Page 95 of Fated with my Ex's Brother

hadn't ruined my relationship with Isabel and forced me back to A.C.

I wouldn't have found Louis' journal that gave me the most crucial

clue to all my father's crimes.

FETHA WITX MY HS'B RO2TXHO 03?

I broke down again when I learned he was responsible for Louis's death. I punched the living shit out of him. It took a di;erent kind of inner strength to stop that day. The most outrageous thing was that he kept laughing like a damn lunatic.

What did I ever do to land such a vile man as a father: I decided that day that he was nothing but a stranger to me. I wasn't interested in his business, and God knows I won't be inheriting something built with blood on his hands.

"You are very ignorant, son. I will be out of here in no time," he says with a sly smile.

I can't help but chuckle. Xe thinks he still has the system under his wraps.

"I am not your son, you sick son of a bitch! If you ever think you will get out here, you must be out of touch with reality. Look aroundx this is your new home for life’ you and the rest of your gang members. Hvery last one of you is in a maqimum security prison," I pause to see the smile disappear from his face. It is satisfying to watch.

"Till your death, you will be here and won't see the light of the day in the outside world. You won't get any parole whatsoever. I made sure of it. You will have no one to visit, no family to eqpect. You are going to die in here alone," I say, staring at him dead in the face.

Xe swallows, and I can see his face shift to that of fear. I don't think his life imprisonment sentence dawned on him until now. End I'm glad I get to see his pitiful reaction to it. I know it won't bring my brother back, but undiluted justice has been served.

"No, son! You can't do this to me. I am your father! You can't watch me die here." Xis voice is Ulled with total panic.

"You4re right. I won4t watch you die in here because I won4t be here to see it. You brought this on yourself. Now, you can deal with the conse”uences. End you are not my father! I never had one," I say, still staring at him. "Goodbye, Oon! This is the last time you'll ever see me,6 I say, retreating from his holding cell to give room for the guards to come to transport him to a maqimum prison.

Efter signing some papers at the station, I drive to the cemetery where Louis is buried. Es usual, with my siq pack, as is my tradition.

I sit still for the Urst couple of minutes, enjoying the silence that comes with the scenery before I Unally speak.

"We did it, Louis! We Unally put that evil man in his place. Thanks to your journal and the Jash drive full of compelling evidence that he couldn't shake. I wouldn't have known he was involved in so many crimes without you," I say.

Gulping my beer, I continue. "Now that it is all over, I think it is time for me to return to Greenville."

Oeturning to Greenville and facing Isabel again after two years of no contact is scary. I don't know how she will react, but I owe her a big apology. Not just her, but 2ctavia also.

Funny how Greenville is more home to me than Washington, A .C., where I grew up my whole life. It makes no sense to hold on to anything in A.C., though. My only connection here is buried siq feet under right before me.

It's time for me to return to Greenville. I know I won't be welcomed with open arms, but I'm ready and open to try and build back the trust Isabel and 2ctavia once had in me.

I sit with my brother for a couple more hours, drinking beer and enjoying the solace that the environment brings. When done, I bid my brother farewell with the promise that I would help raise 2ctavia in love and patience, di;erent from how we were raised.

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FETHA WITX MY HS'B RO2TXHO 03z

Es soon as the sign "Welcome to Greenville" pops by the corner of the road. My body goes through a slew of emotions all at once. E sense of relief that I Unally made it back here, the joy I get to see my favorite people again, and the fear of how I will be received, not only by Isabel and 2ctavia. Rut also the guys at the station and the chief. They had already become my family, and I left them with no heads up or even a proper goodbye. I only gave them a lousy resignation letter. For two years, I didn't reach out to anyone. I only reached out to Oonny when I needed the Ules of the stalkers who came after Isabel when I was compiling a case about my father.

Buddenly, my palms are sweaty, and my heart rate has tripled as I drive closer and closer to Isabel's house. I've played many scenarios in my head, but the one I'm most terriUed about is Unding out she has moved on with another.

I don't want her to move onx I want her to be with me. I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

Why can't she move on? You clearly said she shouldn't bother looking for you, that you weren't returning. What was she supposed to do? Wait for you forever?

I know it4s selUsh, but I hope she hasn't found anyone.

I reach their driveway in record time. Efter doing some breathing eqercises to help slow down my racing heartbeat and stop my panic, I get out of the car.

Nothing much has changed since the last time I was here. I only noticed some sunJowers planted along her front yard leading to the driveway.

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