Chapter 14 - The Aftermath of Truth
Blue and red lights strobed across the front lawn of the Willow Creek estate. The local police had arrived in force. Thomas was dragged out of the house in handcuffs, his face bruised and his arrogant demeanor completely shattered.
Inside the house, the silence was deafening. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving behind a heavy, suffocating blanket of trauma.
Elise sat in the kitchen, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. A paramedic had checked her over, confirming she was uninjured physically, but her eyes were completely hollow.
Damien walked into the kitchen. He looked like a broken man. The righteous vengeance that had fueled him for the past forty-eight hours had evaporated, leaving behind nothing but immense, crushing guilt.
He slowly sank to his knees in front of Elise’s chair.
"Elise," Damien whispered, his voice cracking. He reached out to touch her hand, but she flinched, pulling it away. The small movement felt like a knife twisting in Damien's heart.
"I am so sorry," he wept, bowing his head. "I was blinded by grief. I thought... I thought I was avenging my sister. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you."
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Elise looked down at the man she had promised her life to. The man who had locked her in a room, terrified her out of her mind, and treated her like a monster.
"You didn't love me, Damien," Elise said quietly, her voice devoid of emotion. "If you loved me, you would have asked me the truth. You would have given me the benefit of the doubt. Instead, you laid a trap."
