Silent Boy [ENGLISH]

Epilogue

Six months later

"By a unanimous decision of the jury, the accused, Sebastian Carter, was found not guilty according to the stated counts of the criminal act," the monotonous voice of the girl in the jury sounded like the most beautiful song for Scarlett and Thomas. They stood up excitedly and welcomed each other with a hug. Scarlett still couldn't hug Thomas as hard as she wanted because the bullet wound after urgent surgery and few weeks spent in the hospital was still sensitive to touch.

Sebastian's face lit up and after so much time, she saw true happiness on his face for the first time. Relief. And unbelief that something beautiful is happening in his life after the death of his adoptive parent. Something he thought would never be possible. Something he thought he didn't deserve. He hugged his lawyer triumphantly and looked at Scarlett and Thomas, in whose arms Scarlett was waving as a sign of victory.

Finally, everything came to light and everyone was relieved of the huge burden that had been accumulating in them for months. George Wilson was a manipulative and sadistic sociopath, without a shred of emotion, capable of doing the worst things to his closest. He managed to manipulate Elizabeth Hallow, who worked at Second Chance because she had been madly in love with him for years. He said he would marry her one day and raise Sebastian together - the little damaged Sebastian who was so tormented in life and who needed love and security. Of course, she never even found out what atrocities he was really dealing with behind closed doors. He kept Sebastian in his abandoned cottage about thirty miles from his home; for that reason, no one even knew that he had a son at all - adopted or biological. As disgusting and monstrous as he was, there is no denying that he was extremely intelligent. He worked out each step in detail, in such detail that it passed for decades without consequences. Long before Sebastian was born. Unfortunately for him, he overlooked only one thing. Scarlett's desire to fight for justice.

Scarlett and Thomas stepped out of the courtroom, breathing in the fresh spring air. They had their backs turned when Sebastian approached them. He was dressed in a black suit and white shirt, giving him the look of a real man from black and white movies. He smiled shyly.

"I don't know what to tell you," he began. "I am immensely grateful to you for everything you have done for me. I don't even know how to thank you. "

"There's only one way to thank us," Thomas said. ''You are good man. You got a second chance to make up for everything someone else took from you years ago. Live life to the fullest. And live it as it should be. Never waste it. It's the only way to thank us," he placed a friendly hand on Sebastian's shoulder.

"I won't waste it," he said shortly. ''I promise.''

"I have to do something quickly," Thomas replied in vain. "I'll leave you alone."

He turned to Scarlett and winked at her. Scarlett could feel the redness running down her cheeks. After so many months, she was still not immune to his charm.

"I'm proud of you," she said to Sebastian with a smile.

"And I don't know what I would have done if your stubbornness hadn't been such a thorn in my eye," he laughed.

"Well, let's be happy we never find out."

"You know, all this seems like a dream to me," he said softly. It's almost as if he himself doesn't believe that all this is actually reality. "I constantly have the urge to pinch myself and expect to wake up in that glass hell and wait to see you again to stretch over your desire for justice."

Scarlett giggled.

"This is the reality. And you will have an amazing life. I know that," she said and approached him to wrap her arms around his neck. She inhaled the fresh scent of a breeze that mingled with the scent of birch. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, almost as if he never wanted to let go of her.

"I'm really glad I met you, Sebastian," she whispered into his shoulder. "You may not believe that, but you also changed my life. Although you yourself did not believe in a second chance and did not want any rapprochement, you taught me to let people into my life again. You taught me to live without shackles. "

At her words, his grip tightened further.

"You're a wonderful person, Scarlett Young," he said quietly. "You deserve the whole world."

They pulled away from the embrace and stared into each other's eyes.

"Know that I'm always there for you, whatever you need, okay? Always," he nodded silently at her words. "But let's move on to brighter topics. I'm going to cry," They both giggled, Sebastian a little more nervous than her. "What are you planning to do now?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," he shrugged at her question. "It's not like I have anyone."

"Well, I wouldn't agree with that," Thomas's voice came from behind them. He brought two people with him. ''Sebastian, I want you to meet someone. Better said, to meet them again. "

Sebastian's face stiffened; for a moment, he watched confusedly two silhouettes in front of him. Two people whose faces he tried to dig into his mind full of ugly memories. Then, his body stiffened, and a sign of recognition appeared on his face.

"These are Bianca and Nicolas Schmidt, Sebastian. Do you remember them? They adopted you," Bianca watched him on the verge of tears, while her husband held her hand to calm her, even though both hands were shaking.

"But how-" Sebastian began, stammering. He was still not aware of everything. He still didn't believe it. It seemed as if his mind could not sum up so many good things at once. Probably because from an early age he was programmed only for horrors.

"All these years they have suffered and wondered what happened to you. They tried to find you. You see, Sebastian, they never gave up on you as if George told you. The woman who led your case brought you back to orphanage in agreement with George. They never stopped thinking about you", Sebastian's eyes glazed over with tears, and there was a huge lump in his throat. "I pull some strings and now they are your legal adopters. They want you to come and live with them. "

"Really?"

"Really," Thomas replied. "Do you want to say hi to them?"

He nodded timidly and headed for them, but Bianca overtook him. ''My wonderful little boy. My beautiful little boy. Oh, Sebastian, how worried we were,'' she hugged and kissed him as tears streamed down their cheeks. Nicholas hugged them with trembling hands, still in disbelief to see his lost son. Nicholas Schmidt looked at Thomas and Scarlett and mouthed Thank you. Thomas smiled and nodded.

They separated from the Schmidt family, which after so many years was finally gathered. Thomas put his hand over her shoulders and so they walked in silence, with warmth in their chests and smiles on their faces.

"You're a wonderful man, Thomas Calligan," Scarlett said. "I really don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't flatter me so much, I'll start to blush,'' he replied with a smile, standing in front of her and stroking her cheek. "You taught me to fight for what I believe in. That's why I fell in love with you. You have a certain fire in you that I have not seen in anyone."

"You fell in love?'' She teased him with a smile, making him smile again.

"Yes," he said shortly. ''I love you, Scarlett Young. I love you in a way I never thought I would ever love you. "

"I love you too, Thomas Calligan," she laid her lips on his, and then they continued to walk as before. With smiles on their faces, even though they didn't say it, they both knew that Sebastian wasn't the only one whose life changed after all this. They realized that fate was a very strange thing; you never know how much it can intertwine and unite people's lives, in ways you can't even imagine.

To some people you will be an angel, and to others you will be a devil - it is up to you to decide.