their hold on her until one of them
slapped a handcuff on her wrists. “You ruined my life! You messed up my children‘s lives!! Are you
happy now?! Are you satisfied with destroying the lives of innocent people?! What did we ever do to
you?!”
Stunned, Elijah just sat there, watching the officers take her out of the room as she fought against
them.
“Wow… What did they ever do to you?” Ryan mumbled in disbelief. “You can write an entire book from
your experience with that mad woman and her child. I bet it will make millions from sales.”
“An autobiography about just my encounters with the Hayes… Umm, it doesn‘t sound like a bad idea.”
Elijah slightly laughed.
Since Jewel was out of the room, peace rained again, and the Judge later left the courtroom after the
jury had gone, and it was just Elijah, Matt, Ryan, Bryan, Dean, and other court staff in the room. After
Bryan had reached Elijah, he pulled him into a hug, saying, “ You did it, man… You won!”
Then he pulled away from Elijah, looked back at Dean, and asked,” Are you going to do something
about him?”
“Nah… He‘s the only one of Jewel‘s children who hasn‘t given me a reason to,” Elijah said, looking over
at Dean, and then noticed that he had stood up from his seat, approaching them.When Dean got closer, he stood still, locking eyes with Elijah, and
then he suddenly pulled out a gun, aimed it at the left side of Elijah‘s chest, and fired. The impact from
the bullet hitting him made Elijah drop back, and Dean was going in for a second shot when Matt
jumped him, tackling him to the floor, and then elbowed him in the face before snatching the gun from
his hand. “Elijah!” Bryan shouted.
When the door opened, Peach looked away from her mother and smiled at Doctor Harry entering the
room with a couple of nurses, although she was scared.
“Are you ready to head to the maternity unit, Mrs. Maxwell?” Doctor Harry asked.
Confused by his words, Miss Grace glared slightly at him and then at her daughter, asking, “Peach,
what‘s going on? You didn‘t tell me that you had a medical procedure today.”
Tears immediately blurred her vision as Peach stared at her mother and then cried, “I am sorry,
mama… Sorry that I didn‘t tell you sooner. But Little Munchkin is coming into the world today.”
“Peach… Why would you… Elijah, he isn‘t here… does he know that…” Miss Grace uttered, her eyes
watering. “He doesn’t know… I really don‘t want him to have to choose between us if something goes
wrong during the procedure.” “Peach,” “I am sorry, mama.”
Tears slowly trickled down Miss Grace‘s cheeks as she sobbed, watching her daughter get off the bed,
and then she choked back her tears when Peach whispered, “I love you, mama.”
“Don‘t worry, Mrs. Hayes. Your daughter is in great hands.” Doctor Harry said. “I promise that having
her go through induced
labor is safer for her and the baby.”Speechless, Miss Grace‘s body shut down as she watched him say,” We are going to get her prep.
Don‘t worry… Our best staff will be in the room with her.”
Knowing they weren‘t going to get a word from Miss Grace, a moment later, Dr. Harry looked at Peach
and said, “Let‘s go.”
With one last sad look at her mother, Peach walked out of the room with Dr. Harry and the nurses.
It took Miss Grace a couple of seconds to come to terms with what she just found out, and when she
did, she snapped herself out of her head and grabbed her phone, dialing Mrs. Maxwell‘s number.
When her phone started ringing, Lisa looked over at her husband seated on the other couch, and then
she answered the call, “Grace
“Peach is about to have the baby!” Miss Grace cried into the phone.
“Peach is about to give birth?!”
“Yes! She kept it a secret. I don‘t know much about it. But she is about to have the baby through
induced labor.”
“Romney and I are on our way.”
After dropping the line, Lisa looked at her husband with teary eyes and shouted, “Call Elijah. Peach is
having the baby today!!” Not even questioning his wife, Mr. Maxwell picked up his phone and quickly
dialed his son‘s number. Staring at Bryan Elijah laughed as he continued to stare in bewilderment at
the bulletproof vest under Elijah‘s coat and then said, “Now, I understand why you wore a long coat and
dressed so stuck–up all through every trial. Damn, man… You are smart.” A small smile tugged at the
corner of Elijah‘s lips as he watched
the police drag Dean, who was cuffed, out of the courtroom.Then his ringtone drew his focus back to his pocket and then he took out his phone, answering, “Hello,
father.”
novelbin“Peach is having an early delivery.” Mr. Maxwell stated.
