Chapter 257
I stood before Mr. Halton, not knowing what to say.
Finally, he looked up at me.
"Thank you, Alayna," he said.
I blinked. "For what?"
"For being brave enough to bring the truth to light. For not hiding. For not pretending." He reached out and took my hand. "For caring about this family more than some of its own blood."
I squeezed his fingers. "Mr. Halton, it's my duty."
He smiled. It was small. Fragile. But it was real.
The fire had long since died, leaving only gray ash and the faint smell of smoke. But standing here, holding this broken man's hand, I felt something warm stirring in my chest. Not the heat of anger or the chill of fear. Something else. Something like determination.
"Mr. Halton," I said, "what will you do now?"
"I don't know. I've spent thirty years building a life with a woman who was building her escape." He shook his head slowly. "I feel like a fool."
