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THE TWELVETH
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2024-03-06 20:09:52Related chapters
Thirty Days THE THIRTEENTH
The sun has barely made it above the horizon when I finally drag myself out of bed. I spent hours tossing and turning, Genevieve’s words playing over and over in my mind until I wanted to weep. Maybe it is my hormones, or maybe the pain in her words just permeated my subconscious, but I can’t help but empathise with the woman who tried to do the right thing on multiple occasions yet still carries the guilt of others on her shoulders. I pad through to the kitchen, my movements sluggish with the lack of sleep. Pulling the carton of milk from the fridge I pour some into a mug before heating it up in the microwave. A couple of spoonfuls of cocoa and a sprinkle of sugar and I have my ultimate go-to comfort drink. A dash of cinnamon gives it a final twist and I take a sip, letting out a sigh before I curl up on the sofa trying to shrug off my unease. It also doesn’t help that today Taylor is giving evidence at Hannah’s trial, something that was weighing on my mind throughout the night. He
Last Updated : 2024-03-07Thirty Days THE THIRTEENTH pt2
The view across the rooftop towards St. Paul’s Cathedral is stunning as the sun begins to set. I am sat in a restaurant called Madison which is at eye level with the building’s iconic dome and, if I turn my head, I also catch glimpses of the London Eye and The Shard, one of London’s newest landmarks. I find myself appreciating the blend of old and new as I glance at the horizon; it shouldn’t work, but actually, it does and for the umpteenth time I find myself grateful to be able to experience such a unique city. Less than five minutes walk away you can find the remains of the old Roman wall that once surrounded the original city right next to the Barbican, one of London’s many cultural icons. Wherever you turn ancient nestles with modern making this city, in my opinion, one of the greatest in the world. My original plan had been to surprise Taylor by picking him up outside of the Old Bailey, but things were running late at the Central Criminal Court so Henry promised to get him deliv
Last Updated : 2024-03-07Thirty Days THE THIRTEENTH pt3
I paste on a sultry look as I stalk towards Taylor, who is sitting in a high back chair, checking out his phone. He glances up and I find myself smirking as he does a double-take. “Why Mrs Hudson, you look good enough to eat,” Taylor says. “That was kind of the idea, Mr Hudson,” I respond in a seductive tone as I come to stand in front of the chair and sink to my knees. As I reach forward to untuck the light blue shirt from his pants, I hear Taylor’s sharp intake of breath. I slide a cool hand underneath his shirt, running my fingers across the muscles rippling beneath my touch. “Fuck me,” Taylor groans as I run a finger under the waistband of his pants. “Oh, I will, Taylor. You can be sure of that.” I say, my tone low and earnest. I get to my feet and position myself between Taylor’s spread legs, He reaches forward and grabs onto my hips before burying his face in the swell of my breasts. His fingers squeeze my nipples and he lays a trail of open-mouthed kisses across the delicate
Last Updated : 2024-03-07Thirty Days THE FOURTEENTH & THE FIFTEENTH
You can only ever put off reality for so long; no matter how many distractions you throw in its face, real life always has a habit of intruding. When I woke, it was to find a brooding Taylor staring at his phone like he wanted to put his fist through the wall. When he saw me watching him, he quickly slipped on a mask but I wasn’t fooled; we needed to address whatever happened in court yesterday.Friday the thirteenth…unlucky for some, horrific for Taylor. It was a day of questioning that bordered on interrogation and saw the Defence try to paint a picture where Taylor deliberately lied and fooled Hannah and encouraged Richard to play mind games with her until she was so terrified that she felt her only option to escape the Hudson madness was fake her own death. Stranger still, the Defence tried to imply that Taylor’s identification of the body under the bus, even though he only ever identified Hannah’s bag at the scene, was somehow part of an elab
Last Updated : 2024-03-08Thirty Days THE SIXTEENTH
I let out a groan. The phone call was not unexpected, but even so, the reality that I am being called to testify tomorrow is something I would have rather put off for a few more days. My day is consumed with mundane work-related tasks that fill the hours but do nothing to ease the tension in my mind. Taylor suggested staying in London tonight as we are prepping with the lawyers again first thing in the morning so my last task of the day is to pack an overnight bag.I have been debating for days what to wear to the trial. I knew nothing I had was suitable so had picked up a few dresses that I thought would be okay when I was up in London for my surprise date night with Taylor. In the end, I settle on a green, stretchy jersey dress with capped sleeves and a knot above my bump which seems business-like but is still comfortable enough to wear for a full day in court. I add a pair of low nude pumps to my bag and a light cardigan just in case I get chilly. I feel like I am gett
Last Updated : 2024-03-08Thirty Days THE SEVENTEENTH
