Page 129 of All for her Forgiveness

Three days after I “visited” Ryan, he was left at the door of a hospital. Despite being without any documents, by “coincidence,” an anonymous call informed the police where he was, and while he was recovering, still hospitalized, he was arrested. The lawyers I hired for Kennedy say it's now a matter of time before the prosecution moves forward with the case and his trial is scheduled.

When she heard about his arrest, Kennedy came to my office at lunch and said, “I’m not going to ask you what you did to him, but I needed to thank you for keeping your word and allowing me to confront him.”

The newspapers didn't touch on the subject of the mutilation, and I imagine it's because Ryan's family—what's left of it, an older brother and his mother—pulled strings to prevent them from finding out that the idiot doesn't have a dick anymore.

No photos of him have appeared in the newspapers yet, but when the trial takes place, I have no doubt that everyone will see mywork of art.

"Vina Marcotte is the greatest proof that appearances can be deceiving," Kennedy says after everyone leaves.

"I never liked her."

"What?"

"I didn't hate her, but I felt some kind of energy in her that didn't match the loyal maid she showed herself to be to the family."

"Then why didn't you fire her? Or at least retire her?"

"Because my grandfather always said she was loyal."

"He was mistaken."

"Yes. It's not a pretty story. From what we can assume from the recordings we watched, he used her."

"Every relationship has two sides. She let herself be used, probably because she hoped that one day, your grandfather would marry her. In any case, it doesn't justify pushing him down the stairs. She could have left when she realized her goals would not be realized. Instead, she chose to become a murderer. What I still don't understand is how he didn't even hint to you that he thought he was at risk. If he placed the cameras, it was because he knew there was something wrong with Vina."

"We are not the type of men who are accustomed to sharing information, Kennedy. After my parents' past was clarified, we were able to open up a little more, but each one of us keeps many secrets."

"Like the trip you took before Ryan was 'found' at the hospital door?"

"Yes, but you have my word that in this particular situation, I did it to protect you."

"I don't care how he fell into the hands of the police, only that he is in custody and will no longer be able to harm another woman."

Kennedy

Three months later

"Hey, it's okay," Hades says, squeezing me in his powerful arms. "Athanasios would never tell you that Ernest's surgery was a success and that he will live a long time if he didn't believe it."

"I know, it just seems like a miracle, you know? I prayed so much, and now being sure that he has been discharged permanently, that he will stay with us, meet our other son, is like a dream come true." I look at King, laughing on his grandfather's lap, and thank God for this miracle.

But as if life wants to show me that not everything is rosy, an employee appears behind us and says, "Mister Kostanidis, the security guard at the front asked me to inform you that Senator Balantine wishes to speak to you and your wife."

"Authorize his car to enter the property but not the house," I say.

I never imagined this would happen, that he would look for me, and I don't know why he’s come, but I need to look the man in the eye at least once.

Hades

“You don't need to talk to him,” I say, feeling my entire face tighten with tension.Marrying Kennedy has made me a relatively controlled man, because in the past I would have gone out and beaten that son of a bitch. How does he have the nerve to come to our house after ignoring his daughter for almost twenty-three years?

"No, I need to do this. To use your words, we all need closure. This will be the only time I talk to him, so let's go."

I already know what he looks like. My obsessive nature, which becomes much more intense when it comes to Kennedy, has made me do research on him. But even if I had never seen the man’s face, I would hate him.

Grin Balantine represents what I despise most in people: an impeccable image that hides a rotten soul.

He seems surprised when he gets out of the car and sees that Kennedy and I are meeting him outside. He probably thought we'd invite him in.

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