I stayed in a small boarding house in a nearby town for several weeks, trying to process everything, and during that time I received a package from Eleanor containing annulment papers and a handwritten letter.
She did not try to excuse herself or ask for forgiveness, but instead admitted that she had returned to my life too late and in the worst possible way.
A few days later, one of her trusted associates contacted me with urgent news that Richard Caldwell had learned about my existence.
That night I noticed an unfamiliar vehicle parked outside for too long, and I realized the danger was real, so instead of calling Eleanor I called my father.
He arrived within an hour, and during the drive I asked him if he had ever regretted raising me knowing the truth.
He answered without hesitation that I was his son because he chose me every single day, and that answer gave me the strength to stop running.
I met Eleanor again at a secure location, where she looked exhausted and stripped of the composure that once defined her.