Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT LUCAS CAME BACK
Lucas returned two weeks later.
He did not call.
He did not knock.
He came to the house at midnight.
But this time, Mariana was ready.
Police officers were stationed nearby.
Detective Bennett had warned her that Lucas might attempt contact.
Still, when the doorbell rang, Mariana's heart raced.
She looked through the security camera.
Lucas stood outside.
His face was thinner.
His clothes were wrinkled.
He looked exhausted.
But Mariana knew better than to mistake exhaustion for remorse.
She opened the intercom.
“What do you want?”
“I want to see Chloe.”
“No.”
“She is my daughter.”
“You lost the right to decide what happens to her when you turned her mother into a prisoner inside her own mind.”
Lucas closed his eyes.
“Mariana, please.”
She almost laughed.
“Please?”
“I made mistakes.”
“You fabricated my medical records.”
“I was trying to protect Chloe.”
“You stole her.”
“I was trying to save her.”
“You made me believe she was dead.”
Lucas looked up.
His eyes were wet.
“I thought if you knew she survived, you'd take her and disappear.”
“Why?”
“Because of the property.”
Silence.
Finally, he admitted it.
“Yes.”
Mariana felt something inside her settle.
The truth was finally out.
“You wanted my mother's land.”
“I wanted security.”
“You had a family.”
“I was drowning in debt.”
“So you destroyed mine?”
Lucas looked down.
“I thought I could fix everything.”
“You had years.”
“I kept thinking I would.”
“You hit me with lies every day.”
He looked at her.
“I never wanted you to suffer.”
Mariana's voice became quiet.
“But you made sure I did.”
Behind her, Chloe appeared.
Lucas saw her.
His face collapsed.
“Chloe.”
The girl did not move.
“Daddy.”
Lucas began crying.
“I missed you.”
Chloe stared at him.
“Why did you tell Mommy I was dead?”
Lucas couldn't answer.
Chloe stepped closer.
“Did you hate Mommy?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Lucas covered his face.
“I was scared.”
Chloe looked at Mariana.
Then back at Lucas.
“You made Mommy scared too.”
The police entered.
Lucas did not resist.
As they placed handcuffs on him, he looked at Mariana one final time.
“I loved you.”
Mariana answered softly.
“Maybe you did.”
Then she shook her head.
“But love doesn't look like this.”
Lucas was taken away.
Later, Victor Hale was arrested as well.
The investigation uncovered a network of fraudulent transfers and forged documents.
The property trust was restored to Mariana.
The money Lucas had stolen was traced.
Not all of it could be recovered.
But enough could.
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And for the first time in years, Mariana had something she had forgotten existed.
A future.
