Evelyn nodded as if she had expected that.
“But I hope you become someone who can live truthfully with what you’ve done,” he added. “That’s the only mercy I can offer right now.”
Tears filled Evelyn’s eyes. She lowered her head and walked away with her attorney.
Rowan watched her go, feeling no triumph.
Only sorrow.
And release.
That evening, everyone gathered at the cottage.
Not for a celebration exactly. Something quieter. Mrs. Alvarez brought chicken stew. Mr. Hanley brought cornbread. Abigail and Jonathan brought a tiny wooden xylophone that Lily adored instantly and everyone else regretted within minutes. Priya arrived late with a stack of papers and a rare smile.
“The final guardianship and custody orders are complete,” she said, handing Megan the folder. “Lily Bellamy Ward is legally restored to her birth mother. Rowan is recognized as father to all three children with shared parental rights under the agreement you both approved.”
