Chapter 31 - Noah’s Choice
That evening, I was sitting in my home office reviewing Elena’s case files when Noah knocked on the doorframe. He was eighteen, weeks away from graduating high school, and facing the massive decision of where to attend university.
"Can I interrupt?" Noah asked, stepping into the room.
"Always," I smiled, closing my laptop.
Noah sat on the leather sofa opposite my desk. He looked serious, possessing a maturity that far exceeded his years. Growing up in the aftermath of a massive familial betrayal had forced him to see the world clearly, without the rose-colored glasses of childhood naïveté.
"I made my decision about college," Noah announced. "I'm accepting the offer from the University of Chicago."
"Noah, that's incredible!" I beamed, immensely proud. "But I thought you were leaning toward the architectural program in New York?"
Noah shook his head. "I changed my major. I'm going into corporate law and forensic accounting."
I paused, stunned. "Are you sure? That’s a highly stressful path. You don't have to do that just because of what I do."
May you like
"I'm not doing it because of what you do, Mom," Noah said gently, looking me directly in the eyes. "I'm doing it because I remember what it looked like when you were broken. I remember the panic in this house. And I have watched you spend the last ten years making sure no other woman ever has to feel that way. I want to be a part of the fortress. I want to help you hold the line."
Tears pricked my eyes. I walked over and hugged my son, feeling a profound, overwhelming sense of victory. The cycle of deceit was dead. I had raised a protector.
