Page 59 of Vintage

I stifled a sob, and for a brief moment, the people around me seemed uneasy.

To my right, a man cradled his newborn, the tiny baby snug in a cozy blanket, held gently in his arms. His soft whispers to the child, carefully enunciating each word with a light chuckle, were a painful reminder of what I might have had if only... just if...

The room felt like it was closing in on me, and I was engulfed in my own bubble of fear.

"Mrs. Rowan." A calm voice broke through.

It was the nurse who had gone into the operating room with the doctors. Her face was hard to read.

My heart raced, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. I pushed myself to stand on shaky legs, instinctively moving closer, ready to hear whatever news she had for me.

“You’ll need to hang tight for another hour or two until the doctor finishes up the last procedures. I was sent to let you know that your husband is safe, so you can go ahead and get yourself treated.” Her expression softened as she took in my blood-stained dress and my trembling body.

I could see the pity in her eyes, but I nodded anyway, mostly to reassure her and the others around me.

"I will. Thank you. Thank you so much." Another sob escaped me, and I felt my body growing heavy, my bones finally relaxing as I sank back into the chair.

Still, the waiting area felt more like a cage than a safe space, but I couldn’t help feeling grateful... Ro is safe. My husband is alive.

Just then, Reese rushed in, breathless and wide-eyed. “Amery!” she shouted. The nurse stepped away, and I figured she’d send one of the residents to check on me. I managed a small smile in response.

My attention turned to Reese, who scanned me before her eyes softened, a hint of pain showing through.

"Reese, go ahead... You were about to say something." I placed my hand over hers, which was resting in my lap.

“You won’t believe what just happened.”

A flicker of hope ignited in her eyes. Hope that the people responsible were finally going to face the consequences. “What is it?”

“Luhak has been caught with solid evidence,” Reese said, her voice a blend of relief and urgency. “His hideout had everything we needed. They’ve got strong proof against him. He was after the ring you found in the mansion to fund his resurrection project because it’s worth billions. That ring was one of Willow Crest’s lost treasures, but don’t worry. Amir was smart to stash it in the flower bed, and the digging gave us plenty of time to check out their base.”

A wave of relief washed over me. I smiled, glad that stalling Willow and Luhak, even at the cost of my husband’s life, wasn’t for nothing. “I was really worried he’d be untouchable.”

“He was. But Willow turned on him,” Reese said, her face serious. “She admitted he’s her father and that he’s completely lost it after his son died. He used her as a cover, pretending to be her butler to blend in.”

Luhak’ s twisted game was almost unbearable. If it weren’t for Ro choosing a different path, maybe... I’m scared to even think about it.

“What did he do before he targeted us?”

“Awful things.” Her voice dropped, as if the walls were listening. “He kidnapped girls for his experiments. He believed he could bring his son back by using female bodies, thinking they had a better chance of surviving his procedures. It’s horrific.”

My stomach turned. I couldn’t comprehend the depths of his depravity. “And Willow…?”

“She’s gone. Disappeared right after she confessed, but she left a letter for you and Amir. I have it.” Reese pulled a crumpled envelope from her bag.

“Reese, I just can’t… I really don’t want to deal with this right now. Amir is in surgery, and I—"

“I get it. I know it’s overwhelming, and you need to concentrate on yourself and Amir. Luhak’s reign of terror is finished. He’ll be locked up until his execution, and that’s what’s important right now,” Reese said, holding my hands tightly.

I nodded slowly, my thoughts racing with what this all meant. “But what about Willow? What if she’s in trouble?”

I didn’t want to think about being kind, but I needed to know if she was too under her father’s thumb to reach out.

“Let’s tackle that later. Right now, you have to be strong for Amir. He’s going to need you,” Reese said gently. “I’ll help you figure this out later, I promise. For now, read this letter and flip to the new chapter of your story.”

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the mix of gratitude and fear deep down. “Alright. I’ll read the letter.”

Reese passed it to me. As I unfolded the paper, my heart raced as I braced myself for whatever it might reveal.

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