“Serena, please, can we just go inside and talk about this like adults?” Wesley pleaded as he rushed toward the porch steps. He looked at the bandage on her shoulder for half a second before shifting his gaze to the officers, clearly trying to find a way to minimize the damage.
Serena stepped back to avoid his reach, her heart hardening at the realization that he still hadn’t asked if she was okay. “Your mother threw boiling water on me, Wesley, and then she locked me out of the house I pay for while I was bleeding.”
Wesley rubbed his face with both hands, his voice dropping to a desperate whisper. “I know she went too far, and I am so sorry, but throwing us out in front of the neighbors is just unnecessary drama.”
Monica intervened before Serena had to speak again, her voice cutting through Wesley’s excuses like a razor. “Mr. Thorne, do not use the word drama when referring to a felony assault and a legal eviction process.”
Beverly grabbed Wesley’s arm, her fingers digging into his sleeve as she pointed a trembling finger at Serena. “Tell them, Wesley! Tell this woman and these people that this is your house and she has no right to treat me like a common intruder.”