Chapter 177

Chapter 177
Sheryl's POV

Rhett held my hand throughout the entire flight from Italy back to Boston. His grip never loosened, as if he feared I might vanish again if he let go. I understood his concern—after all, I had disappeared to Italy without a word, and now that I was back, something fundamental had shifted between us. The invisible wall that had stood between us for so long finally seemed to be crumbling.

"What are you thinking about?" Rhett asked, giving my hand a gentle squeeze when he noticed my silence.

I turned from the window where I'd been watching clouds drift by like islands in a vast blue sea. "Just wondering what our first order of business will be when we land."

His eyes narrowed slightly—that contemplative look I'd come to recognize. "We'll pick up my mother from Pine Grove, then visit my father's grave together."

I nodded. Ophelia Hayes, my mother-in-law, had been living in her own mental world for years following some traumatic event in the past. Whenever we visited her, I could sense Rhett's deep-seated pain, though he never openly acknowledged it.

After our private jet landed, Jack and Mark were already waiting for us at the airfield. We headed directly to Pine Grove Retreat, Rhett silent during the drive. I simply held his hand, offering the quiet support I knew he needed more than words.

The retreat was serene as always, tall pine trees standing sentinel like ancient guardians of secrets. The head nurse greeted us with a familiar smile, gesturing toward the garden where Ophelia was enjoying the morning sunshine.

We found her sitting on a bench, cradling a worn fabric doll in her arms while humming an off-key melody. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her figure. She looked more like an innocent child than the formidable Boston socialite she'd once been.

"Mom," Rhett said softly, his voice gentler than I'd heard him use with anyone else. "How are you feeling today?"

Ophelia looked up, her eyes momentarily vacant before focusing on me with a smile. "Little Yi," she said, using the nickname she'd given me during one of her more lucid moments.

I knelt before her, taking her hand in mine. "Ophelia, we'd like to take you on a little trip today. Would that be alright?"

She nodded, clutching the doll tighter to her chest. "Lucy comes too."

In the car, Ophelia sat quietly in the back seat, her fingers constantly stroking the doll's face. I turned to look at her and asked, "Have you and Lucy been friends for a long time?"

Ophelia smiled and nodded. "She's my guardian," she replied, her voice sounding as if it came from somewhere far away.

I noticed Rhett's knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel harder. I knew how difficult this was for him—watching his brilliant, vibrant mother trapped in the shadows of her past.

When we arrived at the cemetery on the outskirts of Boston, Kenneth Hayes's tombstone stood solemn and dignified—black marble engraved with his name and the dates that marked his time on earth. Ophelia seemed indifferent to our surroundings, holding her doll and occasionally whispering things only she understood.

Rhett placed a bouquet of white calla lilies on the grave and stood in silence. I remained beside him, unsure what comfort I could offer. A light rain began to fall, as if heaven itself were shedding tears.

"It was Darren, wasn't it?" I finally gathered the courage to ask the question that had been lingering in my mind. "He killed your father?"

Rhett turned to me, raindrops sliding down his face. He nodded. "Yes. I've confirmed it."

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"My father discovered what was really happening with the Hope Heaven Charity." Rhett's voice was cold and hard. "It wasn't just a money laundering operation—they were involved in human trafficking and illegal organ trading. He had evidence and compiled a list of everyone involved."

"And then?"

"They found out." A flash of pain crossed Rhett's eyes. "He hid the evidence, but they got to him anyway. I wasn't in Boston then. By the time I returned, it was too late."

I took his hand, feeling how cold his fingers had become. "The list and evidence..."

"Gone." Rhett laughed bitterly. "My father hid them too well—even I couldn't find them. What's the point of hiding something so thoroughly that it can never be used to bring justice?"

I could feel the complexity of Rhett's emotions. His father had sent him away at age seven—there must be lingering resentment. Now that he knew the truth, he would need time to process everything.

Just then, Ophelia let out a small cry. We turned to see her crouched by a nearby shrub, her doll caught on a branch, the fabric torn.

"Lucy! Lucy's hurt!" she called out frantically.

I hurried over and carefully freed the doll from the branch. As I examined the tear, something black peeked out from inside. Cautiously, I reached in and pulled out a USB drive.

I looked up at Rhett in surprise. His expression transformed from confusion to shock to understanding. He walked over and took the drive, holding it in his palm thoughtfully.

"So that's where it was," he said softly, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "My father hid the evidence in the one place no one would think to look—in the doll of a mentally ill woman. They would never suspect."

I looked at Ophelia, who was watching us with suddenly clear eyes. "He said Lucy would protect our secret," she said before her gaze clouded over again as she stroked her damaged doll.

I helped Ophelia fix the doll as best I could, smoothing the tear. "Don't worry, we'll get Lucy properly repaired when we get back."

Rhett clutched the USB drive tightly. "Better late than never. Those bastards have been arrested, but they haven't been convicted yet. This," he held up the drive, "might be the final nail in their coffins."

We had Jack take Ophelia back to Pine Grove while we headed directly to the police station. Police Commissioner Andrew Wellington—Claudia's father—met with us personally. His expression grew increasingly grave as he viewed the contents of the USB drive.

"This evidence is damning," Commissioner Wellington said. "It's enough to put them away for life. Kenneth was a brave man to document all this. He paid the ultimate price for exposing them."

Night had fallen by the time we left the station. In the car, Rhett was silent, but I could feel the tension that had been coiled inside him for years beginning to unwind.

"It's over," I said softly as we drove home. "Your father can rest in peace now."

Rhett nodded. "Yes, but in some ways, it's just beginning." He glanced at me. "The Hayes family needs to rebuild. I need to clean up the mess Darren and his associates left behind."

"We'll face it together," I said firmly.

Back at Oakridge Estate, exhaustion caught up with us. After hot showers, we lay in bed, Rhett's arms around me, his heartbeat strong and steady against my back.

"You know," I said quietly, "I never imagined I would become... this."

"Become what?" His fingers gently combed through my hair.

"So dependent on someone. So... in love with someone." I looked up into his eyes, usually cold but now filled with tenderness.

"Neither did I," he kissed my forehead. "Until I met you, I never knew I could care about someone this much."

We lay in comfortable silence, savoring this rare moment of peace. Then, gathering my courage, I asked with warming cheeks, "Rhett, do you think... we could have a baby? A real one—not for any contract or family obligation, just for us?"

His gaze deepened as his fingers traced my cheek. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I've never been more certain of anything."

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, his eyes shining with something I'd never seen before. "Then, Mrs. Hayes, I believe we should start trying."

He leaned down and kissed me deeply, his arms encircling my waist. I felt his warmth, his strength, his love. When he lifted me into his arms and carried me toward the bathroom, I knew that whatever lay in our past, our futures were now irrevocably intertwined.

And this time, we were both willing participants in the journey ahead.

The end.