Chapter 7
The wedding ended before midnight.
Not ceremonially.
Privately.
Marina removed her ring.
Placed it on my desk.
She did not ask whether we could repair things.
Maybe because she already knew.
“I love you.”
I believed her.
That hurt more.
“I know.”
“Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
Her face cracked.
Then:
“But I cannot be married to someone who put my mother in a cage to buy three hours.”
No argument.
Good.
Love remained.
Marriage did not.
We slept in different wings.
Morning brought consequences.
Sabine called Marina six times.
She ignored them.
Seventh call, she answered on speaker.
Sabine’s voice was warm.
“How did it go?”
Marina stared at me.
Then Mother.
Finally:
“He’s alive.”
Silence.
That silence changed everything.
Sabine knew.
Marina’s face emptied.
“You knew.”
Sabine recovered quickly.
“Who told you?”
Wrong question.
Not is he?
Who told you?
Marina whispered:
“You knew my father survived.”
Sabine hung up.
There.
No need for confession.
The lie had finally exposed itself.
Then Mother said:
“Find her.”
I looked at Marina.
“Do you want that?”
“Yes.”
Not revenge.
At least not in her face.
Answers.
Good.
We found Sabine at a private country property by afternoon.
May you like
She did not run.
People who believe their motives are righteous rarely do.
