At that moment, I felt a presence behind me.
I turned around, and there was David.
‘You should put the phone down, Rachel,’ he said.
His expression was not his usual kind and loving one.
It was cold and impassive, like that of a completely different person.
‘David,’ I said, my voice trembling.
‘Were you listening?’
He walked slowly towards me.
‘Yes, I heard everything.’
I took a step back.
‘Is it true? Everything Michael said… is it all true?’
David’s expression twisted into a smirk.
His eyes looked at me without any kindness.
“Yes, it’s true.
Everything went according to plan.
I never loved you.
Not once.”
From start to finish, it was all a game.
Tears streamed down my face.
‘Then this child…’ I held my stomach.
“
A child?” David said dismissively.
To be honest, I don’t care.
My goal was to take everything away from Michael.
To take you, to take his happiness, to make him suffer.
This is my revenge.
‘Why?’ I cried.
Why did you drag me into this?
‘Because you were the most important thing to him,’ David said, his voice full of venom.
That’s why I took you away.
That’s all.
I saw the nurse call button on the wall.
I had to press it.
But before I could move, David grabbed my wrist.
‘What are you going to do?’
‘Let go!’ I screamed.
At that moment, I heard footsteps coming from the end of the corridor.
‘Police! Everyone stay where you are!’
David’s grip loosened.
Several police officers ran up and pinned him down.
He didn’t resist, just smiled that cold, empty smile.
Michael came with them too.
‘Rachel, are you okay?’ he rushed over.
I collapsed in tears, and he held me.
“Everything’s fine now.
It’s all over.
David, in handcuffs, looked at me one last time.
“I don’t regret it, Rachel.
I made him suffer.
That’s enough for me.
The police took him away.
After that, everything came to light.
The evidence Michael had gathered was convincing: analysis of the fake photo, recordings of David’s stalking, even a notebook with detailed plans for revenge.
David was charged with fraud and violation of the stalking law.
At the trial, he spoke of his deep hatred for Michael, but in the end he quietly admitted, “This revenge was pointless.
It was empty.”
He was sentenced to five years in prison and given a permanent restraining order.
Several months passed.
I was holding my son in my arms when I met Michael at a café.
He looked tenderly at my little one.
“I’m sorry, Rachel.
It was all my fault.
I shook my head.
“You tried to make amends for your mistakes.
That’s enough.”
Michael took my hand.
‘Can we… try again? Slowly, gradually.’
I looked at him with different eyes.
This man had also suffered because of the past.
He had made mistakes, but he had tried to make amends.
‘It will take time,’ I said.
But I’ll think about it.
Michael smiled, then looked at my son.
‘Can I raise this child as my own?’
‘Even if you’re not related by blood?’ I asked.
“Family isn’t about blood.
Family is about love,” Michael said.
I can love this child.
I can love you too.
Isn’t that enough?
My son grabbed Michael’s finger, his little hand holding the big one.
Maybe someday we can be a family again.
For the first time in a long time, it seemed possible.
Outside the window, the spring sun was shining.
A new season was beginning…