The warden nodded grimly and issued swift orders to have Victor taken away. My uncle didn’t resist. The fight had gone out of him, and he went quietly, his head bowed.
As soon as he was gone, my mother was released from the cuffs. Ethan rushed to her side, tears streaming down his face, and I followed, feeling the tightness in my chest begin to unravel. She wrapped us both in a fierce hug, her arms trembling with the effort to hold us close, as if to make up for all the lost time.
“I’m so sorry,” I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. “Mom, I should have believed you. I should have known.”
She pulled back slightly to look at me with eyes full of love and forgiveness. “It’s okay, Alex. It’s over now. We’re together, and that’s what matters.”
The relief was overwhelming, a flood washing away years of doubt and guilt. I couldn’t stop the tears from falling, and neither could Ethan. We stood there, holding on to each other, as if afraid to let go.
