Chapter 7 - The Woman My Dead Wife Chose for Me
One year later, Jonah and Blythe were thriving.
They were still thin.
Still required regular monitoring.
But they were alive.
They argued over cereal.
They fought over television.
They complained about homework.
I had never appreciated ordinary problems more.
My estate was no longer an intimidating fortress.
The armory was gone.
Half the security walls were removed.
Part of the property became a pediatric research center funded through Genevieve's foundation.
Elena worked there.
She had completed additional medical training and became a research coordinator.
She was excellent.
But our relationship remained complicated.
I loved her.
I knew it.
She knew it.
Neither of us wanted to speak first.
Then Jonah solved the problem.
He asked Elena to help him build a treehouse.
Blythe wanted fairy lights.
I spent the afternoon watching them.
At sunset, Elena joined me on the porch.
“You're quiet.”
“I was thinking.”
“Dangerous.”
I smiled.
“I love you.”
She froze.
I continued.
“I've wanted to say it for months.”
“You're sure?”
“No.”
She laughed nervously.
“That's not the answer I hoped for.”
“I’m sure of one thing.”
“What?”
“I don't love you because Genevieve wanted me to.”
Elena looked down.
“I was afraid of that.”
“I love you because you're you.”
She looked at me.
“And because you're the first person who walked into this house without wanting anything from me.”
“That isn't entirely true.”
“What do you want?”
She smiled.
“Your terrible coffee maker.”
I laughed.
Then she kissed me.
It was quiet.
Simple.
Real.
But the story wasn't finished.
The federal court hearing reopened an old question.
Who had originally financed Mercer Biogen?
We thought the answer was Victor.
It wasn't.
The original seed funding came from a private trust created by my grandfather.
The trustee?
Genevieve's father.
I stared at the papers.
“Her family.”
Elena frowned.
“Did he know?”
“We don't know.”
We investigated.
He had not known what the money funded.
The trustees had hidden the details.
The final surviving trustee was an elderly banker named Samuel Pierce.
He admitted the truth.
My grandfather had created the trust decades ago to fund experimental medicine.
Victor had redirected the money.
That meant the Mercer family wasn't entirely responsible.
For the first time, I understood how easily good intentions could be corrupted by bad people.
The final courtroom judgment came six months later.
Victor Mercer received a life sentence.
Richard received a reduced sentence after cooperating.
The hospital employees involved were prosecuted.
Genevieve's death was officially ruled homicide.
Her name was cleared.
The city built a memorial garden outside the research center.
Her blue stone necklace was placed inside a glass display.
I had once believed the necklace belonged in a grave.
Now children played beneath the tree beside it.
Blythe planted flowers there.
Jonah hung a small wooden sign.
MOMMY'S GARDEN.
I couldn't speak when I saw it.
Elena stood beside me.
“It's beautiful.”
“Yes.”
That night, I asked her something.
“Will you marry me?”
She stared at me.
“Are you sure?”
“I've never been more sure.”
“What about Genevieve?”
“She would hate the question.”
Elena smiled.
“She would.”
I held out the ring.
It wasn't enormous.
I didn't want enormous.
I wanted meaningful.
It was a simple platinum band with the tiny blue stone from Genevieve's necklace set into the inside.
Elena started crying.
“You took the stone out?”
“No.”
“It isn't possible.”
“It was duplicated.”
She laughed through tears.
“You really are a Mercer.”
“I hope not.”
She kissed me.
“Yes.”
Behind the curtain, two tiny heads appeared.
Jonah whispered:
“She said yes.”
Blythe whispered back:
“We heard.”
I smiled.
“You two were spying?”
“Yes.”
“Your mother would be proud.”
Blythe grinned.
“Mommy said we could.”
For one moment, the house felt complete.
May you like
Not because everyone was still alive.
But because nobody was being forgotten.