Oh. My. God. Oh, my god. This is actually happening. I am physically shaking as I walk through the impressive entrance to The Old Bailey, otherwise known as the Central Criminal Court. I couldn’t help but stand outside in awe for a few moments taking in Lady Justice and her scales as the carving with the words over the entrance ‘Defend the children of the poor & punish the wrongdoer’ resonated in my mind. This iconic building has been immortalised in film and TV making it seem familiar even though I have never stepped foot in here before.The building’s dome makes me think of St Paul’s Cathedral, which is only a short walk away but when I step through the entrance, the reverent quiet I am expecting is absent. Instead, people in wigs and gowns hurry through the groups of people milling around. I can see a couple of journalists and I duck my head down, hoping to avoid being seen. Emelia, who is leading the Prosecution’s case, qu
Last Updated : 2024-03-09Thirty Days THE SEVENTEENTH pt2
Carbs are definitely my best friend and as I tuck into my herb ravioli, I feel like I am picking up the pieces of myself. I find that I am humming Incubus’ Make Yourself under my breath and it seems entirely apt for this moment. Mum and Dad are hovering around me, treating me like I am ready to break down again at any time but truthfully my tears have been cathartic as I was finally able to let go of the tension that had been consuming me.By the time, Taylor arrives I feel slightly more normal. I am still unsettled by the questions that the press flung at me; the lawyers had told me to be prepared for them but still, hearing them yelled at me in that way was unnerving.I hate the fact that they have been digging into my life, that tomorrow morning my story will be splashed across the front pages of the various tabloids. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, after all my entire relationship with Taylor has been highly publicised online, but mostly I have
Last Updated : 2024-03-09Thirty Days THE EIGHTEENTH
Why is it that no matter how hard I try to keep moving forward, something keeps holding me back? This thought twists around my mind on a continuous loop, much like an infinity symbol. I am supposed to be meeting Dr Grohl today but for the first time ever I have decided to blow it off. Maybe it is the constant nausea I woke up with, or the headache that is threatening to crush my skull, but all I know is that I cannot face questions about what makes me happy today.I know I should be happy…I have finally given my evidence, though I was warned I might get called back for cross-examination, so really now all I need to start worrying about is the impending arrival of Bean. Yet, at the back of my mind, a shadowy figure still looms. Richard. No one was more surprised than me when he appeared on the Defence’s list of witnesses, but it seems that he will be giving evidence tomorrow, something that is filling us all with dread. Richard is unpredictable at the best of
Last Updated : 2024-03-10
Latest chapter
Thirty Days THE FIRST pt2
The lobby seems dark in contrast to the bright sunlight outside so it takes a couple of moments for my eyes to adjust and seek out Nicola. “There she is,” I say, tugging Taylor’s hand towards the corner of the room where I see her standing with Genevieve. I am startled by the look of absolute desolation in Genevieve’s eyes. Even when we visited her a couple of days ago, she looked tired, like she had aged ten years, but she still seemed like she was holding it together. Today, though, she appears like she is coming undone. Genevieve’s eyes are rimmed with red and her typically regal posture is stooped as if she is carrying the weight of her grief on her shoulders. Stix doesn’t look much better; in fact, her usual willowy frame seems to be progressing towards gaunt as opposed to merely thin.Muted words are exchanged as Taylor and I envelop them both in hugs. I try to convey my love and sympathy for them both in that small gestu
Thirty Days JUNE
“Though she be but little, she is fierce!”William Shakespeare,A Midsummer Night's DreamTHE FIRSTOut of the corner of my eye, I watch Taylor as he pulls on the sombre dark grey suit bought especially for the occasion. His expression is pinched and I know today is going to take everything he has to keep it together. Checking my own reflection in the mirror, I smooth the dark fabric over my protruding belly, satisfied that I look presentable before turning to Taylor and holding out his tie.Taking it with a grunt of thanks, he pulls the smooth fabric around his neck. But as he attempts to tie it, he becomes more and more frustrated with his inability to make his hands do what he wants them to do until eventually he pulls it off aggressively and dumps it on the floor in a f
Thirty Days THE THIRTIETH
We almost didn’t make it to the courtroom in time, sliding in at the last minute just as the judge was taking the bench. A series of delays which started with flat tires on both our cars, something that raised numerous suspicions that it was somehow engineered, but in the end was solved when Henry’s guys found smashed glass all over the car park from some drunken idiots who had used it as a cut-through. The next stop had been the train station but engineering works from the weekend had overrun and in the end we ended up getting a ride up to London in the surveillance van that normally is in charge of keeping us safe. The irony was not lost on me that if it all goes right today and Hannah is convicted and Richard goes to jail then we will no longer need this van or the team of people dogging our every move.I sit rigidly next to Taylor as we wait with anticipation as the lead juror stands up to deliver the verdict. I can’t help but look across at Hannah,
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-SEVENTH - TWENTY-NINTH
