Chapter 20
1009words
There was no city hustle, no scheming of the celebrity social circles, only endless coastlines and honest fishermen. We rented a wooden cabin facing the sea, where we could hear the sound of waves every morning when we woke up.
Julian quit his job at the Los Angeles hospital and became a general practitioner at the community clinic in town. I became the librarian. These ordinary identities gave me unprecedented peace—no one knew Elira Vance, no one knew about my past revenge story.
Here, I was just Julian's girlfriend, an ordinary woman who would haggle over grocery prices and get frustrated when the bread was burnt.
"Do you regret it?" Julian suddenly asked me one Saturday afternoon while we were preparing dinner together in the kitchen.
"Regret what?" I was cutting onions, tears blurring my vision.
"Giving up everything you could have had. Fame, power, status in high society." He embraced me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder, "Living this ordinary life with me."
I put down the knife and turned to face him. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window onto his face, casting golden light in his eyes. This man was once the only light in my dark world, and now he had become the warmest haven in my ordinary life.
"Julian, do you know what I truly possessed before?" I reached out to caress his cheek, "Hatred, anger, and endless emptiness. Those were never what I wanted."
He kissed my palm. "And now?"
"Now I have things I never dared to hope for before." I stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed his lips, "Inner peace, and you."
After dinner, we walked on the beach as usual. The sun was setting, painting the sky orange-red. Julian suddenly stopped, gazing at the distant horizon.
"Ella, there's something I've never told you." His voice was soft, almost scattered by the sea breeze.
I turned to look at him and found his expression had become serious and pained.
"What is it?"
"About my father's death." He took a deep breath, "The person who killed him... he's still alive. In prison."
I looked at him in surprise. During the time we'd known each other, Julian rarely mentioned his father. I knew it was the deepest wound in his heart, just like my school experiences were for me.
"He..." Julian's voice was trembling, "he has been writing to me. From prison. Describing in detail how he killed my father, mocking me as a coward, saying I would never dare to face him."
"My God, Julian." I held his hand, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because I was afraid." He smiled bitterly, "I was afraid you would see the cowardice deep inside me. I was afraid you would discover that I'm just like you, tormented by hatred."
I understood. This was why he understood my desire for revenge so well, why he was willing to be my "accomplice." The darkness in his heart was as deep as mine, he just chose to hide it.
"You want to see him." I said, not as a question, but as a statement.
Julian nodded. "Not for revenge, but for... closure. I need to face my fear, just as you face your hatred."
I remained silent for a long time, watching the waves wash over the beach again and again. Three months ago, Julian saved me, and now it was my turn.
"When?" I asked.
"Are you willing to go with me?" Surprise and hope flashed in his eyes.
I didn't answer, but instead held his hand tightly, looking at him with a tender gaze full of strength that I had never shown before.
"Julian, in the past, you were my light in the darkness." My voice was firm and clear. "Now, it's my turn to be your light. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, I'll be with you."
Tears welled up in Julian's eyes. He pulled me into his arms, embracing me tightly.
"Thank you," he whispered in my ear, "thank you for not leaving me."
"I will never leave you," I hugged him back, feeling the trembling of his body, "We've already been through hell, now it's time for us to walk toward heaven together."
A month later, we stood at the entrance of San Quentin State Prison. Julian's hands were trembling slightly, and I held them tighter.
"Are you ready?" I asked him.
He looked at me, with fear in his eyes, but even more determination. "With you by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."
We walked into the prison hand in hand. Whatever awaited us ahead, we would face it together. This time, it was my turn to be his strength, his support, his light.
When we walked out of the prison, it was already evening. Julian's face was pale, but there was a peaceful relief in his eyes.
"How do you feel?" I asked him.
"Relieved," he squeezed my hand. "For the first time, I feel truly relieved."
We walked along a path bathed in golden sunset, heading toward where we had parked. The distant mountains stretched layer upon layer, like staircases leading to heaven.
"Where do we go now?" Julian asked me.
"Home," I said, "back to our home."
"And then?"
I stopped walking, turned to look at him, with the sunlight behind us outlining the silhouettes of two embracing figures.
"And then we live well," I stood on tiptoe to kiss him, "For all the beautiful experiences we once thought we'd never have the chance to enjoy."
Julian smiled, the most innocent and brightest smile I had ever seen.
"I love you, Elira Vance."
"I love you too, Julian Davenport."
Hand in hand, we walked toward the distance. Our future might still hold shadows, but as long as we have each other by our side, we have the courage to walk toward dawn.
In the fading light of sunset, two souls who had emerged from hell finally found their redemption.
