Chapter 228: Goodbye, My Love

“Where did you guys go?” Avery asked, eyebrows raised as she looked behind Leitana at a very sleepy Marita leaning heavily against Lucius’ shoulder. Her gaze then flicked to Ravial, who was standing a few feet away muttering instructions to three of his men.

Leitana yawned widely, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. It was already three in the afternoon. They had only just returned to the villa after the long drive from the city. Dropping Arabella off had taken longer than expected.

“We just had something to handle,” Leitana said softly, not wanting to lie but also not ready to explain everything. “Mi will tell you later. Promise.”

Avery studied her for a moment but didn’t push. She simply nodded and pulled her sister into a quick hug.

In truth, the drop-off at the Rousseau house had been intense. Arabella’s parents had been frantic, her mother in tears, her father red-faced and shouting at the two police officers still in their living room. The moment Arabella walked in, her mother had rushed to hug her, sobbing with relief.

Jean Rousseau had immediately started yelling again about the showcase and her “irresponsible behavior,” but Arabella had stood her ground, voice shaky but firm.

“I’m not doing this anymore, Dad. I’m not making the violin my full-time career. I can’t and I won’t.”

The argument had flared hot. Her father had turned purple with rage, but Arabella hadn’t backed down. For the first time, Leitana had seen real strength in her. Maeve, her mother, had surprisingly stepped in, placing a hand on her husband’s arm and quietly saying, “Jean… enough. Let her breathe.”

Leitana had felt so proud watching Arabella choose herself. Before they left, Arabella had hugged her tightly and whispered, “Thank you… for everything.” Leitana believed she would be okay now.

Back in the villa’s living room, Leitana yawned again and looked at her sister. “What about you, Avery? How are you?”

Avery sighed deeply and led them both to the large couch. They sat down together. Marita mumbled something about needing a nap and disappeared upstairs with Lucius.

“I’m… fine,” Avery said, though her voice said otherwise. “The Fosters left about an hour ago. Ravial arranged a beautiful new house for them. They were so grateful.” She swallowed. “Leroy’s burial is tomorrow.”

Leitana nodded, squeezing her sister’s hand. “We will all go. Together.”

Avery looked at her for a long moment, then suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.

“Lei… I’m really grateful to you. Very, very grateful. For everything you’ve done. For me. For Mom. For the Fosters. I don’t think I say it enough.”

“It’s fine,” Leitana whispered, hugging her back. “You are my sister. Mi will always be here for you.”

Avery pulled back, eyes glistening. “But I can’t keep staying here, intruding in your home. Ravial plans to do the press conference tomorrow after the burial and mom will be released from the hospital today. I think… it’s time.”

Leitana stiffened. “No, Avery. This is your home too.”

Avery shook her head gently. “No, Leitana. I need to finally do something with my life now that Charles is not dictating my every action. I need to find myself again.”

Tears rushed into Leitana’s eyes instantly. “You want to leave me?”

“No, no,” Avery said quickly, cupping her sister’s face. “I will never leave you. You’re my twin. My other half. But I need this. I need space to figure out who I am without him… without everything that happened. This will really help me.”

Leitana’s tears spilled over. “What about Matteo?”

Avery bit her lip, looking down. “I ended it. Yesterday.”

“Whattt?” Leitana’s eyes widened.

“Yes.” Avery’s voice cracked. “He’s too good for me right now. I keep pretending I’m fine, but I’m not. I still miss Leroy so much it hurts to breathe some days. I can’t keep using Matteo as some kind of rebound. It’s not fair to him. That’s why I need to go away for a while… just to heal properly.”

Leitana pulled her sister back into her arms, crying softly. “Mi don’t want you to go. Mi just got you back.”

“I know,” Avery whispered, hugging her tighter, her own tears falling. “But I’ll visit all the time. And you can come stay with me whenever you want. We’re still sisters. Nothing changes that.”

They held each other for a long time, both crying quietly on the couch. In the background, Ravial watched them silently, his blindfolded gaze soft only when it rested on his wife.

Leitana finally pulled back and wiped Avery’s tears with her thumbs.

“If you need to go… mi will support you. But this will always be your home too. Always.”

Avery smiled through her tears and rested her forehead against Leitana’s.

