Chapter 8 - The Letter Victoria Sent
Two years later, Jonathan received a letter.
It came from the correctional facility where Victoria was serving her sentence.
He almost threw it away.
Instead, he opened it.
The letter was short.
Jonathan,
I don't expect forgiveness.
I don't deserve it.
But I want you to know something.
When I first met you, I did care about you.
Jonathan stopped reading.
He continued.
Somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with money and the life I thought I deserved. Raymond encouraged the worst parts of me. But I made my own choices.
I know that now.
Jonathan folded the letter.
He didn't excuse her.
He didn't forgive her.
Not yet.
But he no longer felt anger.
That surprised him.
He had spent years imagining revenge.
Now that justice had happened, revenge seemed pointless.
He placed the letter in a drawer.
Then he went downstairs.
Lucas and Chloe were visiting.
Chloe was sixteen now.
She had grown into a confident young woman.
She was studying medicine.
Jonathan smiled.
“Future doctor?”
She nodded.
“I want to become a heart surgeon.”
Jonathan laughed.
“Then you'd better study.”
“I am.”
Lucas walked into the room carrying groceries.
“Mr. Mercer, you know you don't have to keep feeding us.”
Jonathan smiled.
“I know.”
“You say that every time.”
“And you keep coming.”
Lucas laughed.
“Fair enough.”
That evening, they ate dinner together.
Not as employer and employee.
Not as donor and beneficiary.
As family.
Jonathan looked around the table.
He realized something.
The people who loved him now had never asked him how much money he had.
They asked how he felt.
Whether he was sleeping.
Whether he had eaten.
May you like
Whether he was happy.
That was worth more than $82 million.
