Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 318: Restitution

As Stefan drove home, the car was filled with sound of Genevieve’s voice coming through the car speakers as he listened to the video she’d released.

Her words spilled through the car like shards of glass, her confession, her regret, the truth she said she couldn’t carry anymore.

He had replayed the video twice already, though each time made his chest tighter.

His jaw flexed. ”What were you thinking, Genevieve?” he muttered under his breath, his voice breaking between anger and disbelief. ”Why would you do this without telling me?”

Remembering their conversation the night before and how she’d hinted she needed to take responsibility, he realized he should have seen this coming.

He turned down a quiet street as the sound of her sobs in the video filled the car and made his chest ache. She sounded small, cornered, like a child asking the world for punishment.

”Damn it, Genevieve...” he whispered again.

He wondered what Dawn and the others would think about what she’d done.

As if on cue, his phone began to ring with a call from Harry and he received the call .

”Good afternoon, sir.”

”Good afternoon, Stefan. Did Genevieve not talk to you before doing that video?” Harry’s voice came through, low and tense.

Stefan sighed. ”She didn’t. I just heard about it from Jamal,” Stefan said quietly.

”Isn’t she at your apartment? Where were you when she was going live?” Harry enquired.

”I was at the company overseeing a project. I didn’t even know she was planning something like this. I’m driving home now.”

Harry exhaled on the other end. ”This is bad,” he said. ”Really bad. I don’t think she realizes what she’s done. She could be prosecuted for this whether or not Abigail presses charges.”

Stefan’s knuckles went white on the wheel. ”I don’t think she care about that,” he said grimly. ”She probably thinks she’s finally doing the right thing.”

Harry was quiet for a moment. ”Maybe. I trust you’ll make sure she’s okay.”

”I will,” Stefan said. ”Thank you, sir.”

After the call ended, Stefan pressed harder on the accelerator. His thoughts tangled with anger and fear.

When he got to the condo, he sat still for a moment trying to let go off his anger, then when he was calm enough he got out and shut the door quietly behind him.

Inside the apartment, the living room was empty and there was no sign that Genevieve had stayed there.

He looked down the hall toward Genevieve’s room. But didn’t go to her room immediately. Instead he went to the kitchen to be sure she’d eaten the breakfast and when he confirmed she had, he walked slowly to her room.

When he reached her door, he knocked softly. ”Viv?”

A few seconds later, the door opened a few inches, and she stood there, her face pale and her eyes rimmed red.

She looked at him. She could tell he had seen the video and she wondered if he was mad at her.

”Hey,” Stefan said quietly. ”You okay?”

She nodded, though it was clear she wasn’t. ”I’m fine,” she whispered.

”Come out,” he said gently. ”Let’s talk.”

She stepped out and followed him to the living room.

He gestured for her to sit, and she did, curling her hands together in her lap. Stefan sat across from her.

For a while, neither spoke. The silence was thick.

Finally, Stefan broke it. ”What were you thinking, Genevieve? Why would you make a video like that? Why would you even do that without talking to me?”

Genevieve looked down. ”Because I knew you’d probably talk me out of it. And I really wanted everyone to know the truth,” she said softly. ”Dawn deserves to have peace. I wanted her to get closure.”

”Closure?” Stefan’s voice was calm, but he was not so calm inside. ”You could’ve just waited for the Hanks and Dawn to decide what to do as they told you. You didn’t have to go public like that.”

She lifted her head then, her eyes glistening. ”They can still decide,” she said. ”But that doesn’t mean I should stay quiet. I didn’t ask for anyone’s permission to do what was wrong before, so why should I need permission to do what’s right now?”

”Did you consider that maybe Dawn and the Hanks don’t want their business dragged back into the public eye? You didn’t think about that, did you?” Stefan asked. ”What makes you think telling the public about everything is the right thing to do?”

Genevieve swallowed hard, her lips trembling. ”Abigail wanted my Dad to confess,” she said quietly. ”She wanted him to pay for what he did. If he had done that, everything would’ve come out anyway. I only did what my Dad should’ve done but failed to do.”

Stefan leaned back. ”Do you realize the public is going to turn on you for this?”

She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. ”They already are. And that’s okay. I deserve it. I deceived everyone for years pretending to be Dawn. I can’t just pretend like I was an unwilling victim in what my father did. Yes, he used me, but I was a willing accomplice.”

”Genevieve—”

”I don’t regret doing it,” she said firmly this time. Her eyes met his, clear and steady. ”I know I did the right thing.”

Stefan stared at her for a long moment. ”I wish you hadn’t done it,” he said softly. ”I wish you’d talked to me first.”

A faint, sad smile curved her lips. ”I’m sorry,” she whispered. ”I didn’t mean to make things hard for you, Stefan. I know this puts you in a difficult spot. I didn’t think of how it might affect you. Maybe I should just leave—”

He cut her off before she could finish. ”What are you talking about?”

She looked down. ”I don’t want to drag you down with me.”

Stefan’s expression softened. He exhaled and moved closer, sitting beside her. ”You’re not dragging me anywhere,” he said quietly. ”I’m just worried you’re making this too hard on yourself than is necessary. I only want to protect you, Genevieve. That’s all.”

Her eyes filled, but she smiled again, small and weary. ”I know you’re trying to protect me, Stefan, but you can’t. Not from this. I did what I did, and I have to face it. You can’t protect me from the consequences, Stefan,” she said. ”I need to face them. I deserve to be punished. I’m going to give back to Dawn everything I have and got with her name. The money and all. I won’t use my school certificates. I’ll make a honest living for myself as Genevieve Harris.”

For a moment, Stefan didn’t speak. He looked at her, wondering if she knew how hard things were going to be for her considering that with her confession people might not even want to employ or accept services from her for a while.

He doubted that Aurora would be able to let her work at her salon now since the clients might not want to be attended to by Genevieve.

Then, slowly, he reached out and pulled her into his arms. She didn’t resist. She leaned against him, her shoulders trembling as tears slid silently down her face.

”If that’s what you want,” he murmured, his voice thick, ”then I’ll support you. All the way.”

Genevieve pressed her forehead against his chest, her voice breaking when she whispered, ”Thank you.”

He didn’t know what would happen tomorrow, how the world would judge her, or what storm would come next.

But tonight, all he could do was hold her close... and hope she could find peace in the truth she’d finally set free.