Chapter 116 The Morning After The Truth
Lenora woke to the sound of voices downstairs.
For a moment, she stayed still, staring at the ceiling and trying to convince herself that the previous night had been some bizarre dream.
The blue file.
The DNA report.
Pamela’s confession.
Her mother’s past.
Her grandmother’s secrets.
The hockey boy standing beside her through all of it.
Unfortunately, reality was still very much real.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
One new message.
She smiled before she even opened it.
Hockey Boy: Are you awake?
A second message appeared before she could answer.
Hockey Boy: Your grandmother still scares me, but I’m willing to risk it if it means seeing you.
Lenora laughed softly and typed back.
Lenora: Come rescue me.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Hockey Boy: Already on my way.
Her heart did that ridiculous little flip again.
She got out of bed, pulled on an oversized hoodie, and tied her hair into a loose ponytail.
When she opened her bedroom door, the smell of coffee drifted upstairs.
Along with voices.
Tense voices.
Lenora headed down to the kitchen.
Her mother stood by the counter, looking exhausted.
Her father sat at the table with his coffee untouched.
The blue file rested between them like a third parent.
Her grandmother was nowhere in sight.
Lenora’s father looked up when she entered.
His expression softened.
“Morning, sweetheart.”
That simple phrase nearly broke her.
She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around him.
He hugged her tightly.
For a moment, neither said anything.
Then Lenora whispered, “You knew.”
He rested his chin lightly on her head.
“Yes.”
She pulled back enough to look at him.
“And you stayed.”
His eyes shone.
“There was never a question.”
Tears burned behind her eyes.
Her father cupped her face.
“You were mine before that test. You were mine after it. Nothing on a piece of paper could change that.”
Lenora let out a shaky breath and hugged him again.
Her mother wiped at her eyes and looked away.
A knock sounded at the front door.
Her father smiled faintly.
“That’ll be your rescue team.”
Lilibeth burst into the kitchen first without waiting to be invited.
Kylen followed.
The hockey boy came in last.
His gaze found Lenora immediately.
The room, the adults, the tension—none of it seemed to matter once he saw her.
He crossed the kitchen in three steps and pulled her into his arms.
No hesitation.
No awkwardness.
Just a warm, solid hug that made the rest of the world feel quieter.
Lenora buried her face in his chest for a second.
He kissed the top of her head.
“You okay?”
She looked up at him.
“Better now.”
Lilibeth pressed both hands to her heart.
“If you two keep doing this, I’m going to need medical attention.”
Kylen rolled his eyes.
“I’m surrounded by hopeless romantics.”
Lenora’s father cleared his throat.
The hockey boy reluctantly released her, though his hand remained at her waist.
Her father studied him for a moment.
Then he nodded once.
“Thank you for staying with her.”
The hockey boy met his gaze.
“There was nowhere else I wanted to be.”
Lenora’s cheeks warmed.
Lilibeth mouthed, I love him.
Her mother gestured to the chairs.
“Sit. All of you.”
Everyone crowded around the kitchen table.
Even in the middle of family chaos, the setup felt strangely comforting.
Like they were finally acting like a team.
Lenora’s mother opened the blue file.
“There’s one more thing you need to know.”
The room quieted instantly.
She removed an old photograph and slid it across the table.
It showed her mother and his father standing together outside a country club.
They looked young.
Happy.
Careless.
On the back was a handwritten date.
And a location.
Lenora frowned.
“This is the Lakeview Gala.”
Her mother nodded.
“The night everything changed.”
The hockey boy picked up the photo.
“My father still attends this event every year.”
Kylen sat up straighter.
“The gala is this weekend.”
Lilibeth’s eyes widened.
“Tell me we’re not skipping over that.”
Lenora’s mother gave a small, grim smile.
“We’re not.”
Her father leaned forward.
“Several people who were involved that night will be there.”
Her grandmother entered the kitchen just then, dressed impeccably as always.
“If you’re going to finish this,” she said, “you’ll do it there.”
Lenora turned.
“You want us to go?”
“I want this story buried properly or exposed completely,” her grandmother replied. “No more halfway measures.”
Pamela appeared behind her, carrying two coffees.
“I vote exposed completely.”
Lilibeth pointed at her.
“See? She’s growing on me.”
Pamela handed one coffee to the grandmother and took a seat.
“There are documents missing from the blue file.”
Lenora frowned.
“What documents?”
Pamela looked at the hockey boy.
“Letters your father sent after the DNA test.”
His expression hardened.
“Where are they?”
Pamela met Lenora’s eyes.
“My mother has them.”
Silence.
Lilibeth whispered, “Of course she does.”
Kylen groaned.
“This family tree is a horror movie.”
Pamela continued.
“If those letters are made public, they could destroy my parents’ marriage.”
The hockey boy looked down at the table.
“It may already be destroyed.”
Lenora squeezed his hand under the table.
He turned his palm and laced their fingers together.
Pamela sat back.
“My mother will be at the gala.”
Lenora felt a spark of determination rise.
“Then that’s where we get the letters.”
Her father raised an eyebrow.
“Do you hear yourself?”
Lilibeth grinned.
“She absolutely does.”
Kylen nodded reluctantly.
“This is a terrible idea.”
“Which means,” Lilibeth said, “we’re definitely doing it.”
The hockey boy looked at Lenora.
“You sure?”
She held his gaze.
“No.”
A smile tugged at his mouth.
“Good. I’d be worried if you were.”
He leaned in and kissed her softly.
Quick.
Sweet.
Enough to send warmth straight through her.
Her grandmother cleared her throat pointedly.
“Kindly save the kissing until after we survive the weekend.”
Lenora laughed.
The sound felt unfamiliar after so many weeks of tension.
But it also felt right.
For the first time, she knew exactly what came next.
The truth was no longer hidden in old files and anonymous messages.
It had a place.
A time.
A stage.
And everyone who had tried to bury it would be in the same room.
Lenora stood, still holding the hockey boy’s hand.
“Then we go to the gala.”
The hockey boy rose with her.
“Together.”
Pamela lifted her coffee.
“To family dysfunction.”
Lilibeth raised her orange juice.
“To drama.”
Kylen sighed and lifted his mug.
“To bad decisions.”
Her father smiled.
“To the truth.”
Lenora looked around the table.
At the people who had lied to her.
The people who had protected her.
The people who had become her chosen family.
Then she looked at the boy beside her.
The one who had stepped into the mess and stayed.
She squeezed his hand.
And this time, she wasn’t afraid of what came next.