TL
Immediately, Elijah‘s face dropped, his heart rate increasing as he asked, “Peach is having our baby
today?!”
Immediately, Matt, Ryan, and Bryan eyed each other, a look of worry spread across their faces at those
words.
After waiting six hours in the maternity unit for the procedure to work, Peach finally started having
contractions, and at last, she felt a sharp nerve pain in her pelvis that made her screamed,”
Ahhhaaahhaa!”
Bashing through the hospital front door, Elijah ran down the lobby, his heart raising with every step he
took as sweat dripped onto his forehead, mumbling, “Please be okay…”
When he reached the waiting room and rushed in, he saw his parents and Miss Grace, asking
immediately, “Where is she?!”
“She‘s in the maternity unit and denied all of us the chance to see her.” Miss Grace cried.
At that moment, a nurse entered the waiting room, and then she froze when she saw Elijah, and he
blurted out, “How‘s my wife?”
“She has gone into labor.” The nurse mumbled nervously.When the delivery room door suddenly flew opened, Doctor Harry turned to protest to who ever was
entering, but then he went mute, when he saw Elijah walking into the room, wearing a hospital gown
and cap.
“Mr. Maxwell,” Dr. Harry mumbled as Elijah walked past him, approaching Peach.
A soft cry left her lips when she looked up and saw him standing over her, saying to her with a weak
smile, “How could you think about doing this alone? We are a team, remember?”
Before Peach could answer, a scream ripped from her throat, and she grabbed Elijah‘s hand, breathing
heavily while squeezing it. “I don‘t know if I can do this,” Peach cried, sweat dripping from her face, not
letting go of his hand.
“Hey, hey, hey… Look into my eyes, Peach… Focus on my eyes,” Elijah said in a pleading tone.
When she turned her head and her gaze locked with his, Elijah gave her a shaky smile and said, “Stay
with me, Peach… I am begging you to stay with me. I have fought for you. I would have die for you. I
have stayed by you through it all. It‘s your turn Peach now, okay? You got to fight to stay with me… You
want to stay with me, right?”
When she nodded, he ran his hand through her hair and whispered, “Okay… Then hold on to me…
Please don‘t give up on me. I am begging you, Peach.”
“One more big push! You are doing great. Just gave me one last push!” Doctor Harry said
encouragingly. Grabbing the sheet and holding tightly to Elijah‘s hand, Peach raised her head,
screaming as she forced herself to push through her next contraction, feeling another wave of pain.
“Again. Come on, Peach. That‘s good! Keep pushing. Good.” Elijah whispered, feeling her nails digging
into his skin as he gently caressed her hair back.Even though her body was exhausted and all she wanted to do was sleep, Peach kept pushing, gritting
her teeth as tears streamed
down her face and her muscles tensed with every push and then finally the loud cry of a baby echoed
in the room.
“It‘s a girl.” The doctor announced, lifting the baby. Both Peach and Elijalı looked at their girl and just
started chuckling through the tears, and then he kissed her forehead, whispering, “You did well. I am
proud of you.” When the shorthand on the clock struck eleven o‘clock, Peach‘s private room was
crowded with her, lying on the bed, Mrs and Mr. Maxwell on the couch, Miss Grace seated on the bed,
by her side, and Elijah standing over her. The atmosphere was filled with joy and the sound of laughter,
and then the door opened, revealing Doctor Harry and a couple of nurses rolling in a crib.
“She is all cleaned up.” One of the nurses said, smiling at Elijah and Peach.
When they stopped the crib in the corner of the room, Elijah walked over to it, and just stood there,
staring at his first heiress, feeling his heart swell with love as he met his daughter‘s gaze.
“Have you thought of a name for her yet?” Peach whispered, tearing at the sight of him staring. Without
taking his eyes off their baby, Elijah smiled and then said, “Welcome to the world, Alverta Piki Maxwell.”
“Piki? What‘s the meaning of it?” Peach whispered, sniffing softly.
Looking up from their baby, Elijah stared at Peach in her wet eyes and said, “Piki is a short and super
cute gender–neutral name that means peach in Hawaiian. I want our baby to be named after you, not
me… Because you gave me a second chance I never thought I could get again.”
Looking away from Peach, Elijah gazed at Piki as she startedmaking baby noises, and a smile tugged at the corner of Elijah‘s lips as he thought, ‘I would kill for your
mother, but for you, I would lay down my life a thousand times.”
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