Chapter 10 - The Anniversary
One Year Later.
I stood on the deck of my lake house, watching the sun dip below the treeline. The water was perfectly still, reflecting the brilliant oranges and purples of the sky.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a text from my mother.
Chloe had the baby. A little boy. She’s working night shifts at a diner to make ends meet. It’s hard, but she’s trying.
I stared at the message for a long time. I didn't reply. I didn't wish her harm, but I also didn't owe her my forgiveness. Boundaries were the only thing keeping my peace intact, and I had built a fortress around my new life.
Inside the cabin, my laptop pinged with a notification. It was a new case file from Victor. A wealthy tech CEO in Silicon Valley whose wife suspected him of hiding assets.
I smiled, picking up my mug of herbal tea.
A year ago, I was standing in a crowded ballroom, listening to my sister gleefully announce her betrayal into a microphone while my husband cowered in fear. They thought they had broken me. They thought I was a stepping stone in their twisted little game.
They forgot one fundamental rule.
When you betray a detective, you don't break her. You just hand her a new case.
May you like
I took a sip of my tea, walked over to my desk, and opened the file.
The battle was over. And I had won.
