Three Years In Chains, A Lifetime Of Vengeance

Cold air swept across the corner where I settled beneath a streetlight after ending the call. The wind struck my face again and again, yet the ache pressing against my chest hurt far worse than the chill.

A sudden buzz came from the phone inside my bag. I pulled it out and saw a message from a number I didn't recognize. "Ms. Brown, this is Martin Ford. I'm Mr. Smith's driver. I'll arrive in about ten minutes to pick you up, so please stay where you are."

My fingers tightened around the phone while I stared at the glowing screen. The words blurred as emotion rushed through me, and tears began to slide down my face.

Since the day I was sent to prison, no one had shown me even the smallest bit of care. That short message felt like a faint light pushing through the darkness ahead of me.

Ten minutes later, a sleek black luxury car rolled to a stop beside the curb where I waited.

The driver stepped out and walked toward me. "Excuse me," he said politely, "are you Ms. Brown?"

"Yes," I answered with a small nod.

"My name is Martin," he said while opening the car door for me. "Please come inside."

Warm air surrounded me the moment I entered the car. The comfort inside felt completely different from the freezing wind outside, and the soft leather seat beneath me felt unfamiliar.

Martin reached over and passed me a blanket. "Mr. Smith asked me to make sure you're taken care of during the ride."

I pulled the blanket around my shoulders and lowered my voice. "Thank you."

The car moved quietly through the city streets while lights from Christmas decorations drifted past the window. As I stared outside, Michael's face kept appearing in my thoughts. Sofia followed. Lily's small face came after them.

Every time Lily crossed my mind, a heavy pain pressed harder against my chest. The thought of what she might have gone through made it difficult to breathe.

Around thirty minutes later, the car turned into Maple Villa Complex. Silence surrounded the neighborhood, and every mansion along the road showed the kind of wealth only the richest people in Kregan could afford. The car finally came to a stop in front of a grand mansion.

Martin stepped out first and opened the door for me. "We're here," he said. "Mr. Smith is waiting for you inside."

I stepped out of the car and followed Martin as he led me through the entrance of the mansion.

Near the entrance stood a Christmas tree glowing with strings of lights, quietly announcing that the holiday season was almost here.

A dull ache spread through my chest. Without Lily by my side, the coming Christmas promised nothing but silence and loneliness.

Warm light filled the living room, and the space felt both elegant and welcoming.

Seated on the sofa was an elderly man with silver hair and bright, alert eyes. He held a newspaper in his hands, but the moment he noticed me stepping inside, he folded it and placed it aside. He rose quickly and walked over before pulling me into a gentle embrace. "Anna, I'm really glad you came."

That man was Bale.

Years had passed since I last saw him, yet he looked almost the same. Time had only left a few deeper lines around his eyes.

"Mr. Smith," I said softly, standing there without knowing how to respond.

"Come and sit," Bale said while motioning toward the seat beside him. "I've heard quite a bit about what you've been through. Word reached me that you stepped in to help several people while you were in prison. Seems like you're still the same kind person I remember."

A faint, bitter smile crossed my face when he brought up prison. "Anyone in my place would've done the same."

Bale slowly shook his head. "That's not true," he said firmly. "What you did came from your kindness and your courage." His gaze rested on me with clear admiration. "You once saved my life, Anna. I've carried that with me all these years. Now that you're the one facing trouble, I won't stand by and do nothing."

My attention drifted toward the coffee table, where an old newspaper lay open. The headline immediately caught my eye. It reported on the car accident that I had been blamed for, and the photo beside the article showed my lawyer and me leaving the courthouse after the trial.

The sight of that newspaper stirred something inside me.

I began telling Bale everything that had happened after my release. I explained how Michael forced me to take the blame years ago, and I told him what I had recently learned about Lily.

Tears kept falling while I spoke. Every piece of pain and anger I had held inside for so long finally poured out.

Throughout my story, Bale remained silent and attentive. From time to time, he reached out and gave me a comforting hug, and the sympathy in his expression never faded.

"This is unbelievable. Michael and Sofia have no conscience at all. People like them are nothing but monsters." His hand struck the armrest of the sofa as his voice rose.

He looked straight at me and spoke with firm certainty. "You don't have to face this alone, Anna. I'll stand with you until the truth comes out. Lily deserves justice, and I won't let her death be meaningless. What they did to you won't go unanswered."

Uncertainty pressed heavily on me as I met his gaze. "Mr. Smith, what am I supposed to do now?" I asked quietly. "I walked out of prison with nothing, and everyone sees me as a criminal. Someone like me can't fight people like them."

"Your time in prison doesn't define the person you are," Bale said calmly. "And even if the past left scars, a person can rebuild who they are."

His eyes stayed on mine as he continued, "Starting today, this house will be your home. Stay here with me. I'll arrange proper training so you can grow stronger in every way. While you focus on that, I'll send people to dig into Michael and Sofia's actions. We will gather every piece of proof we can find. And there's someone else you should reach out to. Jack is one of the best lawyers I know. He handled your case before. If you contact him again, I believe he'll help you."

The name caught me off guard. "Jack?" I repeated in surprise.

Back then, Jack had tried to lower my sentence and kept asking me to tell him the truth, yet I refused him. I trusted Michael at the time, and because of that blind faith, I pushed Jack away.

Bale gave a small nod. "Yes, Jack. His ability in court is remarkable." After a brief pause, he spoke again. "Anna, if you're willing, remain here for the time being. Use this place to recover your strength. Take time to adjust to a new life. When the moment arrives, you'll be ready for what lies ahead."

Later that night, I lay on a wide bed inside the mansion's guest room. The mattress felt unbelievably soft beneath me. After years of sleeping on a narrow prison bunk, the contrast felt almost unreal.

Sleep refused to come.

Thoughts of Lily kept returning, and the memory of my little angel would not leave me.

I held the word puzzle box and slowly turned it from one side to the other in my hands. As I moved it, a small piece of cardboard suddenly slipped out from inside.