IVY • jaden walton

twenty ❥

[ real life ]
"yes sir."

3 months later

ivory stood in her bedroom, staring at her outfit in the mirror as she ran her fingers through her hair. she was genuinely nauseous. today was the day that she would be testifying against her mother.

"you ready, ivy?" javon asked, sticking his head in the room. ivory nodded in response, not wanting to talk in fear of crying.

"it's gonna be okay, we're all here for you. and when you're on the stand just look at any of us, okay?" javon reassured, now fulling walking in the room and placing a hand on her back. ivory caught him off guard by pulling him into an unexpected hug. even though they had to leave, he didn't pull away. he knew she needed the hug.

"i would like to call daughter of stephanie carter, ivory matthews to the stand." the judge announced and ivory felt impossibly more nauseous. she stood up and wiped her hands on her skirt. she slowly walked to the stand and once she sat she adjusted the microphone. you could very visibly see her shaking.

"ms matthews, we would like you to tell the court everything that ms carter has done to you." one of the reporters said. ivory hesitated but remembered what javon said. she looked into the crowd and her eyes landed on jayla. jayla sent her a reassuring nod which gave ivory the confidence to start talking.

"ever since my dad left, my mother has left me for numerous men for weeks at a time. she would leave me with basically no food and no money. since i was nine, i've had to care for not only myself but my mother as well. i made sure she ate, drank and i've always been the one to clean the house. just a couple months ago she threw a glass beer bottle at my head. the walton's have cared for me since i was 6. they've welcomed their house to me, made sure i ate, i showered and i got enough sleep. their house is the place i feel safest." ivory explained as tear fell down her cheeks. "i have the scar from the beer bottle." she added, quickly pulling her hair back to show the scar.

"miss matthews, it is to my knowledge that dj and jessica walton have filed the papers to adopt you, is that correct." the judge asked.

"yes sir." she confirmed.

"give me the papers." the judge demanded, grabbing his pen to sign the adoption papers.

"mr and mrs. walton?" the judge waved his finger causing dj and jessica to stand up. they both signed the papers.

"miss matthews, mr. and mrs walton are officially your legal guardians. and as for you, miss carter. you will be sentenced to five years in federal prison. case closed." the judge smacked the gavel against the desk, closed his folder and stood up. ivory gasped, her eyes full of tears. she ran off the stand and into jess and dj's arms, their eyes full of tears as well.

the four kids joined in the hug, happy to officially be able to call ivory family.

when they got back home ivory and jaden went upstairs to his room. when the door shut, ivory immediately rushed to jaden. they wrapped their arms around each other and just stood there in silence for a moment.

"thank you for everything." ivory said quietly.

"you know we'd do anything for you ivy." jaden told her.

"i know but you guys mean so much to me. you mean so much to me." she smiled, looking up at him. jaden kissed her causing the both of them to blush.

"you have no idea how much you've changed my life j, i love you so so much." ivory said, looking up at him.

"i love you more ivy." jaden said, pulling her back into him.

THE END!

☹︎

KAY SPEAKS

thank you so so much for reading this book!! i have lost motivation to write in this so i just wanted to finish it but more books are coming out!

this was one of the first books i've ever written and it will forever have a special place in my heart.

i love you so much 🩷