Rage Against the Latrine Ch. 20

Samantha's face grew redder. "They took the car back. I don't have it anymore. They were... you earn a fucking fortune. This isn't fair!"

Once again, the judge admonished my ex-girlfriend for her behaviour. "Do you assert that Mr Parkes did not give you these monies for the reasons he has stated?"

"No. He did. But he earns more than me."

"That is not relevant. Unless you say they are gifts. Do you have any evidence of this?"

"No. But I couldn't pay for them. What's the point of having a rich boyfriend if you can't get money out of him?"

I cleared my throat and added, "Miss Roberts used to cover these items from her salary until she submitted her resignation from her job and refused to get another. And then she could no longer manage them, so I paid her the money to meet her obligations."

The judge pondered the documentation in front of her and Samantha interrupted once more. "But... you could afford this, you bastard. I didn't want to work there anymore, and you paid them..."

"Mr Parkes, why did you pay for these items? Was there any sort of arrangement?"

I sighed. "I had to. Otherwise, she would have been in default. I said I'd help her for a couple of months until she got another job, but she never looked for other employment. She promised to repay me, and I was sceptical, but I didn't want the arguments. If she wrecked her credit record, then it could impact on me and she knew it. I work in a sensitive role in the financial sector and when they do background checks, they also look at the people I live with. She knew that, so she manipulated me to continue to pay for her."

"Yes. It sounds it," the judge concurred and studied my ex-girlfriend.

"I don't need to pay him jack because we were in a relationship. And if I do, then I want half of his house."

The magistrate rolled her eyes and looked at me. "I bought the property, she moved in with me and I paid all the mortgage payments, utility bills and council tax. Even the food. She has not given me a penny towards that house and she has no claim against my home."

The judge nodded. "OK. I uphold your counter claim in full, and Miss Roberts must pay £9,892 within twenty-eight days. Plus court fees of £495. Otherwise, you may escalate to recover the debt. I will not allow any interest on the sum and I would suggest to Mr Parkes that he choose his partners better in the future."

"But..." Samantha interrupted.

"Thank you. I have done. I got engaged at the weekend."

Samantha's face thundered. "You got engaged to that fucking slut?" She squealed. "This isn't fair."

"This hearing is over," the justice said firmly. "And you do not use language like that in my court." She shuffled her papers as my ex-girlfriend stormed from the chamber.

I messaged Natasha the news of my victory. Samantha's friend accosted me when I stepped into the corridor. "What was that, you absolute bastard? You know Sam doesn't have ten grand. And you've only known that bitch for six months. Why did you do it?"

"Then she shouldn't have tried to sue me," I calmly replied. "I wanted to move on, and she chose to drag up the past. She now has twenty-eight days to pay or agree to a payment plan with me. No, actually she can settle it with my new fiancée." I smiled at her furious expression and sauntered past my ex-girlfriend crying on the steps of the courthouse.

"Fucking Karma!" Natasha texted as I walked free of the court.

Indeed.