In it, he apologized for his failures, for the pain I endured at the hands of the family he could not control. He spoke of his pride in my independence, my integrity, and my courage to pursue my own path, even when it led away from him. It was a small redemption, but it was enough.
It confirmed what I had suspected after that call from the nurse: my father had loved me, in his flawed, silent way. As I left the office, Vivien’s anger was a storm raging impotently behind me. I stepped into the light of the afternoon, free from the shadows of my past.
My path was clear, guided by my mother’s words and my father’s final act of love. I was Lucian Carter, and I would never doubt my worth again.
