Chapter 24
The Morris family–once the pride of Golden Bay–lost everything overnight.
It started with a scandal that rocked the city. Morris Corporation’s head was arrested, accused of kidnapping, unlawful detention, and more. As investigators dug deeper, an old case from five years ago surfaced, dragging even darker secrets into the light
Bruno, the only heir, confessed to everything. He was sentenced to ten years. Another man, guilty of hiring a hitman, got three years–but since nothing actually happened, and given his injuries and unstable mind, his sentence was switched to probation. He’d spend the rest of his life in a psychiatric hospital.
Bruno accepted his fate without protest, but asked for one thing: to see Lina one last time.
Lina hesitated, tom by old memories and wounds that hadn’t quite healed. In the end, she agreed–but she didn’t go alone.
In the visitation room, thick glass separated them. Lina picked up the phone, Bruno’s voice muffled and distant. For a second, she almost didn’t believe this was real.)
How did it come to this?
“Lina”
across from
From the day he was arrested to the day he was sentenced, it felt both like a lifetime and the blink of an eye. Now, sitting a each other, they were almost strangers.⠀
Lina stayed quiet, her gaze steady, waiting for him to speak
“If I hadn’t brought you back to the Morris family that day… do you think things would have ended differently?”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.
If he hadn’t dragged her into his world, maybe their lives wouldn’t have gotten so tangled. If he’d been braver–if he’d fought for her, or even made a clean break–maybe none of this would’ve happened. If she hadn’t saved him that night…
But life doesn’t give you do–overs
Bruno was always going to be the Morris heir. Once his memories returned, there was no way he could have spent his life with her in that rundown apartment. Once he went home, he could never fully ignore the voices whispering in his ear
And yet, thinking back, Lina knew she could never have left a bleeding man on the roadside and just walked away.
They sat in silence. Finally, Bruno managed a faint, sad smile. “Lina, I still owe you an apology.
I let you down. I hurt you.S
I’m sorry.
Lina stood, placing a red wedding invitation on the
table.
“Bruno, I’m getting married. From now on, let’s just pretend we never even met.“”
With that, she left. Rylan stayed behind.
With Lina gone, Bruno stopped pretending. His face was cold, his patience gone. He didn’t see the point in talking to this man. He stood to leave, but at the door something made him stop. He came back and leaned into the phone, not bothering to pick it up.
“..Take care of her‘
For a long moment, that was all he said.
Rylan just smiled.
He looked Bruno dead in the eye, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “I’m not like you“?
He would never take Lina for granted. He’d waited five years for her, and he’d spend his
s life makin
fe making her happy.”
“I’m not going to stop loving her just because she’s seen me at my worst. Bruno, what you couldn’t do–l can.”
“I stayed to tell you this: you owe her more than just an apology.”
Rylan hung up and walked out
A year later, snow fell thick and heavy, blanketing Golden Bay in white
Lina, radiant in her wedding dress, walked across a carpet of fresh flowers to the stage. The officiant’s words echoed, familiar and comforting, binding two lives together
“Lina, do you take Mr. Winston as your husband, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for all your
days?”
“I do
“Rylan, do you take Me Knotts as your wife, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for all your days hi
Rylan turned to Lina, his eyes soft and unwavering.
“I do”
The entire city watched the wedding, broadcast live–even inside the prison where Bruno was held.
The next morning. Bruno was found dead in his cell.
