Conflict of Heart

Epilogue

The main corridor of Markiron Penitentiary was still and quiet, the inmates locked away in their cells after lunch. A door to the far end opened, and the sound of rolling wheels was heard, thudding slightly against the tiled floor with each dip in the grout. Footsteps were barely comprehensible over the sound of the wheels, and Ryker's grip tightened on the handles of the wheelchair as he glanced around the empty corridor.

The head warden walked on ahead, wordlessly showing the way to go. They entered a room a short while later, and Ryker's teeth gritted in frustration as he looked at the glass divider. The warden left, and he looked down at the woman sitting in the wheelchair.

"You don't have to do this, you know. You don't owe him anything," he said, watching as her dark hair moved as she turned her head to look at him.

Isabella's chocolate eyes were guarded, but Ryker could see the fatigue weighing them down.

"I have to speak with him," she replied and looked ahead once more.

Ryker bit the inside of his cheek and pushed her forward until she was at one of the booths with perforated glass to allow sound to travel through.

"All right, but call me the second you don't feel comfortable. I'll be right outside."

"I will," she replied, not meeting his gaze.

He nodded and cast one lasting glance at her before leaving the room. The stillness of the visitation room allowed Isabella's mind to wander, and her thoughts trailed back in time to when her mother had finally opened her eyes. The family had been overjoyed to see her awake, but it had taken several hours for her to come to terms with all that had happened while she was in her coma.

Her thoughts turned to a conversation that she had had with her mother one evening when she had come home. She had asked her why she had never told anyone about Damien.

"Do you really think your father wouldn't have thrown him out the house the moment I said there could have been a possible connection?" she had responded. "I had to give Damien the benefit of the doubt. He can't help who he may be related to. I didn't want to judge him based on who he looked like. How badly do you think I would've been treated if people had judged me based on my family?"

Isabella, although shocked by her response, found it to be a plausible reason. That was exactly the way her father had responded to finding out the connection. He had even forbidden her from seeing Damien. So although she disagreed with the entirety of the reason, Isabella did understand why she kept silent.

Besides, although what she had gone through had been traumatic, to say the least, there was something good that came out of it. Ethridge Pharmaceuticals was closed down due to illegal practices, and Avery was sentenced to life imprisonment. The patients that had been tested were undergoing the correct treatment that they needed to improve their health, and their families were alerted. Although in doing so, they became aware of the fact that most of these patients either had no family or the little that they did have couldn't care less about them.

She lowered her head and stared at her hands. No wonder Avery was able to test for as long as she did. She had known exactly who to pick to be the most discreet.

Jenny, on the other hand, was perfectly well and looking close to exploding as her due date neared. They had decided to keep the sex unknown until the birth, at both her parents' request and much to her and Rosa's chagrin. Both sisters so desperately wanted a little brother.

Speaking of Rosa, she was well on her way to becoming engaged, and Isabella could not have been happier for her. She was sure that it wouldn't take long for them to marry and start a family of their own.