Opal discovered me sitting beside the window.
She quietly took a seat next to me.
“I used to think being strong meant not crying,” I confessed.
“Then you thought something foolish.”
I started laughing through my tears.
Opal smiled, and we embraced for the first time.
Two weeks later, attorneys representing Trevor and Monica submitted a formal settlement offer.
They increased the proposed amount to $130,000, provided I abandoned specified property claims and agreed not to pursue further action against them.
Helen explained that a private agreement couldn’t simply terminate a criminal investigation, although unfavorable provisions could seriously weaken my civil position.
She offered to examine possible counterterms.
“What do you want to do, Rebecca?”
I studied the proposal.
That money could have secured an apartment, a secondhand vehicle, and enough capital for a modest new business.
After years of incarceration, the promise of a quiet life was deeply appealing.
