All Chapters of The Stranger At The Altar : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

They chose a small Italian restaurant near the hospital, a cozy place with checkered tablecloths and the smell of fresh bread filling the air. The lunch crowd was light, giving them a quiet corner booth where they could talk without being overheard.Grace couldn't stop smiling. Even as she studied the menu, her expression was bright, almost glowing. "I can't believe I finally got to talk to her. Really talk to her.""She's amazing, isn't she?" Luna said, reaching across the table to squeeze her sister's hand."She really is. And she remembered everything—the stuffed rabbit I used to carry everywhere, the lullaby she'd sing at bedtime, even the way I used to refuse to eat vegetables." Grace laughed, wiping at her eyes. "I thought those memories were lost forever.""They were just waiting for the right moment to come back," Helena said. She'd been quieter than usual, thoughtful. "Seeing you two together made me realize how much I missed by not knowing her when I was young. David raised

"Mrs. Eleanor's condition has deteriorated. The doctor is with her now, but he says it won't be long. She's asked to see you all before—" He paused. "Before the end." Luna felt a complicated mix of emotions. Despite everything Eleanor had done, the thought of her dying alone felt wrong. "We should go to her," she said quietly. Helena looked surprised. "After everything she's done?" "Because of everything she's done," Luna corrected. "She's going to die knowing she failed at revenge, that her victims survived and built something beautiful together. That's justice enough. We don't need to deny her a peaceful death too." Grace nodded slowly. "Luna's right. We're better than that." Grayson looked at his wife with something like awe. "How did I get so lucky?" "Thrift store wedding dress," Luna reminded him with a small smile. "Best accident of your life." "Best accident of my life," he agreed. They made their way to Eleanor's wing. The doctor met them outside her room, his express

They moved to Grayson's private study, where he set the box on his desk. His hands shook as he unlocked it using the small key that had been taped to the bottom.Inside were manila folders, photographs, and a stack of letters tied with string. Grayson picked up the first folder and opened it, his eyes scanning the contents."Mechanic's confession," he said quietly. "Signed and dated two days after the accident. Richard paid him fifty thousand dollars to tamper with the brake lines and keep quiet."He picked up another folder. "Insurance investigation notes—with handwritten notes in the margins from someone, probably Eleanor, pointing out inconsistencies in the accident report."The photographs showed his mother's car after the crash, along with close-ups of the brake system. Even to Luna's untrained eye, the damage looked suspicious.Finally, Grayson picked up the letters. The handwriting on the envelopes was elegant, feminine. His mother's handwriting."These are addressed to me," he

An hour later, Luna found herself in the back of the car with Grayson, Helena in the front with Marcus driving. The city slowly gave way to suburbs, then to the quieter landscapes of Connecticut.Grayson held Luna's hand the entire drive, his thumb moving absently across her knuckles. She could feel the tension radiating from him, the barely controlled emotion just beneath the surface."What are you going to say to him?" she asked softly."I don't know yet. Part of me wants to scream at him for what he helped my father do. Part of me just wants answers." He stared out the window. "He destroyed the brakes that killed my mother. But my father is the one who ordered it done.""You're allowed to be angry at both of them," Helena said from the front seat. "What they did was unforgivable.""But he signed a confession," Grayson continued. "He documented what happened. That took courage, even if it came too late.""Or guilt," Marcus suggested. "Some people confess because they can't live with

Through the earpiece, they heard Damien's footsteps circle around Grace."You look good," he said. "Better than when I last saw you. Stronger.""What do you want, Damien?" Grace's voice was steady, though Luna could hear the underlying tension."I want you to understand. Everything I did—shooting you, working with Victoria, all of it—it was to protect you.""Protect me?" Grace's laugh was bitter. "You shot me. You left me bleeding on the floor.""Because you were going to them. To the Vaughns. To the family that destroyed everything." Damien's voice rose slightly. "I was trying to save you from making a mistake."In the car, Luna gripped Grayson's hand tighter. Through the night-vision camera one of Marcus's team had positioned, she could see Grace standing in the center of the warehouse courtyard, Damien pacing around her like a predator."The only mistake I made was trusting you," Grace said. "Thinking you were my friend.""I was more than your friend. I loved you. I still love you.