Chapter 6 - THE SECOND CHANCE SHE WAS FREE TO CHOOSE
Evelyn’s heart stopped.
“What?”
“This morning.”
He reached into his coat and handed her an envelope.
Her name was written on it.
She didn’t open it.
“Why?”
“Because you asked me three years ago.”
“Three years ago.”
“I should have respected it then.”
She stared at him.
“So that’s it?”
His eyes sharpened.
“Is that what you want?”
“I asked first.”
Dominic looked at the envelope in her hands.
“You deserve to choose me without being legally trapped to a decision you made when your father was manipulating you and I was withholding the truth.”
Evelyn swallowed.
“That sounds suspiciously healthy.”
“I have expensive attorneys. One occasionally says useful things.”
She laughed despite the pressure behind her eyes.
Dominic’s expression softened.
“The divorce is yours if you want it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then tear it up.”
“What happens after that?”
“We begin again.”
“You make that sound simple.”
“It would be extraordinarily difficult.”
“Better.”
He nodded.
“No guards unless you ask.”
“Good.”
“No tracking.”
“Very good.”
“No making decisions for you.”
“You may struggle with that one.”
“I absolutely will.”
She looked down at the envelope.
“And your world?”
“The version of it you ran from is ending.”
“Because you’re cooperating.”
“Yes.”
“What if you go to prison?”
“Then you should live your life.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
His face tightened.
“If I go to prison, I will serve whatever sentence comes.”
“And us?”
“I won’t ask you to wait.”
Evelyn felt anger rise unexpectedly.
“Stop deciding what you won’t ask me to do.”
Dominic went still.
She stepped closer.
“That’s still control, Dominic. You make the noble decision, you remove yourself, and everyone else lives with it.”
He studied her.
“What would you prefer?”
“The truth.”
He breathed out slowly.
“The truth?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to wait.”
Her heart pounded.
“I want to walk out of whatever comes next and find you somewhere in the world where nobody calls you Mrs. Vale before they call you Doctor Mercer.”
Her eyes burned.
“I want to take you to dinner without six men outside.”
One tear escaped.
She hated it.
Dominic pretended not to notice.
“I want to know what you drink now because I don’t know anymore.”
“Coffee.”
“I remember coffee.”
“Too much coffee.”
“I remember that too.”
She laughed through another tear.
Dominic continued.
“I want to learn the parts of you three years changed.”
His voice lowered.
“And I want a chance to show you the parts of me they changed too.”
Evelyn looked down at the divorce papers.
Then at him.
“This doesn’t erase what happened.”
“No.”
“I may never trust you the way I would have before.”
“I understand.”
“You might have to earn it for years.”
“I have years.”
“You might not.”
The possibility of prison hung between them.
“I know.”
Evelyn slowly tore the envelope in half.
Dominic stared.
She tore it again.
Four pieces.
Then she pushed them into a trash bin.
His face changed in a way she had never seen.
Not victory.
Relief.
Almost disbelief.
“That,” she said, “is not forgiveness.”
“I know.”
“It is permission to ask me to dinner.”
His mouth curved.
“When?”
“I’m a surgeon.”
“I recall.”
“I have rounds at six tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow night?”
“Federal prosecutors, remember?”
He sighed.
“Friday?”
“I’m on call.”
“Saturday?”
She let him suffer for another second.
“Saturday.”
Dominic smiled.
Then a voice came from Daniel’s room.
“FINALLY.”
They both turned.
Daniel stood in his doorway, one hand gripping his IV pole.
Evelyn’s horror was immediate.
“What are you doing out of bed?”
“I was walking.”
“You were spying.”
“I was rehabilitating within listening distance.”
“Back to bed.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Daniel looked at Dominic.
“Dinner?”
Dominic nodded.
Daniel raised a fist weakly.
Evelyn pointed toward his room.
“Move.”
He shuffled away, victorious.
Dominic watched his brother disappear.
Then looked at Evelyn.
“You saved him.”
“Yes.”
“You saved more than him.”
She shook her head.
“Don’t turn me into your redemption story.”
His expression became serious.
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
May you like
“My redemption is my responsibility.”
For the first time, she believed him.
