Chapter 18 - THE LAST CONVERSATION WITH EVELYNYears later, Evelyn requested a meeting.
Adrian refused.
Grace accepted.
She went alone.
Evelyn was older.
Smaller.
The woman who had once controlled entire rooms now sat with both hands folded on a table.
“You look like your mother,” Evelyn said.
Grace replied:
“I never met her.”
“You have her eyes.”
“People say that.”
Evelyn looked away.
“I did not believe she would survive.”
Grace remained silent.
“I thought Adrian needed a different future.”
“You stole from her.”
“I protected the family.”
“You destroyed it.”
Evelyn's hands trembled.
“I loved my son.”
Grace looked at her.
“No.”
Evelyn frowned.
“You loved controlling him.”
The old woman said nothing.
Grace stood.
“My father became a better man after you lost the ability to control him.”
Then she walked away.
She did not forgive Evelyn.
Not yet.
Perhaps never.
May you like
But she did not carry the woman's hatred with her.
That was enough.
