Chapter 13 - THE HOUSE I BUILT AGAIN
Six months later, our lives were completely different.
Elena opened her own small design business.
I invested carefully.
No extravagant parties.
No unnecessary luxury.
I wanted something my father never had.
Peace.
Julian started school again.
His teachers said he was brilliant.
But he still hated eating alone.
So every morning, I sat beside him at breakfast.
One morning, he asked:
“Why do you always watch me eat?”
I smiled.
“Because I like seeing you happy.”
He didn't understand.
One day he would.
My mother remained in contact through letters.
At first, I didn't respond.
Then Elena encouraged me.
“She made terrible choices.”
“I know.”
“But she's still his grandmother.”
I looked at Julian.
He missed her.
Eventually, I allowed supervised visits.
My mother cried the first time she saw him.
She hugged him.
“I missed you.”
Julian looked at her.
“Why did you let me be hungry?”
My mother froze.
I almost interrupted.
But she answered.
“Because I was selfish.”
Julian frowned.
“That's bad.”
“Yes.”
“Are you sorry?”
“Yes.”
He thought for a moment.
“Then don't do it again.”
My mother broke down.
I turned away.
Some wounds don't disappear.
They simply stop controlling your life.
Victoria also changed.
She got a job.
Paid restitution.
And slowly rebuilt her life.
She never asked me for money.
That mattered.
One afternoon, she came to my house.
She handed me a folder.
“What is this?”
“Something I found.”
Inside was another document from my father.
A letter.
This one addressed to me.
It said:
Son,
If you ever recover the trust, don't become obsessed with protecting the money.
Money attracts people.
Character keeps them.
Choose your family carefully.
Blood is not proof of loyalty.
I read the letter twice.
Then I looked at Victoria.
“You changed.”
“So did you.”
“How?”
“You stopped believing that being a good son meant tolerating everything.”
Her words stayed with me.
That evening, I took Elena and Julian to the beach.
We watched the sunset.
Julian ran through the sand.
Elena rested her head against my shoulder.
“I never thought we'd get here.”
“Neither did I.”
She looked at me.
“Do you regret going overseas?”
I thought about it.
“Yes.”
Then I shook my head.
“No.”
She frowned.
“How can both be true?”
“I regret missing five years.”
I kissed her forehead.
“But I don't regret trying to build a better life.”
She smiled.
“You did.”
I looked at Julian.
He was laughing.
“Not alone.”
She squeezed my hand.
“No.”
“Never again.”
But then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.”
He paused.
“Actually, there is one thing.”
“What?”
“We found another account.”
My heart sank.
“How much?”
He said:
“It's not about money.”
“Then what?”
“A name.”
“What name?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Your father's.”
I stared at the ocean.
“What about him?”
“The account was opened one month before his death.”
“And?”
“There was a deposit.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand dollars.”
“That isn't significant.”
“No.”
Daniel's voice became serious.
“The recipient was your mother.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
I looked at Elena.
May you like
The past wasn't finished with us.
Not yet.
