Chapter 10
The news spread like wildfire.
By the next morning, Rachel’s name was everywhere. Headlines screamed her return from the dead. Michelle Lang’s arrest dominated every media outlet. There were photos of the gala, videos of Rachel’s speech, screenshots of the evidence played on the big screen. Social media exploded with hashtags. Some people praised Rachel as brave and unstoppable. Others were still in shock.
But Rachel stayed quiet.
She didn’t do interviews. She didn’t post online. She just watched the storm from a distance, her heart heavy but still beating.
Eric, meanwhile, handled the public side. He faced reporters with calm control, confirming the charges, explaining how the investigation had gone silent until Rachel returned. He didn’t take credit. He didn’t make excuses. He simply said, “The truth always comes out, even if it takes time.”
Behind closed doors, though, it was a different story.
He found Rachel sitting on the rooftop of her temporary apartment, looking out at the city skyline. She didn’t turn around when he walked up.
“You should be resting,” he said softly.
Rachel gave a small smile. “Too much noise in my head.”
Eric sat beside her. For a while, neither of them said anything.
Finally, he asked, “What now?”
Rachel drew a deep breath. “I’ll testify. I’ll finish what I started. Then I’ll disappear again. Quietly this time.”
Eric frowned. “Why? You don’t have to run anymore.”
She looked at him. “It’s not running. It’s leaving behind what tried to kill me.”
“You have people who believe in you now. You could rebuild your life.”
She shook her head gently. “The old life is gone. The one I want doesn’t exist anymore.”
Eric stayed silent for a moment. “What if I asked you to stay?”
Rachel met his eyes, and for a moment, there was a flicker of the old warmth between them.
“I don’t belong in your world, Eric. I never did. You’re still part of that empire—even if you’re trying to fix it.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m not who I was. And you’re not who you were either. But maybe we could figure out who we are—together.”
Rachel’s fingers trembled slightly in his. “It’s not that simple.”
“I know,” he said. “But after everything we’ve been through… don’t you think we deserve something real?”
She didn’t answer.
But she didn’t pull her hand away.
The next few weeks were a blur of court dates, press coverage, and official statements. Rachel testified, calmly and clearly. Her voice never wavered, even as she described everything Michelle had done. The court believed her. Michelle was denied bail. Gregory Chen was caught fleeing the country and was brought back in cuffs.
Justice, slow and painful, had finally arrived.
But when the final verdict came in, Rachel didn’t celebrate.
She simply packed her things and disappeared before anyone could stop her.
Eric found a note the next day.
“Thank you for standing by me, even when you didn’t have to. You helped me heal, but now I have to find out who I am without the past chasing me.
If we’re meant to meet again, we will.
—Rachel.”
He stood by the window, staring at the city below, the letter shaking in his hands.
For the first time in years, he let himself cry.
Rachel was gone.
But she was finally free.
And somewhere out there, she was learning how to live again.