Where Darkness Learned Breath by Rylor Dusk 132

132 Chapter 132: Mercy or Revenge? 

Aria’s POV – Few Days Later 

“Mama, did Aunt Vivian ever say sorry?” 

Noah’s question came out of nowhere during breakfast, his spoon paused halfway to his mouth, milk dripping back into his cereal bowl. 

I exchanged a glance with Damien, who’d frozen mid–sip of his coffee. We hadn’t talked about Vivian in days, not since that conversation where Noah had found out 

about her existence. 

“No, baby,” I said carefully. “She hasn’t.” 

“But you said we have to forgive people when they say sorry.” Noah set down his spoon, his little face scrunched with the same confusion from days ago. “You told me that when I fought with Mark.” 

“That’s different, sweetheart” 

“Why?” Noah asked. “You said family is important. And she’s your sister. That makes her my aunt, right? So she’s family.” 

My chest tightened. We’d had this conversation before, but clearly Noah had been thinking about it, processing it in that way kids do. 

“Sometimes it’s more complicated than that with grown–ups,” I said. 

“But Mr. Peterson says family forgives each other.” Noah’s voice was so earnest, so innocent. “He says even when people make mistakes, if they’re family, you gotta try to fix it. ‘Cause family is the most important thing.” 

Damien coughed. “Mr. Peterson says a lot of things, and he’s usually right. But buddy, what Aunt Vivian did–it wasn’t just a mistake. She hurt Mama on purpose. Multiple 

times.” 

“Did you ask her why?” Noah took another bite of cereal, speaking around it in that way kids do. “Maybe if you ask her why she hurt you, she’ll explain and say sorry. Then you can forgive her.” 

“It’s not that simple, sweetheart,” I said. 

“Why not?” Noah looked genuinely confused. “When I hit Mark at school ‘cause he took 

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132 Chapter 132: Mercy or Revenge? 

my dinosaur, Mrs. Cora made us talk about why I was mad. Then I said sorry and we’re friends again. That’s what you’re s’posed to do.” 

“Adults are more complicated than kids,” Damien said gently. 

Noah shrugged, going back to his cereal. “Being mad is hard. Saying sorry is easy. I think you should at least ask her why she was mean. Maybe she’s sad like I was when Mark took my dinosaur.” 

After breakfast, after we’d gotten Noah ready and I dropped Noah at preschool, I couldn’t shake his words. They echoed in my head all morning, through conference calls and contract reviews and strategic planning meetings. 

Maybe she doesn’t know how bad she hurt you. 

Being mad is hard. Saying sorry is easy. 

By lunch, I was irritable and distracted enough that Olivia noticed immediately when she arrived with takeout. 

“Okay, what’s wrong?” She set down Thai food on my desk. “You’ve been staring at that same spreadsheet for twenty minutes without actually looking at it.” 

“Noah asked about Vivian this morning,” I said. 

“Oh.” Olivia sank into the chair across from me. “What did he say again?” 

I repeated the conversation. By the end, Olivia was smiling despite herself.“That kid is too smart for his own good,” she said. 

“He’s not wrong though.” I pushed the spreadsheet away. “About forgiveness. About family. I forgave Damien for worse things than Vivian did. So why can’t I forgive her?” 

“Because Damien earned forgiveness, Olivia said immediately. “He did the work. Changed his behavior. Proved himself day after day, has Vivian done any of that?” 

“No.” I picked at my pad thai. “She’s been hiding. Sending taunting texts. Probably plotting her next attack.” 

“Exactly, so why are you feeling guilty?” 

“Because Noah looked at me with those big eyes and basically called me a hypocrite for preaching forgiveness but not practicing it.” I set down my fork. “And he’s not wrong. I am being a hypocrite.” 

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132 Chapter 132: Mercy or Revenge? 

“No, you’re being human.” Olivia leaned forward. “Aria, there’s a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, you can forgive Vivian–let go of the anger, stop seeking revenge–without reconciling with her. Without letting her back into your life.” 

“Is there though? Isn’t forgiveness meaningless if it doesn’t lead to reconciliation?” 

“Absolutely not.” Olivia’s voice was firm. “Forgiveness is for you, not her. It’s about releasing the poison of anger so it doesn’t eat you alive. Reconciliation is about rebuilding relationship, which requires trust and changed behavior from the person who hurt you. You can have one without the other.” 

I was quiet, processing that. 

“You told me once,” Olivia continued softly, “that revenge is a poison you drink hoping the other person dies. Remember? When I was furious at my ex for cheating?” 

“I remember.” 

“You were right then. And you’re living it now.” She reached across the desk. “You’ve been drinking that poison for months, Aria. Plotting Vivian’s downfall, systematically destroying her life. Has it made you happy?” 

