I buried my face against his shoulder and let myself cry, not the desperate, panicked tears I'd shed so many times before, but tears of relief. Of vindication, of a decade's worth of self-condemnation finally lifting from my shoulders.
"What do we do now?" I asked when I could speak again.
"I'm going to make copies of everything, the video, the photos from Oliver's phone, all of it. Then we're going to the police to make sure Brandy can't hurt anyone else the way she hurt your family."
"And finally get justice." For the first time since we'd been sent back, I felt like we were exactly where we were supposed to be.
"And finally get justice," he repeated, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "For Leo. For you. For all of us."
CHAPTER 51
Kyle
I gathered allthe evidence we had and saved it onto a flash drive, from the video of what happened last night to the screenshots of Oliver and Florence's messages, Brandy’s threats, and the videos Oliver recorded. I placed his phone in a plastic bag, and then Lily and I decided to rest for a few hours before heading to the police station. We both needed time to process everything and prepare for what was coming.
All the events and the video from that night kept replaying in my head like a horror movie I couldn't turn off.
From the moment I'd seen the damage to Lily's car that morning, I'd suspected Brandy's involvement. Why would she have wanted to blame Lily for what had happened? Would it have been a way to get revenge on Leo for cheating on her?
I knew I had my own problems to deal with, so I decided to clear my mind and think about my next moves. I knew going to the police meant I'd face consequences for my own actions that night. I'd beaten Oliver severely, and that was going to require some explaining. The recording would also raise questions about why I'd set up surveillance in thefirst place.
But seeing Oliver attack Lily on camera would make it clear that every punch I'd thrown had been in defense of someone I loved. That had to count for something.
That afternoon, we drove to the police station with our parents. Technically, we were already adults and didn't need guardians present, but having their support felt like the right thing to do, especially since our relationship was better than ever.
I took Lily's hand as we walked up the steps to the station, squeezing her fingers gently. "Everything's going to be okay," I whispered. "This time, we're going to get justice."
She squeezed back, and I could feel some of the tension leave her shoulders.
After what felt like hours waiting, it was finally our turn. I went first to talk to the detective.
I told him everything I knew. That Oliver had threatened Lily, saying the next time he found her alone, she'd regret it. That I'd gone to protect her because I couldn't stand the thought of him hurting her. I explained about Brandy being there, how she'd tried to stop me from defending Lily because she was also looking for some kind of revenge I didn't know about, and how she decided to end Oliver’s life later.
The detective took notes, asked clarifying questions, and watched the footage I'd provided with an increasingly grim expression. And then, everything was over.
Despite having beaten Oliver bloody, there were no charges filed against me because it was self-defense and defense of another person. The video made it clear that Lily had been in imminent danger.
A few hours later, we were all standing outside the station. Lily had already given her statement, and there were nocharges or consequences. It was simply the start of a real investigation into what actually happened that night. The police also planned to talk to more students about Florence’s inappropriate relationships with other minors so they could build a stronger case.
We went to dinner afterward, even though none of us were really hungry. But our parents decided we needed to eat because we needed strength for what was coming in the next weeks, and we agreed.
When we finished eating, I told my parents I wanted to stay with the Danaults for the rest of the evening to make sure Lily and her family were okay.
"When did you get so mature?" My mom asked me, looking at me proudly.
"I don't know," I responded honestly. And it was true, this experience had transformed me in ways I was still discovering.
She pulled me into a hug, and then we all left.
Later that night, as I sat with Lily on her back porch watching the stars, I found myself thinking about justice. Real justice, not the kind that comes from revenge or anger, but the kind that comes only when the truth finally sees the light.
For ten years, we'd all been carrying lies. Leo was locked away for something he didn't do. Lily blamed herself for a death that was never her fault. Me living a false reality.
The truth doesn't erase the past, but it has a way of shifting the ground beneath you. Slowly, painfully, it pushes things into place. Florence and Brandy would finally answer for what they had done, the murder and the secrets they kept. And Leo would finally get to breathe again, to live the life that had been stolen from him.
Justice doesn't always come fast. But sooner or later, it comes.
CHAPTER 52
