Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 119

(Dilara's

POV)

From where I stood, half-hidden behind a huge oak tree at the edge of the courthouse, I watched Ethan Crawford get eviscerated by his father.

The elder Crawford's face was a deep shade of red, veins bulging at his temples as he jabbed a finger at Ethan's chest. Ethan, for all his smugness, now looked like a scolded child. His shoulders hunched as his father berated him. It was like the weight of his failure was finally sinking in.

"This is what you've done to us, Ethan!" Mr. Crawford roared and his voice carried across the parking lot. "Millions-millions I've spent covering your damn messes. And for what? For it to all come crashing down now?" Ethan, his usual arrogance nowhere to be found, stammered. "Dad, I-"

"Don't you dare!" his father spat. "Do you have any idea what you've cost me? My reputation? My investments in the center? The board's on my back, and now this... this rape case of yours is public! Do you know how many skeletons I've buried to keep your name clean?"

I chuckled softly to myself, but it was bitter. It was almost poetic, watching Ethan's world crumble. The man who had once held so much power over me now looked so small, so insignificant. But this wasn't enough. Not yet.

This wasn't just about me-it never was. It was about every girl he'd hurt, every life he'd shattered. For years, I'd thought I was alone in my pain as I carried the consequences of his actions in silence. But I wasn't alone. And I wasn't silent anymore.

I glanced down at my phone as the notifications from the Facebook group lit up the screen.

*"Thank you for starting this, Dilara."*

*"I've waited so long to tell my story."*

*"We'll fight him together."*

The messages poured in, one after the other. Survivors, women who had been silenced for years, were finally finding their voices.

I had started the group two weeks ago, shortly after publicizing the extent of Ethan's crimes. At first, it was just a handful of us-women I'd tracked down through rumors and networking. But word spread quickly, and now there were dozens. Maybe even hundreds soon.

I tapped into the chat.

*"Ladies, it's time."*

The responses came in immediately.

*"Let's do this."*

*"He won't get away with it."*

*"For the ones who can't fight back."*

My chest tightened as I read the words; anger and hope swelled in me.

This wasn't just about taking Ethan down. It was about sending a message to him, to his father, to every man who thought they could use their power and money to destroy lives.

I turned my gaze back to Ethan. His father had stormed off and left him alone in the parking lot, his head in his hands.

going to make sure you hit

pocketed my phone and walked away in light and purposeful

only

...

(Hande's POV)

with excited chatter and the faint noise of a printer in the background. Eddie and I were sitting across from the travel program coordinator, who had just handed us a thick packet of forms. Eddie groaned

"Eddie, you barely know

behind his head. "That's

charm that convinced me to do this with you? You should be grateful

to maintain professionalism while she fought back a laugh. "The two of you

idea," I said and signed my name on the first form. "He'll probably lose his passport within the first

will not!" Eddie exclaimed, pretending to be offended. "I'll have it securely in my-"

laughing, shaking my head.

the office, Eddie swung his arm around my shoulders. "So, Miss Future Bachelor's Degree Holder, what's the plan? You hit the

"I'll have you know, I'm going to be the best back-end developer

squinting at him playfully. "And when your

moment, then grinned.

sides hurt. Despite his goofiness, I couldn't imagine exploring the world

...

(Charlotte's POV)

the early summer breeze. Every corner seemed to echo with memories of the center-the bare hallways, the quiet whispers of my roommates, the

had passed since I'd returned to France, but it felt like an eternity. I missed them all-Hande's teasing encouragement, Angel's leadership, even Eddie's silly

for a jar of jam on the supermarket shelf. The mundane tasks of daily life were supposed to help me adjust, but

a familiar voice thick with an accent that sent a jolt through

the jar tightly as I turned around. And there he was-Bundah, standing awkwardly in the middle of the aisle, holding a

barely able

smiled nervously. "Bonjour...

laugh bubbled out of me as tears welled

set the basket down as his hands reached for mine. "I... I missed you, Charlotte.

my tears and gripped his hands tightly. "Me too. Every

breath,

I'd missed so much. "I want to marry you, Charlotte. That's why

jaw dropped, and for a moment, I

And I want to spend the rest of my

and tears as I threw my arms around his neck. "Yes! Yes,

the first time since leaving the center, I felt like

...

(Dilrah's POV)

her head was bowed, and her hands were twisting the hem of her shirt. She looked like a shadow of herself, and for a moment, I felt a little bit guilty. But it wasn't enough

said quietly, keeping my gaze fixed on the tiled

had widened with a plea. "What do you mean, you're leaving? Where