Chapter 14
Victoria was released after serving part of her sentence.
The notification came through the victim alert system.
My hands went cold.
David called within minutes.
“I got the notice.”
“I did too.”
“She has restrictions.”
“I know.”
“Security is updated.”
“I know.”
Neither of us hung up.
Finally, he said, “Are you afraid?”
“Yes.”
“Me too.”
That honesty helped.
Victoria moved to Arizona with her mother.
For three months, nothing happened.
Then a package arrived at the foundation.
No return address.
Inside was an orange leather handbag.
Scratched down the front.
A note lay inside.
You stole everything over a scratch.
I stared at it.
The room tilted.
Not because I believed her.
Because cruelty has a smell, and I remembered it.
David wanted to burn it.
Our attorney said no.
Evidence first.
Security traced the package.
Victoria had violated the no-contact order.
She was arrested again.
This time, there was no pretty dress.
No polished statement.
No supporters.
Just a woman who could not accept that the world no longer bent around her rage.
Leo never knew about the package.
That was our gift to him.
Children deserve protection not only from danger, but from unnecessary fear.
That night, David came to the foundation after everyone left.
I was still at my desk.
He stood in the doorway.
“You okay?”
“No.”
He nodded.
“Can I sit?”
“Yes.”
He sat across from me in silence.
For once, he did not try to fix the feeling.
After a while, I said, “I hate that she can still reach inside my head.”
“She reached mine too.”
“You?”
He looked ashamed.
“I married her. I left my son with her. Part of me still hears her saying I was too weak to raise him alone.”
I leaned back.
“You’re not weak.”
“No?”
“No. Weak men avoid truth forever. You stopped.”
He looked at me then.
Really looked.
And something between us shifted.
Not into love.
May you like
Not yet.
Into possibility.
