Chapter 45- What Dex Did

When the judge stepped out, the room started to clear, and the guard finally let go of Felicia. She moved up to the stand and wrapped her arms around Esme.

"It's okay, honey. Just take slow, deep breaths. Focus on my voice. We're together now. And I'm so thankful for that. I'm just so sorry you had to go through all that."

Esme's breathing was still shallow, but she looked up at Felicia.

"That's it, just take nice, easy breaths," Felicia said. "I'm right here."

Maxie stepped closer to the stand. "I'm here too, Esme. I don't know if you heard me before. I'm so sorry for everything I said... I just thought you were lying and I didn't trust you, but I realized how wrong I was during your testimony."

"I'm so sorry baby that you had to relive all of that. And whatever happens during the outcome of this trial, you're going to be okay." Felicia looked at Maxie. "We will all be okay. And we'll all be there for each other, because that's what families do and you have us now, sweetie and we're not going anywhere."

"Mom's right, Esme," Maxie said. "I realize now that you weren't faking wanting to be better even when your memories returned. It's not an excuse, but I was so angry and afraid of everything I heard about your past. And I didn't want to lose my mom again because of it."

Esme finally got control of her breathing as she pulled a little away from Felicia and her eyes well with fresh tears. "I'm-I'm hurting you. I don't deserve you. Dadd—" She choked up and quivered not wanting to think of him again. "I-I was forced onto you…. I never should've existed."

Maxie frowned. "I was cruel when I told you all of those things. I didn't have a right to tell you what Ryan did to Mom. I'm sorry for that."

Felicia leaned against the stand. "Honey, no, you are not hurting me. Yes, your father hurt me but that in no way is your fault. I am so glad that you are here and I looked for so long to find you too. Please hear me when I tell you that you are NOT responsible for what Ryan did. You are my child too and I love you." She looked back at Maxie. "And I love you too and Georgie very much."

Esme looked at Maxie for a brief second and turned back to Felicia. "You don't think I'm a curse to you? Did you..." she choked up again "Did you want me? Why didn't you abort me?"

"What? No, you are not a curse too me, sweetheart. Yes, I want you, I've always wanted you. We were both victims from the minute you were conceived. Aborting you was never a consideration. My only regret is that I didn't find you sooner so you would not have had to go through what you did."

"I wanted to find you too, Mommy. And I don't want to leave you and Ace. But I know I deserve to be locked up to keep you and Ace safe from me."

"No, you do not deserve to be locked up," Felicia said. "We're going to figure this out."

Esme's eyes moved to Maxie again. "I want Maxie to leave."

"Oh, Esme," Felicia said. "Maxie is truly sorry. Let's try to unite as a family. All of us are hurting but please let's just try to unite as a family."

"She clearly doesn't want me in this family and this is MY trial. I don't want her here."

Maxie nodded. "It's okay, Mom. I understand. I'll go. But Esme, I really am sorry. And I hope things go well with the verdict."

"I'll call you later, Maxie," Felicia said.

Maxie turned and left.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Nora walked over. "You're looking a lot better, Esme. Felicia, my son Matthew has been trying to get a hold of me. I need to call him back. But for Esme's sake, you really need to go touch base with Spinelli. He messaged me saying he found more evidence."

Felicia nodded and pulled out her phone. "Spinelli's messaged me too. Thanks, Nora."

I have found more evidence that will clear Esme of at least some of the charges, the text said. I have to go pick up the kids from school. I left my laptop in the attorney's lounge. Next to it is the flash drive I put all the new footage on. Best wishes to you and Esme.

A smile spread across Felicia's face. "Esme, sweetie. Spinelli found more evidence to help you. Why don't you come with me and we can look at it together?"

"There's no point."

Felicia sighed. "Esme… we can't give up. Come on, we're in this together."

"It won't help me. Nothing will. I just want to be alone."

"I'm going to look at the evidence," Felicia said. "But I don't want you to be alone right now. Can I get Robin or Cody to sit with you? Or maybe Emma?"

Esme shook her head.

"Or just come in the room with me and you don't have to look at the evidence?" Felicia suggested. "You can play on your phone or something?"

"I need to go to the bathroom," Esme said.

"Okay, all right. We don't have a lot of time. I'll at least walk out with you. Just please be okay."

After they walked out and parted ways, Felicia texted Robin: Can you please keep an eye on Esme and make sure she's okay?

GHGHGH

"Are you okay?" Laura asked when she sat beside Kevin on a bench. "You look really pale."

Kevin ran his hands through his hair. "It's just bringing back a lot of memories I thought I had gotten past. I know we heard whisperings that Esme is faking. But she most certainly isn't. I wish it weren't true, but our mother, she…."

Laura reached for his hand. "I know, it's hard for you to talk about."

"She assaulted me and Ryan when we were children," Kevin choked up. "I just wish the curse stopped there. But I know Ryan was more than capable of doing the same thing to his own daughter. I just hope that Esme cannot only get the help but cleave to the help unlike Ryan did. And I'm just so sorry I couldn't help her."

"You did everything you could," Laura said. "But unfortunately, and this isn't your fault, you have the face of her abuser. Hopefully in time she'll be able to separate you from Ryan. But having Felicia I think is good for her. I'm hoping that Felicia's family can be a good support system for Esme and Ace and they can help her through this. And you and I will be around too if they need us."

GHGHGH

Esme kept her head low as she made her way through the crowded hallway, but stopped outside the ladies' bathroom when she saw Spencer, Trina, Josslyn, and Cameron.

"I bet you're so proud of yourself." Josslyn crossed her arms. "You've really upped your game from those fake crocodile tears you like to bring out. Are you really that desperate? You'd actually pull at your mother's heartstrings like that just so you don't have to go to prison?"

