Chapter 9 - The Last BurnNews of Evelyn’s arrest hit the front pages by the following morning: “Disgraced Socialite Arrested in Acid Attack on Hero Ex-Daughter-in-Law.”
The final shred of sympathy for the Vance family vanished completely.
Inside the police station, Daniel sat in the interrogation waiting room, his head buried in his hands. A detective walked out, tossing a folder onto the metal table.
"Your mother is being held without bond, Mr. Vance," the detective said coldly. "Given the evidence, the video security footage from the studio, and the chemical analysis of the liquid, she’s looking at twelve to fifteen years in state prison."
Daniel didn't even cry. He felt completely hollowed out, like an empty shell that had been crushed into powder.
"Can I... can I see Rachel?" Daniel asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Mrs. Vance has a permanent order of protection against both you and your mother," the detective replied sternly. "If you go within five hundred feet of her, her studio, or her home, you will be arrested instantly. Go home, Mr. Vance."
Daniel walked out of the precinct into the biting Chicago wind. He had no car, no money, and now, no mother. He walked aimlessly through the snow for two hours until he found himself standing across the street from Phoenix Beauty Consulting.
He stayed on the opposite side of the avenue, standing behind a snow-covered light pole so he wouldn't violate the five-hundred-foot restriction.
Through the large, brightly lit glass windows of the studio, he saw Rachel.
She was wearing a warm cream sweater, her dark hair glowing under the studio lights. She was laughing—a real, vibrant, effortless laugh—as Julian Mercer handed her a cup of hot coffee. Julian leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. Rachel closed her eyes, smiling, and leaned into his touch with absolute trust and comfort.
They looked perfect together. Not because they were perfect, but because their love was built on truth, healing, and deep respect.
Daniel leaned against the cold metal light pole, tears freezing on his cheeks.
He remembered the night four months ago in their rental house kitchen. He remembered walking past the hot meal she had cooked for him with her one good hand. He remembered telling her she was imagining things. He remembered refusing to look at her bandaged face.
He had possessed the most loyal, loving, courageous woman in the world. A woman who literally walked through hell for him. And he had thrown her away because he was afraid of what superficial strangers would think of her scars.
Now, she was a thriving, successful, beloved woman, adored by a man who saw her true worth.
May you like
And he was a ghost standing in the snow, watching a warmth he would never feel again.
Daniel turned his back on the bright windows, shoved his hands into his empty pockets, and walked away into the dark, freezing night.
