Chapter 2: Healing What Was Broken
The mansion felt different the next morning.
Quieter.
Lighter.
But the damage hadn’t disappeared overnight.
Lila sat at the dining table, staring at untouched food.
Victor watched her from across the table, his heart heavy.
“I didn’t know,” he said finally.
She didn’t respond.
“I should have known.”
That made her look up.
“You were busy,” she said softly. “You always are.”
The words weren’t angry.
That hurt more.
Victor leaned forward. “That’s not an excuse.”
Silence settled again.
Then, carefully, he asked, “Why didn’t you call me?”
Lila hesitated.
“Because she said… if I told you, you’d think I was lying. And you’d send me away.”
Victor’s chest tightened.
“That will never happen,” he said firmly.
“But it almost did,” she whispered.
That truth hit harder than anything else.
Victor stood slowly and walked around the table. He crouched beside her chair.
“I failed you,” he said. “But I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Lila searched his face.
For the first time—
She believed him.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
Victor canceled meetings. Delayed trips. Delegated everything that didn’t matter.
Because for once—
He realized what did.
They started small.
Breakfast together.
Walks in the garden.
Movie nights where Lila would fall asleep halfway through, her head resting against his shoulder.
And one evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon—
She smiled.
A real smile.
Not forced.
Not afraid.
Victor saw it—and something inside him finally eased.
But healing wasn’t just about comfort.
May you like
It was about justice.
And Victor Hale never left things unfinished.
