Chapter 6 - The Kiss She Chose
The investigation moved slowly.
Feelings did not.
Zoe hated the inconvenience of that.
Daniel's evidence convinced Norah that Zoe's conviction could potentially be challenged. Sabine arranged independent counsel so nobody could later claim Ferrante influence had compromised the process.
Alaric paid nothing.
Zoe insisted.
He accepted.
That, too, mattered.
She continued working.
Not because Alaric required it.
Because routine steadied her.
Then one Tuesday morning, Karen Ferrante walked into the linen room.
“Come upstairs.”
Zoe followed.
Karen led her to a small sitting room overlooking the bay.
“You are not particularly good at housekeeping.”
Zoe blinked.
“Thank you?”
“Maggie says you have improved.”
“That sounds more like her.”
Karen poured tea.
“My younger son sleeps more.”
Zoe became still.
“Reese needs a licensed therapist.”
“He has one now.”
Zoe smiled.
Karen had listened too.
“Good.”
Karen studied her.
“My older son sleeps more as well.”
Zoe nearly choked on tea.
“I don't think I'm qualified to discuss that.”
“I wasn't asking.”
For the first time, Zoe understood exactly where Alaric had inherited his terrifying conversational style.
Karen continued.
“Alaric has spent most of his adult life believing usefulness is the same thing as love.”
Zoe said nothing.
“I taught him some of that,” Karen admitted.
The confession seemed expensive.
“Why tell me?”
“Because you appear to have the opposite problem.”
Zoe frowned.
“You believe needing anyone is dangerous.”
That landed too close.
Karen stood.
“I have no advice. People my age give too much of it.”
She walked toward the door.
Then paused.
“Celeste is not marrying my son.”
Zoe stared.
“I didn't ask.”
“No. You merely look at her like a woman calculating how difficult it would be to hide a body.”
Karen left.
Zoe sat alone for several seconds.
Then laughed until tears came.
That evening, she found Alaric on the dock.
Autumn had sharpened the air.
He wore a dark sweater with his sleeves pushed up.
“How's your hand?”
“Healed.”
“Show me.”
He held it out.
The cut had closed.
Zoe traced the faint pink line with one finger.
Alaric watched her.
“You're doing that deliberately.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She lifted her eyes.
“I'm deciding something.”
He waited.
Zoe stepped closer.
Then she kissed him.
It was brief.
Soft.
Almost cautious.
When she pulled back, Alaric looked genuinely stunned.
“You said not yet.”
“That was 12 days ago.”
“I've been counting.”
She smiled.
“I suspected.”
“May I—”
“Yes.”
His second kiss was still gentle, but no longer surprised.
His hand touched her waist.
Zoe felt the old instinct to retreat.
He sensed it immediately and stopped.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“Just learning.”
“So am I.”
That answer undid her.
She rested her forehead against his.
“No promises,” she whispered.
“No promises.”
“No saving me.”
“No.”
“No deciding what I need.”
“No.”
“And if this becomes complicated?”
“It already is.”
She laughed.
He kissed her forehead.
For 2 weeks, happiness arrived in small, almost embarrassing forms.
Coffee left outside Zoe's door because Alaric learned she hated conversation before 7.
Zoe replacing the terrible protein bars in his desk with actual food.
Reese loudly complaining that the house had become “emotionally disgusting.”
Iris collecting $40 from a betting pool because she had predicted the first kiss would happen before Thanksgiving.
Even Celeste participated.
She sent Zoe a message containing only:
FINALLY.
But happiness did not erase the past.
One afternoon, Daniel asked to see Zoe.
She agreed to meet in Sabine's office.
He looked thinner.
“I heard about Ferrante.”
Zoe stiffened.
“From whom?”
“Providence talks.”
“That isn't your concern.”
“I know.”
Daniel looked down.
Then said something she had not expected.
“I loved you.”
Zoe closed her eyes.
“Don't.”
“I did.”
“You framed me.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to use love as an explanation.”
“I'm not. I'm telling you because I finally understand loving someone doesn't mean you're good for them.”
Zoe looked at him.
For once, Daniel seemed to expect nothing.
“I was a coward,” he said. “And you paid for it.”
“Yes.”
“I am sorry.”
“I know.”
“Can you forgive me?”
Zoe considered.
“Someday.”
Hope flickered.
She stopped it.
“But forgiveness won't bring us back.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
This time, she believed him.
When Zoe returned to the mansion, Alaric was waiting in the kitchen.
He didn't ask what Daniel had said.
Zoe put down her purse.
Then walked into his arms.
“I said goodbye.”
Alaric held her.
Nothing more.
Later that night, Sabine called.
Federal investigators had verified Daniel's files.
They had also found something nobody expected.
Victor Hale's shell company had transferred money not only through Harrowgate.
It had moved millions through Ferrante Maritime vendors.
Emil had not merely helped frame Zoe.
May you like
He had been stealing from his own family for years.
And now he knew Daniel had talked.
