Chapter 8 - The Truth He Could No Longer EscapeDaniel Price was arrested four days after the attack.
Investigators connected him to individuals suspected of arranging the collision.
The evidence suggested the attackers intended to intimidate me and obtain access to documents they believed my family possessed.
The criminal case would take time.
But Daniel's immediate threat was over.
I remained in the hospital for another two days.
Vincent visited every morning.
He never demanded to see me.
He asked my mother whether I was comfortable with him entering.
Sometimes I said yes.
Sometimes I said no.
He accepted both answers.
On my final morning, he arrived carrying a paper bag.
"Breakfast," he said.
I glanced inside.
A blueberry muffin.
A small container of fruit.
And coffee prepared exactly the way I liked it.
I looked up.
"You remembered."
He gave a sad smile.
"I asked your mother."
I laughed unexpectedly.
It was the first genuine laugh I had shared with him in months.
"At least you're learning."
He sat in the chair beside my bed.
"Claire, I've made some decisions."
I waited.
"I'm stepping away from the criminal side of the organization."
I studied him carefully.
"Vincent, that isn't something you can accomplish with one announcement."
"I know."
He nodded.
"I'm working with legal counsel. The legitimate companies will be independently audited. Anything that needs to be reported or corrected will be."
"That could cost you a great deal."
"It should."
I stared at him.
He continued.
"I've spent my whole life telling myself that power meant protecting what belonged to me."
He looked down.
"But I wasn't protecting anyone. I was controlling them."
I said nothing.
"I controlled you with money. With fear. With the assumption that you'd never leave."
His voice trembled.
"And when you finally walked away, I blamed everyone except myself."
I looked toward the window.
"Vincent, I'm glad you're making changes."
He leaned forward.
"But?"
"But you have to make them because they're right. Not because you think they'll bring me back."
He nodded.
"I know."
There was a long silence.
Then he took a folded document from his jacket.
"I signed the preliminary separation agreement Rebecca sent."
I looked at him.
"You did?"
"Yes."
"Without fighting it?"
"I asked my lawyer to review it. We negotiated the business provisions. I signed the terms we agreed on."
He placed the papers on the table.
"I won't use the companies to keep you tied to me."
My throat tightened.
For years, Vincent had tried to hold on to me by refusing to acknowledge what I needed.
Now he was finally offering something I hadn't expected.
Freedom.
"Thank you," I whispered.
He stood.
At the door, he paused.
"Claire?"
"Yes?"
"I loved you badly."
I looked at him.
He swallowed.
"I know that doesn't make sense. But it's true."
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
"It makes sense."
He nodded slowly.
"I hope someone loves you the way you deserved to be loved."
May you like
I looked down at the papers.
For the first time, I believed he meant it.
