Chapter 9 - The Choice That Changed Everything
Sophia’s recorded interview lasted four hours.
Anna and Vincent listened from separate sides of the prosecutor’s conference room.
Sophia appeared on a monitor from federal custody.
For the first time since Anna had known her, she looked ordinary.
No designer dress.
No perfect makeup.
No confident smile.
Just a frightened woman facing consequences.
The prosecutor asked, “Why did you sabotage the aircraft?”
Sophia stared downward.
“I didn’t mean for it to explode.”
“You paid a mechanic to damage it.”
“To force an emergency landing.”
“Why?”
Sophia’s jaw tightened.
“Because I wanted Anna scared.”
Anna felt Vincent stiffen.
Sophia continued.
“She had everything.”
“What did you believe she had?”
“Vincent.”
The prosecutor leaned forward.
“You believed Vincent belonged to you?”
“He did once.”
“But he married Anna.”
Sophia looked toward the camera.
“He married the safe choice.”
Vincent muttered, “That’s a lie.”
Sophia almost seemed to hear him through time.
“I thought if there was a crisis, instinct would prove who he loved.”
Anna stopped breathing.
The prosecutor asked, “Explain.”
“I knew Vincent.”
Sophia’s eyes became distant.
“He always protected whoever looked most helpless.”
Anna understood before Sophia finished.
“So you panicked.”
Sophia nodded.
“I grabbed him. I screamed. I made him think I couldn’t get out alone.”
Vincent looked sick.
“You knew Anna was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“And you still manipulated Vincent into leaving her?”
Sophia whispered, “I thought he’d go back.”
Anna closed her eyes.
So had Vincent.
So had everyone.
Except the damaged aircraft.
The prosecutor continued.
“After the explosion, why did you conceal your involvement?”
Sophia started crying.
“Because Vincent was destroyed.”
“That didn’t stop you from stealing seven million dollars.”
Sophia said nothing.
“Did you forge his authorization?”
“Yes.”
“Did you interfere with the crash investigation?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Anna survived?”
Anna’s eyes snapped open.
Sophia hesitated.
Vincent stood.
The prosecutor repeated the question.
“Did you know Anna survived?”
Sophia whispered, “Not immediately.”
Vincent slammed both hands onto the table.
“What does that mean?”
Anna stared at the screen.
Sophia continued.
“About three weeks later, someone contacted me.”
“Who?”
“A hospital administrator.”
Anna went cold.
“They found paperwork connecting an unidentified patient to the crash.”
Vincent looked murderous.
“You knew.”
Sophia began sobbing.
“I was afraid.”
“You knew she was alive!”
Security moved closer to Vincent.
Anna grabbed his arm.
Not because she forgave him.
Because she needed him to hear the rest.
Sophia said, “I paid the administrator to destroy the inquiry.”
Anna felt the room tilt.
Three years.
Three years stolen.
Vincent looked as though someone had shot him.
“If you had told me…”
“I knew you’d go to her.”
Sophia cried harder.
“You would have left me.”
Vincent stared at the screen with absolute disgust.
“I was never yours.”
Sophia broke.
The interview ended shortly afterward.
Outside the courthouse, Anna stood beneath cold Chicago rain.
Vincent joined her.
Neither spoke for a while.
Finally he said, “Three weeks.”
Anna nodded.
“We could have found you after three weeks.”
“Yes.”
“I could have held Leo the day he was born.”
“Yes.”
His face twisted.
Anna expected rage.
Instead Vincent whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For giving Sophia enough access to believe she had a place in our marriage.”
Anna looked at him.
“For leaving you on that plane.”
Rain ran down his face.
“For every decision I made because I thought being powerful meant I always knew best.”
Anna’s eyes filled.
Vincent continued.
“I love you.”
She looked away.
“I never stopped.”
“Vincent…”
“I’m not asking you to say it back.”
He stepped away.
“I’m not even asking you to come home.”
Anna looked at him.
“What are you asking?”
Vincent smiled sadly.
“Let me earn tomorrow.”
And for the first time since she returned, Anna reached for his hand.
“Tomorrow,” she said.
“One day.”
Vincent closed his fingers around hers.
May you like
“One day.”
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