Spencer nodded. "This is exactly why you can't be trusted with Ace. You are so sick to make up a sick story like that."

Esme fought back her tears.

"But it's no surprise," Josslyn said. "You always paint yourself as the victim. Like that time you provoked my mom into grabbing you and acted like she attacked you."

"Guys, I really doubt she's making this up," Cameron spoke up. "You told me about your mom grabbing Esme. Neither of you understood how the bruises ended up on her arm because Carly didn't grab her that hard. That must've been from Ryan."

Josslyn gaped at him. "Whose side are you on?"

"I'm just being logical," Cameron said. "And it makes sense what Esme said on the stand about wanting to find her mother. She always commented on your relationship with your mom and Trina with hers. And Dex was there at Oz's motel room…."

Spencer scoffed. "You're just resentful that Joss is with Dex now. We can't just forget what Esme did to you guys and Trina. We need to think about how this is going to affect my little brother."

"Well, I believe Esme, and I don't trust Dex," Cameron said.

Spencer looked at Trina. "What about you?"

"I don't know," Trina said. "But I don't think we should be talking to her.

"Hey, Esme…." Robin walked over. "Are you okay? Why don't you come sit with us until we have to go back in?"

"I—I need to go to the bathroom…." She hurried into the bathroom and sat on the floor, crying.

GHGHGH

Felicia sat at the table in the attorney's lounge with Spinelli's laptop. Next to it sat a flash drive and a post-it note with Spinelli's printing on it.

Clip 1 – 01-23-22 – Kevin Collins' office, General Hospital

Clip 2 and 3 – 01-24-22 – The Highsider

Clip 4 – 01-26-22 – The Trading Post, Bear Mountain (Where the Corinthos cabin is located)

Felicia turned on the laptop and quickly connected the flash drive. She pulled up the first clip.

Esme walked into Kevin's office and searched his desk. She lifted his prescription pad and stared at it, before grabbing a pen. The camera zoomed in on the pad and Esme forged Kevin's signature for a prescription of tramadol. The camera zoomed out and she ripped the prescription off the pad and held it in front of her with trembling hands. Eyes welling up, she scrunched up the paper and dropped it in the waste basket. She turned and left the office.

Moments later, the closet door in Kevin's office opened and Dex stepped out. He reached inside the waste basket and unfolded the prescription before exiting the office with it.

Felicia smiled, then frowned, partly happy to find some evidence, partly angry at Dex. She clicked on the next file.

Esme was sitting at the bar at the Highsider, looking uneasy, with Oz Haggerty. She handed him some money and he handed her a phone. The camera zoomed into the background where Dex was sitting at a table, staring at them.

Felicia brought up the next clip.

Esme walked out of the Highsider and Dex grabbed her arm, pulling her aside. Esme shook her head. She pulled out the phone and dropped it into the garbage can. Dex started yelling at her and slapped her face. Esme started crying and dug through the garbage can to retrieve the burner phone.

Felicia placed a hand over her mouth. "Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry." She pulled up the final clip.

Dex walked into the Trading Post and spoke to the man at the counter. The man pulled out a map of Bear Mountain. The camera zoomed in and the man pointed to the Corinthos cabin on the map. Dex handed him some money, and the man handed him a black ski mask.

"This is it." Felicia pulled out the flash drive and slipped it in her pocket with the post-it note. "I'm coming, Esme." She rose but stopped when the door opened and Dex walked in.

GHGHGH

Esme returned to the courtroom and glanced around. The seat beside Mac was empty. She frowned and took her place next to Nora.

The judge walked in and sat down. "Would the prosecution like to give a closing statement?"

Esme turned back to look for her mom.

Mac whispered to Robin, "Where is Felicia?"

"I don't know," Robin said. "She just texted to ask if I'd keep an eye on Esme, but she didn't say where she was going."

Arden stood up. "Yes, your honor. As you all heard through the testimonies of the defendant's victims and also her confession to stalking Ms. Jerome and torching her car, it is very obvious that she is guilty for all of the charges. Miss Prince had the motive, means, and opportunity to traumatize her victims. The prosecution implores you to give due justice to her victims by declaring Miss Prince guilty and giving her a full sentence. Thank you." She sat back down.

Esme cranked her head over her shoulder again and again, but started crying because she couldn't see her mom.

"And the defense?" the judge asked.

Nora stood up and nodded. "Yes, Your Honour. I'd like to ask that you show my client leniency since this was her first offense and she's only guilty for the crimes against Miss Jerome, the rest she is innocent of. But she was under the influence of her evil father who also abused her physically, emotionally, sexually, and mentally. She is also a young mother with a young son who needs her and it would hurt him to be separated from his mother. She was also very young when she committed these crimes. And your honour, I would also like to add that she has shown good behavior since Ryan Chamberlain died and she is not a threat to society. And lastly my client, Esme Prince deserves to be given a second chance and make restitution for what she has done." Nora sat back down and lightly patted Esme on the arm.

Esme looked back again and stared at the empty spot beside Mac, thinking her mom left her.

GHGHGH

Maxie had started driving back home, but guilt kept eating at her and she couldn't stop wondering what the verdict would be for Esme. So, she drove back to the courthouse. Knowing Esme's wishes were for her not to be there, Maxie wouldn't go back in the courtroom but wait in the hallway so she could find out Esme's fate from someone afterwards.

She headed down the hallway, but halted when she heard a scream. The door to the attorney's lounge was wide open. She hurried inside to find Dex Heller standing over her mother, pushing a knife through her stomach.

Maxie screamed. "GET AWAY FROM MY MOTHER!" She grabbed a vase from the table and held it up to defend herself.

Dex gritted his teeth. He yanked the knife from Felicia's stomach, grabbed the laptop off the table, and fled the room.