Chapter 11 - THE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
Spring arrived with a sense of profound renewal.
The wedding was small, held in the sprawling gardens of the Russo estate. No press. No politicians. Just family.
I wore a simple, elegant lace gown. My mother, entirely healthy and beaming with pride, walked me down the aisle.
Dominic stood at the altar, looking incredibly handsome in a classic black tuxedo.
As I took his hand, I looked out at the small crowd.
Anthony stood beside his wife, holding little Roberta. Margaret and Silvia sat together in the front row, holding hands, two women who had finally found peace after decades of sorrow.
And in a specially designed, comfortable chair adorned with white roses, Dominic’s mother sat watching us, dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief.
The ceremony was perfect.
Later that evening, as the reception hummed with laughter and music, Dominic pulled me away from the crowd.
We walked into his private study.
He walked over to his desk and picked up a silver picture frame.
He handed it to me.
It was a vintage photograph, recently restored.
It was the picture of Dominic, Robert, Margaret, and Dr. Kane.
But it had been altered.
Dominic had hired a professional archivist to digitally remove Dr. Kane from the image. In his place, the archivist had seamlessly blended the background.
It was just the three siblings. Young, smiling, and unbroken.
“I gave copies to Margaret and Silvia,” Dominic said softly, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. “I wanted them to remember Robert without the monster who took him.”
I leaned back against his chest, tracing the glass over Robert’s smiling face.
“It’s beautiful, Dominic.”
“We’re rewriting the history of this family, Sarah,” he murmured, kissing the curve of my neck. “No more secrets. No more ghosts.”
I turned around in his arms, resting my hands on his lapels.
“Speaking of rewriting history,” I smiled, looking up at him with a twinkle in my eye. “I have a confession.”
Dominic raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“I broke another rule tonight.”
He chuckled, a deep, rich sound that I loved.
“Which one?”
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“I told Anthony he could have an extra slice of wedding cake, even though it’s not on his heart-healthy diet plan.”
Dominic laughed out loud, sweeping me up into his arms and spinning me around the study.
