Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH UNMASKED
Two weeks later, the snow had begun to melt, leaving behind the promise of an early spring.
Victor stood in the grand foyer of his estate, watching Leah and Noah run through the hallway. Noah’s cheeks had regained their rosy color, his laughter echoing off the high marble walls as he chased a golden retriever puppy Victor had brought home the day before.
Leah walked beside Victor, her hand in his. She no longer looked like the desperate, hollow-eyed child who had walked into the Lumière carrying her brother. She wore a bright yellow sweater, her hair clean and braided, her eyes shining with life.
"Do you think my mom will like this place?" Leah asked, looking up at him.
"I think she will love it," Victor said, squeezing her hand. "The guest house in the garden is being remodeled just for her. It has a beautiful view of the lake, and the doctors say she can move in by the end of the month."
"Victor?"
Sophia walked in from the kitchen, wearing a warm apron and carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies. "The kids need to wash their hands for lunch."
"I'll get Noah!" Leah laughed, running after her brother and the puppy.
Victor watched them go, his heart full. He turned to Sophia, who looked at him with soft, affectionate eyes.
"You did it, Victor," she said, leaning against his shoulder. "You saved them."
"We saved them," Victor corrected her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I was dead inside, Sophia. I was just waiting for my own clock to run out. If Leah hadn't walked into your restaurant that night, if she hadn't asked for those leftovers... I would have never found the truth. I would have never lived again."
"Sometimes," Sophia said softly, "the people we try to save end up saving us."
A knock on the front door interrupted them.
Victor opened it to find Naomi Wells standing on the porch, a wide, triumphant smile on her face. She held a thick legal document stamped with the seal of the federal court.
"It’s over," Naomi said, stepping inside. "Adrian Mercer just pleaded guilty to all charges, including the conspiracy that led to Eliza and Olivia's deaths. He’s going away for life, Victor. No parole. No appeals."
May you like
Victor closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath. He felt as if a heavy, iron band that had been wrapped around his chest for a year had finally snapped, allowing him to breathe fully for the first time.
"Thank you, Naomi," Victor said, his voice shaking slightly. "Thank you for everything."