“No,” I admitted. “It’s made me hard. Mean. Someone I don’t recognize.” 

“Exactly, Thats what revenge does–it changes you into someone you don’t want to be.” Olivia squeezed my hand. “But forgiveness? That sets you free. Not her. You.” 

“So I should just let it go? Pretend she didn’t try to destroy my family?” 

“No. You should acknowledge what she did, feel your anger, and then choose to release it.” Olivia’s voice was gentle. “Not for her sake. For yours. For Noah’s. So you can be the mother and woman you want to be, not the bitter, vengeful person she tried to make you.” 

“But she doesn’t deserve forgiveness,” I said weakly. 

“Probably not. Olivia smiled, “But you deserve peace and you won’t find peace while you’re consumed by rage and revenge.” 

After Olivia left, I sat alone in my office, staring at the city beyond my windows. Somewhere out there, Vivian was hiding. Plotting. Probably laughing at how I’d pulled back from destroying her completely.My phone rang it was Damien.“Hey, I answered. 

“Hey.” His voice was warm. “How’s your day?” 

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132 Chapter 132: Mercy or Revenge? 

“Complicated.” I spun in my chair. “I can’t stop thinking about what Noah said this morning.” 

“About Vivian?” Damien was quiet for a moment. “Me neither.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. It got me thinking about Marcus. About how hatred between brothers turned us both into monsters.” He paused. “And about how I’m the last person who should give moral advice, but Noah’s watching how we handle this. How you handle this.” 

‘I know.” I closed my eyes. “And I don’t want him to learn that revenge is the answer. But Damien, how do I forgive her? How do I let go when she’s probably planning her next attack?” 

‘I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I know what holding onto hatred does. It destroys you from the inside. Makes you into someone you don’t recognize. I lived that way for years, Aria. Cold, calculating, using people. And it was” His voice cracked. “It was lonely. Miserable. I don’t want that for you.” 

‘So what do I do?” 

“You choose,” he said simply. “Every day, every moment, you choose whether to feed the anger or starve it. Whether to build or destroy. Whether to be the woman Noah needs you to be or the woman Vivian tried to make you.” 

“That’s” I laughed weakly. “That’s actually profound.” 

“Don’t sound so surprised.” I could hear his smile. “I’m occasionally capable of wisdom.” 

“Occasionally,” I teased. 

“Aria?” His voice turned serious. “Whatever you decide about Vivian–forgiveness, reconciliation, continued distance–I support you. This is your call. Your sister. Your pain. I’m just here to remind you that you’re better than the revenge game. You always 

have been.” 

“I love you,” I said softly. 

“I love 

you too.” He paused. “Now get back to work. Those companies won’t merge themselves.” 

After we hung up, I sat with my thoughts for a long time. Forgiveness was such simple word for such a complicated action. Could I forgive Vivian? Should I? 

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132 Chapter 132: Mercy or Revenge? 

My phone buzzed with an email notification from Margaret. 

Subject: Vivian Monroe–Location Confirmed 

My pulse quickened as I opened it. 

Aria, 

Our investigators have located Vivian. She’s currently staying at a motel on the outskirts of Ravenwood–the Sunrise Inn on Route 9. It appears she’s been there for approximately a few days. 

Interesting development: she vacated the apartment you’d arranged the payment plan for days after Roberts contacted her about it. Building security footage shows her leaving with two suitcases in the middle of the night. Credit card records show financial distress (multiple declined transactions). No evidence of employment. 

Our analyst believes she fled the apartment because: (1) she realized you owned the building and couldn’t bear accepting your charity, or (2) she’s hiding from someone- possibly law enforcement or co–conspirators. 

The DA has been notified and is preparing to issue a warrant for her arrest on conspiracy charges related to the Sophia Clarke incident. Estimated timeframe: 48-72 hours. 

Please advise if you want us to take any additional action. 

Margaret 

I stared at the email for a long moment. So Vivian had run from the apartment I’d saved for her. Pride? Shame? Or was she hiding from the consequences finally catching up to her? 

Forty–eight to seventy–two hours. That’s all Vivian had left before her world collapsed completely. Before she was arrested, charged, dragged through trial like Sophia had been. 

Natural consequences, legal justice. Everything I’d agreed to when I’d chosen the high 

road. 

So why did I feel sick? 

Because she’s your sister, a small voice whispered. Because no matter what she did you grew up together. Shared parents, memories, a childhood. Because underneath the hatred, there’s still the little girl who used to braid your hair and share secrets, 

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I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thoughts. No. Vivian had made her choices. She’d tried to destroy me, multiple times. She deserved whatever was coming. 

But Noah’s voice echoed: Maybe if you tell her, she’ll say sorry. 

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