“I love you, little sister.”

“Mi love you more,” Leitana whispered back, voice thick.

The twins stayed like that, wrapped in each other, while the afternoon sun poured through the windows, two hearts that had survived hell finally beginning to find their own paths.

The next day

The cemetery was quiet under a grey, overcast sky. A soft drizzle fell, as if even the heavens were mourning. Rows of headstones stood solemnly around them, but today all eyes were fixed on one fresh grave.

Leroy Foster’s burial.

The Fosters stood together in black, Jeanette, their mother, looked completely broken, leaning heavily on Allison’s arm. Eden and Ryan stood on either side of Mathew, who still had bruises on his face and moved slowly with pain. They all wore simple black clothes, eyes red and swollen.

Avery stood at the front, dressed in a fitted black dress that reached her knees, her hair pulled back neatly. Beside her, Leitana wore a long-sleeved black gown that gently hugged her small baby bump, her hand never leaving her sister’s. Alyssa, their mother, stood on Leitana’s other side, freshly discharged from the hospital, looking frail but determined, tears already streaming down her face.

A few steps behind them, Ravial stood like a dark sentinel. He wore a perfectly tailored all-black suit, blindfold in place, towering and silent. His men formed a protective wall behind him, also dressed in black, faces impassive. They kept a respectful distance, but their presence was unmistakable.

The priest spoke gently, but Avery barely heard the words.

When it was time, she stepped forward on shaky legs. Her hand trembled as she reached out and rested it on the smooth, dark wood of the coffin. The rain mixed with her tears as they fell onto the polished surface.

“Leroy…” she whispered, voice cracking. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Her fingers traced the wood slowly, like she was touching his face one last time.

“You were the kindest person I ever knew. You loved me even when I didn’t deserve it. You protected me… and I couldn’t protect you.” A sob tore from her throat. “You deserved so much better. You deserved a long, happy life. You deserved to see your family safe and smiling every day. Instead… I brought you into my mess.”

She pressed her forehead against the coffin, shoulders shaking with silent, violent sobs.

“I miss you every single day. Every morning when I wake up, I still reach for my phone to text you good morning. I still hear your laugh in my head. I still love you… and I think I always will.”

Leitana stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Avery from behind, crying with her. Alyssa joined them, one hand on Avery’s back, the other on Leitana’s shoulder. The three women stood together, united in grief.

“I hope you’re at peace now,” Avery whispered, voice barely audible. “I hope you know how much you were loved. How much you changed my life. I promise… I’ll live better. For you. I’ll make sure your family is okay. I’ll never forget you, Leroy. Never.”

Jeanette broke down completely, collapsing against Allison as fresh sobs wracked her body. Allison held her mother tight, tears streaming silently down her own face. Eden and Ryan were crying openly now. Mathew stared at the coffin with hollow eyes, fists clenched at his sides.

The priest said the final prayer and the coffin was slowly lowered into the ground.

Avery dropped to her knees in the wet grass, hand still stretched toward the grave as if she could pull him back.

“Don’t go…” she cried brokenly. “Please don’t leave me…”

Leitana knelt beside her, holding her tightly as Avery sobbed against her shoulder, the kind of raw, guttural grief that came from losing your first real love.

“I loved him, Lei… I loved him so much.”

“I know,” Leitana whispered, rocking her gently, tears falling into her sister’s hair. “Mi know, Avery. He knew it too. He loved you back. So much.”

The rain fell harder, mixing with their tears as the first shovels of earth began to cover the coffin.

Avery stayed there long after everyone else had stepped back. She stayed until the grave was filled. Until the flowers were placed. Until there was nothing left but a fresh mound of dirt and a simple headstone that read:

Leroy Michael Foster

Beloved son, brother, and friend.

Gone too soon, but never forgotten.

Only then did Avery let Leitana and Alyssa help her to her feet.

She looked at the grave one last time, whispering her final words:

“Goodbye, my love. Thank you for everything.”

Ravial stepped forward then, silent and powerful. He placed a single black rose on the grave before guiding his wife and her sister back toward the waiting cars, his men following like shadows.

The chapter of Leroy Foster had closed.

But for Avery, the healing had only just begun.