2026-06-23 23:25:10
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chapter 96
I came home that evening with nothing left inside me. Not in a bad way exactly. Just empty. The way you feel after carrying something heavy for a long distance and finally putting it down. My arms felt lighter but everything else in me felt tired in a deep way that sleep alone could not fix. I went straight to the study. I did not turn on the big light. I just sat in the chair near the window with the small lamp on and looked out at the garden. The butterfly garlands were moving slowly in the evening wind. I watched them without really watching them. My mind was somewhere else. I kept hearing Marcus's voice in my head. I had built a life. Everything I had was connected to my wife. I was not willing to pay that price. I thought about how strange it was to finally hear t
chapter 95
I came home that evening with nothing left inside me. Not in a bad way exactly. Just empty. The way you feel after carrying something heavy for a long distance and finally putting it down. My arms felt lighter but everything else in me felt tired in a deep way that sleep alone could not fix. I went straight to the study. I did not turn on the big light. I just sat in the chair near the window with the small lamp on and looked out at the garden. The butterfly garlands were moving slowly in the evening wind. I watched them without really watching them. My mind was somewhere else. I kept hearing Marcus's voice in my head. I had built a life. Everything I had was connected to my wife. I was not willing to pay that price. I thought about how strange it was to finally hear the truth from him. For so many years I had wanted him to say something honest to me. Even one sentence. And today he had said many honest things in front of strangers in a courtroom but it still did not feel like
chapter 94
The courthouse felt different on Wednesday morning.Not the building itself. The building was exactly the same. The marble corridor. The security check. The particular indoor quiet of a place doing something important.But the energy in the courtroom was different when I walked in. Like everyone in the room already understood that today was going to be the kind of day that sat differently in the memory from the other days.I found my seat.Henry on my left.Yemi on my right.She looked at me briefly when I sat down. She did not say anything. She did not need to. She just looked at me with those steady eyes of hers that always seemed to know the exact right amount to say without words and then she looked forward.That has recently been the habit she did. To always look at me like she was reassuring me. Like she was promising me to be strong and that everything would turn out well. I looked f
chapter 93
The next day, which was on a Wednesday, was going to be hectic, I already knew judging from the way I felt. After the call with Yemi, I was calm but after that, a few minutes later, the anxiety returned.Tomorrow was different. On Monday, it was the beginning, today was Dr. Chan who truly made me proud but Wednesday is very personal in a way that the other two days weren't. According to Patricia, another witness was coming up and it was Marcus. My father even though I don't regard him as one anymore. He was the one who had chosen not to stand by his wife or his son even when they needed him. He was the one who made me hate him so much. The man who should have protected my mother but chose not to.I finally slept that night but that was after 5 hours of turning and twisting on the bed. I was already having a headache when I got up. It wasn't surprising since I was thinking so much last night. When I went downstairs for some hot tea, I saw Lily at the table again. It was still ver
chapter 92
She was growing and it was the best thing I had ever watched happen.After the table was cleared she sat back down and looked at me."Are you going to call Yemi tonight?" she asked.I looked at her."Why would I do that?" I said.She blinked at me slowly."Because you always do," she said. "And because you look like you need to talk to someone and Henry has already done his talking for the day and I am going to bed soon."Henry made a small sound."You are extremely observant," I told her."I know," she said. "It is one of my best qualities."She stood up and collected her rabbit from the chair beside her.She came around the table and stood beside me.I looked at her.She reached up and put her small hand briefly on my shoulder the way an adult might do it. Just once. Like she was patting down something that had come loose.Then she said goodnight to Henry and goodnight to Mrs Park and went upstairs.I sat at the table.Henry drank his tea."She is remarkable," he said quietly."Yes,
chapter 91
Carver paused for a moment.Then he sat down.Patricia stood for a brief redirect.She asked only one question."Dr Chen," she said. "In your twenty years of medical practice before and after this case, have you ever seen the compound you identified in Sarah Blackwell's blood occurring naturally in any patient?""No," Dr Chen said. "Never.""Thank you," Patricia said. "No further questions."Dr Chen stepped down from the stand.She walked past the defence table.Victoria did not look at her.Dr Chen did not look at Victoria either.She walked to the exit and was gone.I watched her go.I thought about her sitting across from me in a dark park handing me an envelope. About the guilt she had been carrying for twenty years. About the decision she had made as a young frightened doctor that had cost my mother everything and had cost Dr Chen her peace of mind for two decades.She had come. She had told the truth. Whatever else was true about her that was also true and I had not forgotten it
