CHAPTER 46

Jack went to the police station and was already aware that Tom would wait a while longer in prison, as Bill would have his trial later that week. As for Charles, thanks to his money and power, his trial would be in Hamilton, and he would be transferred later that afternoon, as a commander had sent a prisoner transport team.

Jack asked Bill to take his mother to Elizabeth, as they needed to talk and his mother and he needed to explain the whole situation to Elizabeth.

Charlotte was horrified when she saw Elizabeth's injuries. She and Bill talked and explained all the lies or everything they omitted from her. Charlotte saw Bill, lowering his head to Elizabeth, he was ashamed of that whole lie, which he had to be part of. Charlotte felt really bad seeing the man's condition and it was all her fault. But to Charlotte's surprise, she saw Elizabeth welcoming her as Jack's mother and then looking and calling Bill father, saying that he did the right thing, that he just wanted to protect her. There was nothing to forgive, there were people there with problems and each one trying to fix them in the wrong ways and always alone, but the world was not made to be alone, they needed to come together and join forces and only then would everyone win, Elizabeth said.

Charlotte noticed that she was a very centered person. Rosemary was right. She was a person with a heart full of love. And for Rose, to have changed so much, only a person like Elizabeth around to achieve this miracle; Charlotte laughed softly.

The surprise of the day was when Elizabeth asked Bill to release Tom Thorton. He questioned, saying that he was an accomplice, which Charlotte agreed at the time and even said that he needed to be punished, but Elizabeth warned that she would not press charges, and without her complaint, there was no crime or participation and in this case the arrest was undue.

Bill knew that he had a losing battle here. When Elizabeth put something on her head, no one took it away. As Jack said, she was more stubborn than a mule...

She asked to speak to Tom, but only after Charles left, as she was really scared of him.

That same day, Charles Kensington III was transferred. And the next morning, Elizabeth showed up early, catching Jack still on his rounds. Charlotte was there with Bill, but she said she was going in alone and didn't accept any arguments.

- Good morning! I brought you muffins and coffee.

- Good morning. Tom was looking at his feet, but when he looked up, he widened when he saw those bruises.

Elizabeth removed the shawl from her shoulders, showing her arms; she had planned this, she wanted to see that boy's reactions, and that way she would know whether or not she was wrong about him.

Tom opened his eyes wide in astonishment, held the railing and asked:

— Did he do this to you? That scoundrel... How could he hurt you like that? He promised he would love you and protect you.

—And you trusted him, didn't you? Well, here, it could have been worse, if your brother had arrived a minute later, because he had already managed to tear most of my clothes...

She looked at him, to show him all the revolt that was going on inside her, for almost being raped by Charles.

— I… I'm sorry! Please... I just wanted your family to leave my family alone, but I never thought about hurting you like this or in any other way. I am wanted justice. I... And Tom, increasingly embarrassed, looked at the floor.

— No Tom! You didn't want justice, because at no point did you fight for it. You were blind, wallowing in your own hatred, you went crazy and just wanted revenge. You handed me over to a man without even thinking about my safety. Even if he didn't hurt me in this brutal way, didn't you think about the trauma or how I would feel being forced to stay with him, and being ripped from my husband's arms?

— But you and Jack, can't you get married? Your father will destroy everyone.

— Tom... I'm already married and we're adults, I don't need your authorization, much less from that man who calls himself my father. He spoke loudly, Elizabeth already losing her calm.

Outside, Bill and Charlotte heard everything. That woman was more noble than they thought.

— You know, Tom! You look like my sister Júlia, my younger sister. They are fools, and they are those who do things without thinking about the consequences. If I've spent my whole life with this kind of sister and done very well, it won't be a new brother that makes me give up.

Tom only now realized that she had called him brother several times. "Was he listening correctly or was his mind playing tricks on him."

— Did you call me brother?

She looked at him with her hands on her hips and spoke softly:

—And what else should I call you?

Tears streamed down Tom's face, and he fell to his knees and began to ask for forgiveness. Elizabeth, seeing that young man regretting his mistakes, could no longer stay there, acting tough and quickly went to the railing, where she knelt outside the cell, and with her hands on the bar, she noticed his gaze on her broken hand. Tom had a scared face, his eyes were angry, in the same way when Jack noticed his injury, and to alleviate the situation she said:

— Calm down Tom. That wasn't him. I did that myself, I needed to stop him and remove my wedding ring and I thought that by hitting my hand on the table as hard as I could, I could make my fingers swell. I couldn't stay away from Jack for even a minute and that's our sacred bond. She smiled, as if that injured hand were a trophy; that woman felt that she had beaten Charles at that moment and Tom saw the love that this young woman felt for her brother.

— I'm sorry, it wouldn't be enough to alleviate everything I put you through.

— I'm the one who should decide this, not you.

— You and Jack will never forgive me. Even I can't forgive myself.

— I forgive you Tom; Now as for your brother, I think you should talk. You are brothers, you may have some friction, but you need to get it right.

— I need to go, I don't want Jack to find me here, I didn't tell him I was going to see you, only Bill is aware of this, and I don't want to make my husband angry for not telling him about it. Besides, I need to see my uncles and my cousin.

— Cousin... I thought he was your brother? Tom's eyes widened and, getting up from the ground, his thoughts returned to the mountie that had spent the night there, and was identical to her. "How could this happen? I've never seen someone so similar and not be brothers."

— Yes, my beloved cousin. And smiling she left the police station...

Jack was on his morning rounds, his cheeks felt hot and red as he remembered the act of love they had. That woman made his blood boil. In his entire life, he had never imagined a love like that. They had a burning desire for each other, but it wasn't just a physical relationship, they had love, affection, care for each other; they completed each other;

— It's sargent... She's my soulmate. And the horse neighed in agreement.