Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Had No Childhood Finally Learned What Her Real Family Had Been ProtectingAfter the arrests, I returned to Blackwood Estate.
Rosie ran toward me.
“Lennox!”
I laughed.
“Evelyn.”
She frowned.
“I like Lennox.”
“You can call me either.”
She smiled.
“Can I call you Mom?”
I froze.
Jericho looked at me.
Rosie immediately said:
“Sorry.”
“No.”
I knelt.
“You can call me whatever feels right.”
She hugged me.
“I want Mom.”
I cried.
Jericho looked away.
His eyes were wet.
Our family changed.
Not overnight.
Slowly.
Rosie learned that her mother wasn't coming back.
But she had people who loved her.
Jericho learned that he could be a father without turning into Rafael.
I learned that family could be chosen.
My mother recovered.
She moved to Miami.
She visited often.
My father remained imprisoned.
His testimony helped dismantle the Circle.
Victor cooperated.
The government seized assets.
The Black Crown was dismantled.
The hospitals were restructured.
The research program was exposed.
Victims received compensation.
My name became public.
Evelyn Vale.
People discovered I had been erased.
Some called me a victim.
Some called me a survivor.
I hated both.
I was simply me.
One afternoon, I visited the old laboratory.
It was empty.
A memorial was being built.
Names of victims covered the wall.
I found my mother's name.
My father's.
Rafael's.
Gabriel's.
And mine.
I touched Gabriel's name.
A voice came behind me.
“You're alive.”
I turned.
He stood there.
Gabriel.
Older.
Scarred.
Alive.
I couldn't speak.
He smiled.
“You really don't remember me?”
I laughed through tears.
“You're impossible to forget.”
He hugged me.
“You were always stubborn.”
“You're the one who disappeared.”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
“To make your father believe you were gone.”
I cried.
“Thank you.”
He looked toward Jericho.
“I see you've got protection.”
Jericho smiled.
“She doesn't need protection.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Good answer.”
He left.
I watched him go.
Then Jericho joined me.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Happy?”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I touched the memorial.
“Because nobody gets to erase us anymore.”
May you like
He took my hand.
“Never.”
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