I finally looked up, offering my daughter a small, guarded smile as the first stars pricked through the twilight sky.

“That, my darling,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to Hope’s warm head, “is exactly what revenge looks like when it’s backed by patience, and an exceptionally brilliant lawyer.”

Chloe let out a sudden, bright laugh, the sound mixing with a few stray, healing tears.

In my arms, little Hope stirred, letting out a soft, contented sigh before settling deeper into sleep. The water lapped gently against the wooden pylons of the dock.

The crickets began their nightly symphony in the tall grass.

And for the very first time in what felt like an eternity, nobody in our family was sitting in the dark, terrified of the sound of approaching footsteps.