The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era [BL]

But as she listened to her father's voice crack with regret and Tommy's guilt-laden apology, she realized she wasn't as healed as she believed. There was still hurt, still wounds that hadn't fully closed. She had told herself that what had happened didn't matter anymore. She had a new life, a life she had fought to build, a life full of love and happiness.

And yet, hearing the words she had longed for back then, she felt a deep, old ache resurface. The pain she thought had faded was still there, buried beneath layers of time.

She glanced at her father. His face was heavy with guilt, etched with lines that told the story of a man who had lived with regret for far too long. She looked at Tommy, her brother, who had stood by and let it all happen. For so many years, she had waited for them to acknowledge what they had done, but when she walked away from that life, she thought she no longer needed it.

Yet here it was, the closure she hadn't known she was missing.

It wasn't anger that filled her now; that had long since burned out. But there was still sorrow—a deep sense of loss for what could have been. For the years she spent apart from them, for the family that had shattered and never fully pieced itself back together. Their apologies didn't undo the past. They didn't erase the betrayal or the danger she had been placed in.

They couldn't give back the time she lost. But in this moment, they gave her something she hadn't expected—a way to finally let go.

As her father spoke, she realized that this conversation wasn't about forgiveness for them—it was about peace for herself. She had been carrying the weight of that betrayal for so long, even when she thought she had let it go. Hearing them own their mistakes, hearing their regret, didn't erase the past, but it allowed her to face it.

She wasn't sure if full forgiveness would come today, or even ever, but she knew one thing for certain: she didn't want to carry this hurt anymore. She had made a beautiful life, one filled with love, and that life deserved all of her. For years, a small part of her heart had been locked away with the pain of the past. Today, hearing their apologies, she could feel that lock begin to loosen.

Emmy took a deep breath, feeling lighter, as if some of the burden she'd carried for so long had been lifted. This wasn't about absolving them completely—it was about allowing herself to be free. Free from the resentment, from the shadows of what happened. She could see the weight they carried too, and in that moment, she realized they were all just people trying to find a way forward.

She wasn't ready to say everything was okay, because it wasn't. But she was ready to start moving past it for real this time. Not just because she had to, but because she wanted to. For herself, for her family, and for the future she had worked so hard to create.

Emmy took a deep breath, her gaze soft but steady as she spoke. "I can't forget what happened," she began, her voice calm. "But I think I'm ready to move forward. And if you're ready too, maybe we can find a way to be part of each other's lives again."

As Emmaline's words hung in the air, Anthony's shoulders visibly sagged, a breath he didn't know he was holding finally escaping him. His eyes, still clouded with guilt, softened with a glimmer of hope. It wasn't complete forgiveness, but it was more than he ever thought he'd receive. He gave a small nod, his lips pressed together, as if afraid to speak and break the moment.

Thomas looked down, his hands fidgeting in his lap. He blinked a few times, trying to process what she had said. Relief washed over him, though it was still tinged with the lingering guilt. He swallowed hard, knowing they still had a long way to go, but feeling grateful for even the smallest step toward reconciliation.

Casey, standing a little off to the side, had tears brimming in his eyes. Unlike the others, he didn't hold back. Emmy's words were what he'd needed to hear—what he'd been waiting for without realizing it. Without a word, he walked over to her, his emotions spilling over as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. He buried his face in her shoulder, the tears finally falling freely.

"I'm so glad, so, so glad," Casey whispered, his voice cracking. "Thank you for being alive, Emmy. Truly."

-----

As the Grimaldi family made their peace, one particular pair remained anything but at peace.

After Wulfric was pulled aside by Aster's father, he expected to be taken to a private room where the man would express his disapproval of his courtship with his son. Instead, he found himself led to a vast, open field.

He looked around the open field, noticing the tall grass swaying lightly in the breeze. Wildflowers dotted the landscape, and a few distant trees stood alone under the clear blue sky. They were now quite a distance away from the Townsend's house.

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"Um, Uncle, can I ask why we're here?" he finally couldn't resist asking.

The other looked at Wulfric and smiled. A smile that definitely didn't reach his one good eye. Wulfric suddenly had a bad feeling after seeing that.