Nobody in Boston looked Dominic Moretti in the eye. It wasn't written on a sign, and it wasn't announced at staff meetings.

Word count: ~1,500 words

Two days after the siege at Brookline, Anna sat in the small living room of her mother’s south side apartment.

The room was filled with warm afternoon sunlight. Evelyn Harper was sitting in her armchair, no longer looking like a broken ghost hiding from her past. On the coffee table in front of her sat a secure satellite phone, blinking softly with an incoming video call.

Anna reached out and pressed Accept.

The screen flickered, revealing the grand, sunlit foyer of the Moretti estate. But it looked different now. The cold, intimidating aura was gone. Fresh flowers sat on the mahogany console tables, and sunlight poured through the open front doors.

Standing in front of the camera were Dominic and Leo.

Leo was holding up a bright yellow rubber duck, grinning ear to ear.

“Grandma Evelyn!” Leo shouted happily into the camera lens, holding the toy up high. “Look! We got ducks now!”

Evelyn covered her mouth with her trembling hands, tears streaming down her wrinkled cheeks as a choked, joyous laugh escaped her lips. She leaned toward the screen, her voice breaking with emotion.

“Hello, my sweet boy,” Evelyn whispered. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you.”

Dominic stepped closer to the camera, his dark eyes meeting Anna’s through the screen. There was no hesitation left between them, no walls, and no hidden secrets.

“Evelyn,” Dominic said gently. “The federal protective detail is cleared. Your medical debt is entirely wiped clean, and our legal team has officially exonerated your name from every false charge my family ever pinned on you. You can come home anytime you’re ready.”