Page 125 of Merciless Sinner

I notice that someone has come by and left white roses. Amelia's favorite. I have one too. One single white rose.

I lay it down on the gravestone and stare at it along with her name, her date of birth and date of death. Everything blends in swirling letters of gold against shiny marble.

I keep thinking it didn't have to end like this.

Our lives could have been different. What happened happened and she betrayed me. There was a time in our lives when we were best friends.

I remember it all now. Everything.

Although I still see Dr. Belmont, I have a handle on that part of my life, so I can remember the past and the way Amelia and I were.

When people say we were sisters. We really were.

But today, I'm here to bury those good memories. Because that's not the person who she became.

I've found that trying to remember her in any good way brings out the darkness, and it's hurtful to me.

So today, I'm putting everything behind me.

“I hope you find peace, Amelia,” I say. “I hope you find peace. Through everything that happened. You were my friend. You might not have seen me in such a light, but that is how I saw you until the end.

I bow my head, look at the grave one last time, and I turn and walk away closing the door on the past forever.

Virgo is standing by the car waiting for me. I told him I wanted to see Amelia by myself. When I reach him, he takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.

“Do you feel better?” He gives me a reassuring smile.

“No.” I shake my head. “But I feel free. I guess that will have to do, right?”

He nods. “Freedom can take you anywhere, and allow you to be healed by time and love.”

I appreciate his words. “Love took me back to you.”

“It did. I love you, Olivia.”

“I love you too, Virgo.”

Epilogue

Olivia

3 months later

Virgo and I swim in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. We're in Florence again for my birthday. This year, we're able to keep up with the tradition.

We're also celebrating my new job as an assistant curator at the Museum in New York. I start in two weeks’ time.

I was actually able to secure that placement again at the British Museum, but I remembered what Amelia said with regards to how Virgo felt about me leaving.

So when I got the job in New York, I couldn't have been more thrilled. It was also a better job, with more prospect of moving up a ladder a little quicker.

We've been in Florence for a week, just frolicking in the sun and sea.

Now we're swimming beneath the sea, amongst the fish and watery beauty. We've been out all day again, enjoying each other and having fun.

Real fun. Virgo swims around me and runs his fingers over my body, then he grabs my waist and breaks through the surface with me.

We laugh and fall into a passionate kiss. It's getting dark now, but everything around us is still so beautiful.

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