Chapter 944: Closure
Chapter 944: Closure
Mia awoke to the soft trill of her phone, the morning light filtering through the curtains in delicate streams.
A sleepy smile tugged at her lips as she reached over to pick up the call, her heart lifting when she saw Jeff's name on the screen.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," Jeff's voice greeted her, his tone light and teasing.
"Morning," Mia responded, stretching languidly beneath the sheets.
She felt more alive today, the weight of the past seeming a little lighter. It seemed to her that every day she woke up in her parent's house without a worry about Henry, she felt better than the last.
"Slept well?" Jeff asked as he listened to her yawn.
"Too well. You?"
"Same here."
"What's going on over there? Any news from Shawn yet?" Mia asked since that was the only thing still bothering her. She wanted Jeff to leave there.
"Nothing much is going on. But we're expecting Shawn at the house by noon. Margaret and Mika are talking about quitting. I think I'll just naturally tender my resignation as well. That way it won't be suspicious," Jeff replied.
"Well, I can't wait for you to get out of there. It's been two weeks already," Mia said with a sigh.
"I'll be out soon," Jeff assured her. "What about you? Any plans for the day?" He asked with
interest.
Mia hesitated, biting her lip. "Actually, I was thinking of going to the hospital to see Henry." There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before Jeff's voice returned, tinged with concern. "To see Henry? Mia, why would you want to do that?"
"I've been thinking about it," she admitted, her gaze wandering to the ceiling as she considered her words. "I want to see him- not as the powerful, terrifying man who tormented my life, but as a frail, helpless human. I want to face him one last time, to close that chapter for good."
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Jeff's voice was soft, full of worry for her well-being.
"Yes," Mia replied firmly, a resolve settling over her. "I'll be fine. I need to do this. I've been thinking about it for over a week now."
"Alright," Jeff conceded, though she could hear the reluctance in his voice. "Just...be careful, okay?" He said though she could tell he was still uneasy about it.
"I will," Mia promised, feeling a warmth in her chest at his concern. "Thanks, Jeff." "I've been meaning to ask you, how is it going with the divorce? Has it been finalized?"
"Yes. I was going to tell you about it last night but I didn't get the chance. Thanks to Shawn's influence, and the fact that Henry had asked his lawyer to hasten the process before now, it was approved yesterday," Mia said happily.
"Well, congratulations are in order," Jeff said and Mia giggled.
"Yeah. When you get out of there, we will definitely celebrate. And just so you know, I finished reading the novel," Mia said with a grin.
"Oh, you did? Tell me about it," Jeff drawled and she giggled.
"Unfortunately I can't tell you right now. I have to start my day. But we will talk later," Mia said and Jeff chuckled.
"Alright. Have a good day. Let me know when you're free. Without my bosses, I have a lot of spare time," Jeff said and Mia giggled.
"Sure, I will. Be good," Mia said before hanging up.
After ending the call, Mia lay in bed for a few moments, thinking about the last two weeks since Henry's accident.
Shawn had done exactly all he had said he was going to do. He had held a press conference and had both exposed and condemned all of Henry's wrongdoings and he had gone as far as compensating every one of Henry's victims, including her parents, and he had asked that anybody else with a complaint against Henry should reach out to him for compensation. He had helped her fast-track the divorce process and even though she had asked him not to, he had made sure to ask the lawyer to make sure she got half of all Henry owned as compensation.
After the court approved their divorce, she had finally made up her mind to go see Henry one last time. The decision to go see him wasn't one she'd made lightly, but now that she had gotten permission from Shawn and it was set, she felt a strange sense of calm.
She threw off the covers and made her way to the bathroom. As she stood under the warm spray of the shower, she felt the water wash away the remnants of her fears, leaving her with a renewed sense of purpose. Today was a day for closure.
Once she was done, she spent a little more time than usual picking out her clothes. She chose a dress that made her feel good, something vibrant and colorful, something that spoke of her newfound lightness. She applied her makeup with care, her reflection staring back at her with a confidence she hadn't felt in a long time.
As she descended the stairs, she saw her mother in the kitchen, humming as she prepared breakfast.
Since she returned home, she still couldn't get used to the sight of her mother preparing a meal or cleaning. Often times she found herself feeling guilty that she had been the reason Henry came into their lives.
Growing up there had been domestic staff around the house to take care of all the cooking and cleaning, but after Henry ruined her father's business, her mother had been forced to step up. Maria looked up when she noticed Mia's presence, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of her daughter's cheerful demeanor.
"You look really nice today," her mother commented, a smile spreading across her face. "Where are you off to?"
"It's a nice day, so I thought I'd go out for a bit," Mia replied with a lightness that made her mother's smile widen.
She knew telling her mother that she was going to see Henry would make her worry and she would most likely try to discourage her from doing so.
"I'm glad to see you like this, honey. It's been a while," her mother said, giving her an affectionate pat on the arm.
Mia smiled, "I'll see you later, Mom."
"Let's have breakfast before you leave," Her mother said and Mia sat down to eat with her
mother.
