Harrison slowly opened his eyes, feeling the soft warmth of the bed around him. But as he turned to his side, he noticed something was missing. Emma wasn’t there. His heart skipped a beat. Where could she be?
He rubbed his eyes and sat up, glancing around the room. She wasn’t on the other side of the bed, and the house felt unusually quiet. His mind raced as he pushed the covers off and got out of bed. Maybe she was in the sitting room or downstairs. He quickly walked out of the room, his steps light, as he looked for her.
As he made his way down the hallway, he could hear voices coming from the sitting room. It sounded like Emma, Rachel, and Ethan. Harrison’s heart lifted a little at the sound of their voices. He smiled to himself, glad they were all together. It meant everything was okay.
When he reached the sitting room, he stopped in the doorway. There, sitting together on the couch, were Emma, Rachel, Ethan, and the maid who had been helping with Ethan. They were all talking and laughing. The atmosphere felt light, the kind of feeling he hadn’t experienced in a while. Their smiles were genuine, and their eyes were full of joy.
Emma spotted him as soon as he entered. Her face lit up with excitement. “Harrison!” she called, rushing toward him. Her eyes were bright with happiness, and she almost couldn’t contain her excitement. “You won’t believe the news!”
Harrison raised an eyebrow, curious. “What’s going on, Emma?” He smiled, taking her hand as she reached him. She was practically glowing with excitement, and it made his heart swell. He had never seen her so happy.
“Mr. Blackwood,” Emma began, her voice shaking with excitement. “He’s been caught. They finally caught him trying to run away from the country. It’s all over the news! He won’t be able to hurt anyone anymore.”
Harrison’s eyes widened, and a rush of relief flooded through him. It had been a long time coming. The man who had caused so much pain and suffering in their lives was finally being held accountable. Harrison didn’t even know how to express how good it felt to hear that.
“That’s amazing!” Harrison said, pulling Emma into a tight hug. He couldn’t hide his joy, either. The fear they had lived with for so long, the dark shadow of Mr. Blackwood, was finally gone. For the first time in ages, they could breathe easy. “You’re right, Emma. We’re finally free.”
Ethan, who had been sitting on Rachel’s lap, raised his little hand excitedly. “Mama, look! We can play now! We don’t have to be scared!”
Emma smiled down at Ethan, bending down to give him a hug. “Yes, baby. We can play, and we don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
Rachel, who had been quiet until now, stood up and came over to Harrison and Emma. “I can’t believe it,” she said softly. “It feels like a dream. We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”
Harrison looked around the room, his gaze landing on each of them. They all seemed to share in the relief and happiness of the news. It was as if a weight had been lifted from everyone’s shoulders. Finally, they could live their lives without fear.
But as the excitement settled, a thought crossed Harrison’s mind. He looked at Emma, his face growing serious. “Emma, I think I need to go to the station. I want to see it for myself. I need to look at Mr. Blackwood and make sure he knows he’s never going to hurt you again.”
Emma’s eyes widened slightly, but she understood what he meant. Harrison had been holding onto his anger toward Mr. Blackwood for a long time. The man had hurt Emma, and it had caused so much pain in their lives. Harrison had never been able to fully forgive him, and now, with the news of his capture, Harrison felt like he needed to see the man face to face.
“I understand,” Emma said softly. “You need to do this.”
Rachel, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up. “Are you sure, Harrison? It could be dangerous.”
Harrison nodded, his jaw clenched. “I’m not going to do anything reckless. I just want to look him in the eye. He’s ruined too many lives, and I want him to know that his time is up.”
Emma placed a hand on his arm, her expression soft. “Just be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Harrison smiled at her, his eyes filled with determination. “I will. I promise.”
He turned to leave the room, but before he did, he paused and looked back at them. “I’ll be back soon. You all stay here. We’re safe now, and that’s all that matters.”
Rachel nodded, her face full of support. “We’ll be waiting here. Be careful, Harrison.”
Harrison left the room, his mind focused on the task ahead. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to confront Mr. Blackwood in person. The man who had caused so much damage in their lives needed to know that he was no longer in control. Harrison would make sure of that.
As he drove to the police station, his thoughts swirled. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but he knew he needed to do this. It wasn’t just for Emma; it was for himself, too. He needed closure. He needed to feel like he had done everything he could to make sure that man could never hurt anyone again.
When he arrived at the station, he walked inside, his steps confident but measured. The officers at the front desk looked up at him, recognizing him immediately. “Mr. Harrison, what brings you here today?”
“I need to see Mr. Blackwood,” Harrison said firmly. “I need to speak with him.”
The officer hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Of course. Please follow me.”
As Harrison walked down the hall to the holding cells, he couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation. This was it. The man who had haunted his thoughts, who had threatened his family, was about to be face to face with him.
When they reached the cell, Harrison stood in front of it, looking through the bars at Mr. Blackwood. The man was sitting on the small cot in the corner, looking up at him with cold, lifeless eyes.
Harrison’s voice was low and steady. “Why? Why did you kill my parents? Why did you destroy my life?”
Mr. Blackwood’s expression didn’t change. He simply stared at Harrison, his lips curling into a cold smile. But Harrison wasn’t going to back down. He needed answers.
“I want to know why you did it,” Harrison pressed, his voice growing stronger. “You took everything from me. Why?”
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Blackwood spoke, his voice cold and devoid of remorse. “Your parents were just in the way. They wouldn’t have given me what I wanted. I didn’t need them, and neither did you.”
The words hit Harrison like a punch in the gut. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The man was remorseless, even after everything he had done. But hearing those words confirmed what Harrison already knew-the man had been driven by greed and power, and nothing more.
“You’re pathetic,” Harrison said quietly, his voice filled with disgust. “You’ll never hurt anyone again. You’ve lost.”
He turned away from the cell and walked out of the station, the weight of the conversation sinking in. It was over. Harrison didn’t need to hear any more. He had the closure he needed. The nightmare was truly over.
Now, he could finally focus on the future, on building a life with Emma and Ethan, a life free from fear.