Chapter 8 - The Woman Who Was Once Invisible Finally Learned to Be Seen
A year passed.
The trust flourished.
My grandfather died peacefully.
Victoria became an advocate for rebuilding damaged communities.
Ethan became a devoted father.
My mother began rebuilding her relationship with me.
My father lived with the consequences of his choices.
And Adrien?
He remained Adrien.
Terrifying to enemies.
Gentle with me.
No one would believe the contrast.
He once destroyed a company after its owner threatened me.
Then came home and spent 20 minutes helping Noah build a toy train.
One night, I found him asleep beside the child.
I stood in the doorway smiling.
The feared Adrien Volkov.
Defeated by a 5-year-old and a plastic train.
He woke.
“You're staring.”
“You look ridiculous.”
He frowned.
“Why?”
“You fell asleep holding the train.”
He looked at his hand.
Noah snored beside him.
Adrien sighed.
“I have a reputation.”
I laughed.
“Not anymore.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
That was when I realized I no longer feared being seen.
The woman at the end of the table had disappeared.
May you like
Not because someone had finally chosen her.
Because she had finally chosen herself.
