Chapter 19 - No Regrets
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Evelyn took a slow sip of her iced tea, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the blue sky met the dark ocean water. The afternoon sun cast a golden, peaceful glow over the wooden porch.
“I read the news yesterday,” Evelyn said softly, breaking the comfortable silence. “Daniel was officially transferred to the federal facility in Pennsylvania. Harold’s legal team exhausted their final appeal. He’s looking at seven years, minimum.”
I nodded slowly, tracing the condensation on the outside of my glass. “I know. The bankruptcy courts are still carving up what’s left of the company. It’s going to take years to untangle the mess they made.”
Evelyn turned her head to look at me, her expression turning surprisingly serious, though the warmth in her eyes remained.
“Do you ever regret it, Claire?” she asked quietly. “Do you regret that wedding night? Standing up there, saying those vows, only to have your life completely blown apart three hours later?”
I took a deep breath, letting the cool ocean breeze wash over my face. I closed my eyes for a second, allowing the memories of that night to briefly surface. I remembered the sickening sound of Daniel’s hand striking my face. I remembered the cold, arrogant smile on Harold’s face as he watched. I remembered the heavy, suffocating weight of that fourteen-page postnuptial agreement they truly thought would frighten me into permanent, silent obedience.
“No,” I said firmly, opening my eyes and meeting her gaze. “I don't regret a single second of it. They underestimated exactly who they invited into their home. They paid heavily for that mistake.”
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I took a sip of the cold, sweet tea, letting the peaceful quiet of the coastal property settle around us.
“But,” I added softly, looking back out toward the endless, rolling waves of the ocean, “the broken fingers were never the real revenge.”