The drive to the hospital after breakfast was accompanied by the upbeat tunes of a song she hadn't listened to in ages. Mia found herself singing along, the music weaving through her like a balm, easing away any last traces of apprehension. Her fingers tapped along to the rhythm of the steering wheel, and she couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration as she neared the hospital. Today, she was totally reclaiming her power.
The hospital was quiet when she arrived, the usual hum of activity muted as the day's shift change began. Mia noticed the curious glances from the staff as she walked through the halls, their eyes widening as they recognized her.
She wasn't surprised; after all, she had been Mrs. Rosewood not too long ago. But today, she was simply Vanessa, and the only person she wanted to see was lying helpless in one of these
rooms.
When she reached Henry's room, two police officers stood guard by the door. They eyed her warily, but when she introduced herself, they stepped aside, allowing her entry.
The door creaked open, and Mia stepped inside, her heart pounding in her chest, though not with fear- this was something else, something different.
Henry lay on the bed, his body a mere shadow of the man he had once been. He looked so
small, so vulnerable.
Mia walked closer, her steps slow and deliberate, and without disturbing his sleep, she sat down and watched him sleep.
She didn't know how long she sat there, but after some time his eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, they locked onto hers before he turned his face away, unable to bear the sight of her. She didn't say anything at first, just sat there, watching him. There was no satisfaction in seeing him like this, no twisted pleasure in his suffering. It was simply... sad. After a few moments, Henry turned back to look at her, his expression a mix of bitterness and defeat. Mia held his gaze, and a smile- soft and tinged with a hint of pity- curved her lips. "How are you doing?" she asked, her voice gentle, though she knew he wouldn't answer.
She paused, taking in the sight of the man who had once loomed so large in her life. He seemed so insignificant now, so utterly defeated.
"I didn't come here for an apology, Henry. I don't need it. I heard you haven't spoken a word
since, so I don't expect to hear anything from you either," she continued, her voice steady. "I came to watch you, the way someone watches a caged animal in the zoo. But unfortunately, you're less interesting than an animal, you know that?"
His eyes flickered with something- maybe anger, maybe shame — but he said nothing.
"I hope you live long enough to pay for all your evil deeds," Mia said, her tone devoid of
malice. It was simply a statement of fact. "Because even death would be too merciful for
you."
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With that, Mia rose and walked away, not looking back as she left the room. She felt lighter as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was done. She was done.
Her next stop was Tyler's clinic.
The drive to Tyler's clinic was accompanied by a different kind of music, something softer,
more introspective. Mia found herself lost in thought, reflecting on the strange journey that had brought her to this point. She had faced her past, faced the man who had once held such power over her, and she had walked away, free.
When she arrived at the clinic, the receptionist recognized her immediately and called Tyler
to inform him of her arrival.
"Mia?" Tyler's voice was filled with surprise when he appeared in the waiting room. "I wasn't expecting you. What brings you here?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something," Mia replied, her voice steady. "Can we go to your
office?" Tyler nodded, leading her down the hallway to the privacy of his office. Once inside, he gestured for her to sit, and Mia sat down.
"Before you say anything, I'd like to apologize once again..."
"Don't," Mia said with a shake of her head, "That's not why I came. And honestly, as much as
I was upset with you, I'm glad it all worked out. You sort of pushed me out of my comfort zone. I'm finally really free from Henry because instead of hiding, I finally found the courage to ask for help and face him," Mia said, and Tyler nodded.
"I've been following the news. I also saw the interview you did. I'm glad you're fine," he said,
and she smiled.
"About the reason I'm here. I was wondering," she began, her voice quieter now, more vulnerable, "if there's anything you can do about the scars on my back."
Tyler's brow furrowed in concern. "May I see them?"
Mia hesitated for a moment before nodding. She rose and then turned around to unzip the
back of her dress, letting it open just enough to reveal the network of scars that marred her
skin.
Tyler's breath hitched slightly as he took in the sight. He had heard about the scars, of course, but seeing them in person was different.
He picked up his gloves and slid them on before running his hands over the scars with her
permission.
"I can work on them," Tyler said after a moment, his voice soft. "But I can't promise you that your back will be smooth as new. It won't be. The scars will always be there, just... less
prominent." "That's all I want," Mia replied, her voice steady. "I don't need them to disappear. I just want them to be less... ugly. I just want to know I did something about them."
Tyler nodded, stepping back to give her space. "I can do that. We'll start with a consultation
and then move forward with the treatment plan."
"Thank you," Mia said, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over her. She zipped up her dress and
turned to face him, a small smile on her lips.
"You've been through so much, Mia," Tyler said, his voice filled with quiet admiration. "But you're still standing."
Mia smiled, "I am," she agreed. "And I'm going to keep moving forward."
"That's good to know. I'm happy for you," Tyler said, feeling genuinely glad that Mia had
survived Henry, since he knew he would never have been able to forgive himself had
something happened to her.
*****
Quick Announcement. I'm sorry, every one. Contrary to what I planned, I've been adviced by my editor to start Jamal's story as a stand-alone and fresh story. OWN will be ending at chapter 1000. I'm going to start Jamal's story immediately it ends. I hope you support me and add it up in your library. Thanks.