Page 56 of Bitter House

It’s not all men, I know, but it is all women. A collective of shared experience, of intuition, of whispered warnings and knowing looks.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are nice guys left because I have one. I reach over and squeeze his hand under the table, so thankful for Vera, who saw what I couldn’t all those years ago.

That night, when we’re climbing into bed, bodies and palms sore and raw from digging yet another grave, I catch myself pausing when I spot a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I do that more and more these days.

Perhaps it’s the silver that’s starting to highlight my blonde hair, or maybe the delicate wrinkles near my eyes, but either way, as the years pass, I find it impossible to miss the resemblance to my grandmother.

She was beautiful, it’s undeniable, but now I see the strength I always wrote off as coldness. The determination that always felt callous.

I see her truth, her passion, and her heart in my own eyes, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everything she’s done for me.

As I slide my wedding ring off and place it on the nightstand, I check my phone and see a new text message from Ana with an updated photo of Teddy and Olivia. A smile crosses my lips as I reply, letting her know how much I miss them all and how I can’t wait for their next visit.

When I ease back onto the bed, my hand slips into Cole’s. He squeezes it gently, massaging my tired muscles, and I smile to myself again.

Vera might’ve been stubborn, but these days, that feels less like a flaw and more like a superpower. I hope someday I’m half the woman she was. That I’ll have been able to help half the women she saved.

The hidden logbook is full of countless names, pages and pages of reasons for each death written in Vera’s unmistakable hand. In her journal, she said she wanted to leave a legacy, and she has. The kind of legacy only the most stubborn, powerful woman could leave.

I release a long, peaceful sigh, settling in as Bitter House quiets all around us, keeping us safe and warm. As I close my eyes, Cole places one final kiss on my lips, pulling me into his chest, and I can’t help thinking this house has never felt more like a home.

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