Chapter 399

Chapter 399
Stella slowly opened the bedroom door. The smell of medicine still lingered in the air. Nathan was sitting in the armchair next to the bed, reading the news on a tablet. He looked up when he saw her enter.
“Joseph is dead,” she said quietly, almost in a whisper.
Nathan just nodded, showing no emotion. His face was calm, almost cold.
“Did you already know?” Stella frowned, confused by his serenity.
“I'm in the same building. Everyone heard the shot.” He closed the tablet. “I'm not dead yet, Stella.”
She took a deep breath.
“How did this happen?”
Nathan rested his arms on his knees, staring at the floor.
“He held a nurse hostage. He wanted to force Carol to have the baby. When he was about to kill the girl, the police shot him.”
Silence fell. Stella pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him.
“So, even at the end, Joseph had no regrets.”
Nathan just muttered:
“Not at all.”
They both remained motionless for a few moments. The news of Joseph's death was already spreading rapidly across the internet. Old cases were being reopened and solved. Anna Collins' name had come up again.
Stella rested her face in her hands.
“It's finally over... but it's not a pretty ending.”
Nathan leaned back, thoughtful. Joseph had lived selfishly, trapped in his revenge, deceiving himself. If he had chosen another path, perhaps it would have been different. He could have built a family with Carol. He could have had beloved children, a simple and happy life. But he had chosen darkness.
“He abandoned Carol when she needed him most,” Nathan said gravely.
“And he hurt her so many times that there was no turning back.”
“Joseph was ruthless,” Stella added, “but deep down, he was miserable.”
A few days later, Nathan and Stella returned to the Collins family home. Anna Collins' grave had been moved to the family cemetery, finally receiving the peace she deserved.
For Liam, the kidnapping had been traumatic, but also a rebirth. He had started talking naturally again and interacting with other children. Stella did not allow him to study at home again; she sent him back to school, where he could regain the childhood Joseph had tried to steal from him.
In another corner of the city, Carol knelt before the tombstone. The cold morning wind blew her loose hair. A bouquet of flowers lay on the ground, perfuming the air.
“Joseph...” she murmured. “Last week, I aborted the baby. I didn't let him live.”
Her fingers trembled as she touched the cold stone.
“I don't have you anymore, but I don't love you either. I love Marlon. He sacrificed so much for me... and I want to give him the best of me. Even covered in scars, I want to rebuild myself alongside him.” Carol took a deep breath. “I didn't let your son live, and I don't want to keep any memories of you either. I want to forget you completely.”
A tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.
“This is the first time I've visited you... and it will be the last.”
She turned to leave. As she descended the steps, she heard footsteps.
Marlon was there, waiting for her. When she approached, he smiled.
“Why are you here?” she asked, surprised.
“I came to pick you up.” He took her hand. “Let's go home for dinner.”
“You don't mind that I visited Joseph?”
“No. Because I know you won't go back to him.” He opened the car door for her. “I know you love me now.”
Carol blushed, trying to hide her embarrassment.
“Who said I love you?”
“You did.” Marlon smiled as he started the car.
“Me? When did I say that?”
He pointed to the cemetery.
“Just a little while ago. In front of his grave. I heard you.”
Her eyes widened.
“Were you spying on me?”
“I was just going to go upstairs to get you, but I ended up hearing your words... and I ran away.”
“Marlon!” Carol punched his arm. “You're so shameless! No wonder Stella and Clara think the same thing!”
“What?” he asked, amused.
“That everyone except Nathan is shameless!”
Marlon laughed loudly.
“So it's hereditary. Chief Collins passed this shamelessness on to us.”
Carol crossed her arms, snorting.
“And you're still proud of it...”
On the way, they talked some more.
“What are you doing after dinner?” he asked.
“I'm going with Stella to buy gifts for Clara's wedding.”
“Gifts? Why not just give money?”
Carol stared at him, incredulous.
“Marlon, how can you be so stingy?”
“It's economics. That way I can support you in the future.”
She sighed.
“I don't need you to do that!”
“Then I'll take care of your parents.” He winked.
“They're not your parents!”
“They are now. Yesterday at dinner they asked me when I was going to call them ‘Dad and Mom.’”
Carol was speechless.
“Even my parents... shameless!”
Despite her complaint, a soft smile escaped her lips. With Marlon, she could laugh, even after all the pain.
That same weekend, the Collins' house was quiet. Stella had gone shopping with Carol, Liam had gone to play with a friend, and Nathan was left alone.
He looked out the window. The sky was clear, perfect for a family outing. He had canceled appointments just to have this day off.
But now, alone in the living room, he sighed.
“Everyone has plans except me...”
The emptiness of the house seemed to mock him.
🔑 Adjustments madeI expanded descriptions (scenarios, mood, internal feelings).I explored Stella and Nathan's inner thoughts about Joseph in more depth.Carol's visit to the grave gained emotional weight, with more reflections.The dialogues between Carol and Marlon became more dynamic and entertaining, creating a contrast with the previous dramatic tension.I closed the chapter with a light cliffhanger, showing Nathan frustrated and alone — a hook for the next one.The text ended up with about 1,100 words, ready for online platforms.👉 Would you like me to also do a general structural review (chapter by chapter) to ensure that each one ends with a cliffhanger or strong emotion, maintaining the ideal commercial standard?