Chapter 293: ~ 292
Chapter 292
~Franklin~
We were finally back home. The ride back had been completely silent. Octavia carefully gave Lael some baby medicine just to be absolutely safe and keep her comfortable. We knew we were still going to have the doctor check her for a full, official checkup later, but for now, our little girl needed to rest.
Now, the bedroom was entirely quiet. Both Octavia and Lael were fast asleep. Lael was sleeping right between us in the middle of the mattress, looking so small and so incredibly innocent.
I lay awake, propped up on one elbow, staring down at my wife and my daughter. I could not sleep. My mind was spinning with everything Maria had yelled at us in that dark warehouse.
The truth about my parents was finally out. For years, I believed their deaths were just a terrible, tragic accident on a rainy night. It was shocking and deeply unsettling to realize that Maria’s hatred ran so deep she could actually pay someone to cut their brakes and steal them away from me.
But as I looked at the gentle rise and fall of Octavia’s chest, the anger in my heart began to melt. My parents were gone, and nothing could change that, but I was happy. I was happy because my own family was safe. She could not hurt us anymore.
The morning moved slowly. Around eight o’clock, there was a soft knock on the bedroom door. It was Olga. She quietly stepped inside, carrying a large tray filled with warm breakfast, fresh eggs, toast, and hot tea. She gave me a small smile as she set the tray down on the small table near the window.
A few minutes later, Grandpa Frederick also checked in. He leaned his head through the doorway just to see Lael with his own eyes. He didn’t say a word. He just closed his eyes, let out a long, shaky breath and nodded at me before closing the door to let us rest. Everyone in this house had been so worried.
Octavia stirred beside me, her long eyelashes fluttering open as the scent of the breakfast filled the room. She immediately reached out her hand to touch Lael, making sure our baby was still there.
"Hey," I whispered softly, leaning over to brush a strand of dark hair away from her face. "We are home. She is safe."
"I know," Octavia murmured. Her voice was small, rough from sleep and the tears of the night before. She sat up slowly, pulling the thick duvet around her shoulders. She looked at the breakfast tray and then at Lael, trying to smile.
But I knew her too well. I could see the tightness around her eyes and the way her fingers twitched against the blanket. I was sure Octavia was still trying to process everything that had happened.
She was hiding the fact that she was deeply traumatized, putting on a brave face because she was a mother. She was trying to be strong for everyone else, but I knew she was hurting inside. I needed to talk to her. I needed her to know she didn’t have to carry the weight alone.
"Octavia, look at me," I said gently, taking her hand in mine. Her palm was cold. "You don’t have to be the strong one right now. What you did last night... walking into that trap alone to save our daughter... it was the bravest thing I have ever seen. But it is okay to be scared now. It is okay to let it out."
A small, sad tear slipped down her cheek, breaking through her calm mask. "I just keep seeing her there, Franklin. I keep thinking about what would have happened if the sniper missed by an inch."
"But he didn’t miss," I reminded her, squeezing her hand tightly. "We caught her. Lael is right here. We are going to get through this together, I promise."
Later in the morning, after Octavia had eaten a little bit of toast and settled back down with the baby, I stood up and walked out of the main house. I headed down the stone path toward the guest house to find Flynn.
When I pushed the door open, the room was cold and quiet. Flynn was standing by the bed, his left arm still locked in the cast. With his one good hand, he was trying to zip up a small duffel bag. He was packed and completely ready to leave.
The moment he heard my footsteps, he froze. He looked up at me, his face filled with deep shame and embarrassment. He shrank back slightly, his shoulders hunched, clearly expecting me to yell at him, grab him by the collar, and throw him off my property for good.
Instead, I walked into the room and sat down on the wooden chair across from him. I didn’t raise my voice.
"Sit down, Flynn," I said calmly.
He blinked in surprise, slowly dropping his bag and sitting on the edge of the mattress. He wouldn’t look me in the eye. "Franklin... I’m so sorry. If I had known what she was planning—"
"I know you didn’t know," I interrupted him, my voice firm but kind. "You need to listen to me very carefully, Flynn. You are not your mother. You do not have to carry her sins or her madness for the rest of your life. What she did to you, using you as a decoy... it was monstrous. But it is over now."
Flynn’s lower lip trembled, a look of utter shock washing over his bruised face.
"The family protects its own," I continued, leaning forward. "You came here under a lie, yes, but at the end of the day, you helped us save Lael. You gave us the blueprints. Because of that, we are going to help you. My lawyers are already working to clear your name from whatever illegal thing she tied you to."
I paused, looking at his bare wrist where the tracking bracelet used to be. "But you have to do something for yourself now, Flynn. I am pushing you to call Victoria. Right now. You need to come clean and tell her the truth about why you left, why you broke her heart, and the threats your mother made against her family. You need to be honest with her so you can heal together."
Hearing Victoria’s name was the final breaking point for him. Flynn completely broke down. He covered his face with his good hand, great, wracking sobs tearing out of his chest. But these weren’t tears of terror like the night before; they were tears of pure relief. The heavy chains his mother had wrapped around his soul for his entire life were finally breaking. He was finally realizing that he was free.
By the afternoon, the family doctor had arrived at the mansion to check up on Lael and Octavia. We all gathered in the quiet bedroom as the doctor carefully examined our baby girl, checking her breathing, her reflexes, and making sure the cold warehouse air hadn’t made her sick.
"Well, Franklin, Octavia," the doctor smiled, gently wrapping Lael back up in her warm onesie. "Physically, your daughter is doing absolutely fine. She is a strong little girl, perfectly healthy."
I let out a long breath, feeling a massive wave of relief. "Thank you, Doctor."
The doctor turned his attention to my wife, his expression becoming a bit more serious. He noticed the pale shade of her skin and the slight tremble in her hands. "However, Octavia, you know I cannot just check on the baby. Last night was an incredibly traumatic experience. You are still very shaken up, and your stress levels are running far too high for a new mother."
Octavia tried to protest, waving her hand. "I’m fine, really. I just need some coffee."
"No coffee," the doctor countered with a warm but strict tone. "I am recommending total, adequate rest. No stress, and no leaving this bed for the next forty-eight hours. Your body and your mind need time to realize the danger has passed. Mr Flemington, make sure she obeys orders."
"With pleasure, Doctor," I smiled, walking the man to the door and thanking him again.
When I came back to the bed, the room felt warm, safe, and completely peaceful. The nightmare was truly behind us. I crawled into the bed beside Octavia, carefully sandwiching our beautiful baby girl right between us. Lael moved slightly, stretching her tiny arms before reaching out and locking her small, warm fingers tightly around my thumb.
I looked across the pillows at Octavia. I leaned over, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against her lips, and then pulled her close, wrapping my large arms around both her and our daughter in a tight, protective hug.