Chapter 8 - The Walk of Freedom
With Marcus dragged out of the cathedral and stuffed into the back of a police cruiser, the chaotic roar inside the church reached a fever pitch. Guests were frantically whispering, pulling out their phones, and texting the explosive gossip to the rest of the city.
My mother, Victoria, rushed up to the altar. She didn't care about the hundreds of staring eyes. She wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, burying her face in my shoulder as she wept tears of overwhelming relief.
"You did it, my brave girl," my mother sobbed softly. "It's over. He can never hurt you again."
"It's over, Mom," I whispered, resting my chin on her shoulder, feeling the massive, crushing weight of the last three years finally lift off my chest.
My father placed a heavy, comforting hand on my back. "We need to leave, Clara. The press will have intercepted the police scanners by now. There will be a circus outside."
I nodded, stepping back from my mother. I reached up and unpinned the heavy, antique lace veil from my hair, letting it drop carelessly onto the marble floor. It felt like shedding a physical manifestation of my trauma.
We walked down the center aisle together, a united front. As we passed the rows of stunned guests, nobody dared to speak to us. They parted like the Red Sea, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe, horror, and profound respect.
When the heavy oak doors of the cathedral opened, the blinding flash of paparazzi cameras instantly assaulted us. Reporters were already shouting questions over the barricades.
"Clara! Is it true Marcus assaulted you?!"
"Mr. Vance, will this affect the corporate merger?!"
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My father’s private security detail formed a tight wedge around us, pushing through the aggressive crowd. We didn't answer a single question. We didn't need to. The truth was already echoing through the city.
As I slid into the back of our armored SUV, the cold November air rushed over my face. I looked out the tinted window at the towering spires of the church as we drove away. For the first time in over a thousand days, my heart beat with a steady, peaceful rhythm. I was completely, undeniably free.