I have just pulled out a tray of brownies that I have been experimenting with when my phone rings. I consider ignoring it but when I see that it is Taylor calling I quickly put the tray down and pick up my phone. Taylor was in court today for the closing arguments today, but I had decided to give it a miss; I just couldn’t face hearing any more lies about me and having to run the gauntlet with the press whose numbers seemed to have increased exponentially over the last few days.“Abs,” Taylor says before I even have a chance to say hello. “Abs, they have finished up their closing arguments.”“Who?” I ask quickly trying to figure out if I should be worried or not.“Both sides,” Taylor replies sounding slightly exasperated at my confusion.“Wow, that was quick. I thought it would go on for a while. At least until late this evening,” I reply.“We thought
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-SIXTH pt2
My mum appears at the top of the stairs and looks down at me, “Oh for heaven’s sake, Abby. Stop yelling. This is your surprise,” she says sweeping her hand across to the girl standing quietly in the doorframe. “This is Victoria. She always comes away with us when we do our shoots abroad; she is the only one I trust with my skin and you know how I am about that,” Mum says giving me a look. “Plus she gives the most incredible massages so I told her about you and thought that she could give you a bit of a pampering session today.”I love my mother to bits and her gesture is so incredibly kind, but I rather wish she would have given me a little bit of warning so I could have actually washed my hair or shaved my legs or something so that I don’t feel like the sloth I am currently am. “That sounds lovely, Mum,” I say through slightly gritted teeth before turning to Victoria. “Come on up but please excuse th
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-SIXTH
“You look like crap, darling,” my mum says, not mincing her words as she surveys my appearance.“Thanks. I love you too,” I mumble back as I let my mum in the front door. She follows me up the stairs and I am conscious that, despite the fact that it is gone ten in the morning, I am still in my pyjamas.“Seriously, darling,” she says as I lead her towards the kitchen, “You have great big bags under your eyes and you look like you have barely slept in days.”“I was asleep by seven yesterday but then after midnight, Bean decided to start doing her acrobatics. I was up every hour to pee so I am knackered, Mum.” I let out a sigh as I pop the kettle on, pulling down some china mugs and getting out the teapot.“Have you been taking your vitamins?” Mum asks looking concerned.“Like clockwork,” I respond. “I just can’t seem to get my mind to w
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-FIFTH
“So the last time I saw you, Abby, I asked you to think about what makes you happy. I know you have had a lot going on but I wanted to see if you had any thoughts on your task.”I look at David and truthfully I want to smack him. “To be perfectly honest, David, it hasn’t exactly been high on my priority list. Seriously at this point, I would just settle for Richard and Hannah locked up very far away from me. But I know that isn’t the answer you are looking for.”“I know things are tough for you at the moment, Abby. But in a couple of weeks, all of this is going to be over, no matter what the verdict is. And you are going to be asking yourself these questions. You are always so focused on making everyone else happy that you need to start thinking about what you find fulfilling.” David sits there tapping his pen irritatingly on his notepad.I let out a sigh. “I like making people happy. It mak
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-FOURTH pt2
By the time we slip back into our seats in the courtroom, the jury is just being led back in. Taylor wraps an arm around my shoulders, a comforting gesture that makes me relax a little. I watch as Emelia makes some notes as Hannah is led back into the witness box. For the first time, Hannah looks slightly nervous but when she spots Taylor and me, her gaze turns bitter.Emelia stands up and I find my heart beginning to race, almost as if I am the one getting up to question Hannah myself. “Miss Fisher, would you agree that you have spent the entire morning telling a pack of lies to the courtroom?” Emelia asks, her tone pleasant and light as if she had just asked her whether or not she had enjoyed her lunch.“Absolutely not,” Hannah replies, her tone aggressive. I watch as the tension radiates off her body, her unease written all over her face.Emelia begins by going over Hannah’s testimony that stated that she had no knowl
Thirty Days THE TWENTY-FOURTH
Today is the day; Hannah is going to be on the witness stand. My stomach churns every time I think of it. Taylor tried to dissuade me from attending, but I put my foot down this time. I need to look Hannah in the eye when she gets up and lies in court.I was so nervous the first time I walked into the courtroom to testify that I hadn’t taken much notice of my surroundings. But as I find my seat behind the large bench of barristers and solicitors for the Prosecution I take a good look around me. A large coat of arms sits above the judge’s chair which along with the dark wooden panelling gives the room an austere feel. We are still waiting for the judge to arrive, but I guess that it won’t be long as I see the far door open and the jurors are led in.It all feels a little surreal, like I am watching an episode of Law & Order: UK, as the judge enters and then finally Hannah is brought to the witness stand. I watch as she stands and makes her
