Chapter 14 - THE SISTER’S TRUTH
Claire found me in the garden the next morning.
She sat beside me on the stone bench. The one where I had found the locket.
“I should have told you everything from the start,” she said. “I should have said I was Vanessa’s sister. That I came here to watch her. To stop her. Before she hurt anyone.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I was ashamed. Because I thought if you knew… you would never trust me. Because I hoped… I hoped I could fix it myself. That I could bring Vanessa home without hurting anyone.” She looked down at her hands. “Instead… everything broke.”
“Vanessa tried to hurt me,” I said.
“I know. And I am so sorry.” Claire wiped a tear. “But she changed, Mia. When she realized Hale was going to hurt you… she chose to protect you. That was why she let him run. Not to help him. But to buy us time. To confess. To make sure we had the truth before he could silence us.”
“Will you stay?” I asked.
Claire hesitated. “Your father may want me to leave. After everything.”
“I want you to stay.”
She looked at me in surprise.
“You helped us,” I said. “You found the letter. You helped catch Hale. You protected me.”
“I am still her sister.”
“And you are also yourself.” I touched her hand. “My mother trusted your mother. Which means she would have trusted you too.”
Claire pulled me into a hug. She held me tight, as if afraid I would vanish.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Whatever happens… thank you.”
Later that day, my father spoke to Claire and Julian. He asked them to stay. To help rebuild. To help keep us safe.
Julian became the new head of security. Quiet. Watchful. Honest.
Claire stayed in the house. She helped manage the household. She watched over me. And slowly… the shadows began to recede.
May you like
But Hale was still out there. And every night before I slept… I touched my watch. And I remembered.
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