Page 136 of Symphony for Lies

I remained silent.

“Zane barely speaks to me anymore,” she went on. “I understand why. I rushed things. I’m a perfectionist.” She let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “I made many mistakes, always thinking I was doing what was best for my family.”

I didn’t know why she was opening up to me, but I let her speak.

“Zane is pulling away, and I’m losing him completely. I don’t want that to happen.”

“I know what you’re hoping to hear, Mrs. Cole. But you already got everything you wanted. I stayed away from your son. I lost my jobs. You wanted me gone from the vet—”

“Oh, not this again,” she cut in, her voice trembling slightly. “Yes, I fired you from tutoring Simon. But everything else… that wasn’t me. Zane accused me of it, too.”

A quiet, humorless laugh slipped from my lips. “Sure.”

“Please, Amelia! Why would I go that far? What reason would I have?” She hesitated. “Alright… maybe I could have had a reason. But spreading rumors? That would have hurt my family’s reputation, too.”

Her words made sense, but I didn’t care.“Maybe. It doesn’t matter anymore.” I motioned toward the boxes. “If that’s all, I’d like to finish packing.”

“I’m sorry,” she murmured dejectedly. “I really am. And… I’ll be… going now.”

I walked her to the door, and just as I opened it, Spencer raised his hand to knock on the other side.

“Oh. Hi,” he greeted, surprised.

I waved it off.

“Have a good day, Mrs. Cole.”

She gave a slight nod and disappeared down the street.

Spencer studied me carefully, his brows furrowing. “What did she want?”

“Nothing that matters anymore.”

I placed the flowers on the table, my gaze drifting to the remaining boxes.

It’s time to close this chapter.

The key handover was quick and emotionless. My chest was tight, but somehow, I managed to hold it together.

Stacy, on the other hand, couldn’t stop crying. She sobbed so much as we walked away from the house, that in the end, I was the one comforting her.

Tiana and Layla joined us before we all stepped into my new home. I had only chosen the design, leaving the rest to the workers, but seeing it left me in awe.

The apartment was painted in warm white, with framed pictures already hanging on the walls. When you walked in, clean hallways led straight to the living room—a cozy seating area with a soft couch facing a sleek TV mounted on the opposite wall. Floor-to-ceiling curtains swayed gently in the evening breeze, framing the view of a peaceful park just beyond the balcony.

It was beautiful.

“Wow.”

The girls squealed with excitement, pulling me further inside. We kicked our shoes off, hung up our jackets, and began exploring the space.

Adjacent to the living room was an elegant, compact, modern kitchen designed with simplicity in mind. The bathroom was small but thoughtfully styled, and every detail was carefully placed.

The moment I stepped inside my bedroom, it felt familiar. It was larger than my old room but arranged in a way that made me feel safe. Like I had been in my old home. My gaze drifted to the framed cruise ticket on the wall.

A new beginning, but one that carried the memories of my life.

I sank onto the couch while Tiana and Layla clinked their glasses with Stacy’s.

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