CHAPTER 10: THE CONFRONTATION
Celeste was transferred to a different prison after she testified against Nathan. I received a letter from her two weeks after his sentencing.
Sarah,
I know you have no reason to believe me, but I'm sorry for what I did. I was jealous of you. Jealous of your family, your money, your happiness. I wanted what you had. And I was willing to destroy you to get it.
I was wrong.
I know you'll never forgive me. But I want you to know that I'm trying to be better. I'm going to therapy. I'm working on myself. And I hope that someday, you can find it in your heart to let go of the anger.
I don't deserve your forgiveness.
But I'm asking for it anyway.
I read the letter three times.
Then I put it down and went for a walk.
Because I didn't know how to feel.
Part of me was angry. Part of me was sad. Part of me was relieved.
But none of that mattered.
Because the woman who had laughed while I was whipped was in prison.
And I was out here.
Free.
Alive.
Moving forward.
I never wrote back to Celeste.
I never visited her.
I just let the silence be my answer.
May you like
Because some things couldn't be forgiven.
And some things didn't need to be.
