Measured by Beauty.

Chapter 9 - Heart of cold.

“What the hell?!” Chad said in confusion. He held Christa’s wrist, shoved her out of his house, and shut the door in her face.

Christa was angry, but Chad didn’t know that he was setting her plan into action. Afterwards, she and Roc drove to the police station, and filed a report of abuse. To strengthen her case, she asked could she take a lie detector test to prove her innocence. She and Roc were building their case against Chad by getting lawyers also, and they were building it long enough so that they could win in court.

It took them almost 6 months. At this point, Christa’s stomach was pretty big. Neveah was growing, but she was still under Chad’s custody. They were finally ready to take him to court.

Christa arrived at the courtroom with Roc and her lawyer, and Chad was already waiting there with his lawyer. Chad’s defense, argued that he never put his hands on Neveah. They even pulled out pictures of him, Neveah, and Trisha happily together. (Which was obviously long ago.) They pulled out records of Neveah’s doctors appointments that he took her to, and the police report of them saying that he never had any drugs in his house.

Christa’s defense, was much stronger.

Christa’s lawyer had the pictures of Neveah’s bruises and marks that he put on the screen, the time and place that it was taken, phone records that indicated that she was at his house and in his area at the moment, Christa’s lie detector test that she passed, and Chad’s lie detector test that he failed, and Roc to coaborate her story.

The jury went back and debated the evidence for 2 hours, when they came out with a verdict.

“The jury would like to grant ‘Christa Landers’ legal custody of ‘Neveah Landers’.” One of the jurors read.

“Yes! My baby! My baby!” Christa cheered as she ran to Roc, and gave him a tight hug.

“What? WHAT?! That’s my daughter! Hell no man!!” Chad hollered as he began to throw papers and things around. Security grabbed him by his arms as he continued to scramble around, and they escorted him out of the room.

Christa picked Neveah up out of her seat, gave her a large kiss, and took her and Roc home. Finally after all of the fighting, all of the struggling, all of the debating, she finally won Neveah’s custody battle. Roc was planning to move back into his house, but with Neveah staying and their baby coming, he sold it for more money. They arrived at the house, and hugged each other again as Neveah walked on the side of them, and hugged their legs.

“Rabioli!” She squealed.

“Yes Neveah.” Christa smiled as she wiped her tears. “You can have as much Ravioli as you want. I’ll even warm you up some!”

“I already told Ray, Prince, and Prod!” Roc smiled as he put on his jacket. “I’m about to go celebrate at the bar with them!”

“Alright baby. Hurry back!” She cheered as she popped Neveah’s ravioli into the microwave.

Chad was at his house losing his mind. Losing some of his drug money angered him, but now that Neveah has been taken away from him, he was enraged. At this point, he was ready to kill someone, and he wanted to kill someone.

And Christa was on his radar, but he knew that Christa would be able to identify him if she made it out alive.

Later that night, Chad took some chocolate powder from Neveah’s chocolate milk jar, and smeared some onto his face. He took a napkin and smeared it in to make it look like his skin color was black or african american. He placed 3 of Neveah’s small pillows into his shirt and pants to make him look like he was bigger than usual, and placed some black gloves onto his hands to avoid fingerprints. He called Darius and asked could he use his car so that she wouldn’t freak out when she seen his, and he did. Darius also agreed to ride with him.

He took the liscence plate off, and made his way towards Christa’s house. He arrived 50 minutes later, and cocked back his semi automatic gun. He was so angry that he didn’t even cock back his gun right the first time.

“Baby.” Neveah said in her baby tone as she pointed to Christa’s large stomach.

“That’s right, Neveah. Baby!” Christa smiled as she mixed up her ravioli.

But her and Neveah, was completely unaware of who was outside of her house.

“Don’t give her no speech. Just shoot her, and bounce.” Darius said.

“I’m taking my daughter-“

“You cant take Neveah, man. You gotta leave her here.” He sighed.

“Why? That’s why i’m doing this?” Chad snarled.

“If you want to make this shooting look randomized, you cant kill her and bring Neveah to your house. You have to let Neveah stay there and act like you were a killer who don’t hurt kids.”

“Wow. I’ve never left her by herself, but I see what you’re saying.” He responded. “It’ll take me 2 seconds, man.”

Chad got out of the car, and kicked in the door. Christa was in the kitchen when she seen him, and she screamed out of fear. She didn’t even get to move, when Chad shot a large amounts of bullets into her chest and stomach, injuring her unborn child. She fell down onto the ground, and laid in her own blood, unable to move.

“Mooommmyyyy!” Neveah screamed as she kneeled down to her.

Chad wen’t over to Neveah, kneeled down and kissed her on her cheek, and left the house with Darius. Neveah wobbled to the front door and pushed it closed, then ran back to Christa, who was laying motionless on the floor.

“Mooommmyyyy. Oreoshsassh!” She mumbled in her baby talk, trying to get a response from her.

Neveah stood over Christa and mumbled random things, but Christa wasn’t answering. Neveah sat down on the ground, and laid on her large 6 month pregnant stomach, and sat there the whole time as tears flowed down her face.