Epilogue
Two years.
It had been two years since Aaron Cole was wheeled into a psychiatric facility and locked behind reinforced glass, his voice muffled by medication and disbelief.
Two years since the verdict came down — guilty on all counts.
Two years since Jessie walked out of that courtroom with clean hands and a carefully curated smile, leaving behind the ghosts of her own creation.
Now, she stood barefoot in the soft Oregon grass behind their modest home, her hands resting lightly on her belly. Seven months pregnant. She could feel the life inside her shift, a gentle roll like waves beneath her skin.
It was... strange.
She never thought she’d carry anything but secrets.
Inside, Levi was cooking. He hummed along to an old song on the radio, off-key, just loud enough for Jessi
