“Emily, you changed my life,” he confessed once. “Working on your case showed me that law can be not just a business but a service to justice.”

“And what has changed?”

“Now I take cases not only from wealthy clients. I help simple people who have been victims of scammers.”

“That is wonderful. It means our story has brought something good not just to our family.”

From time to time, Colonel Black called Emily asking about the family.

“How are you, Emily?” he would ask.

“Very well, Samuel. We live quietly raising the children and no crime stories. No more.”

“Thank God. Once was enough.”

“It is a shame. You would make a great detective.”

“Thank you. But I prefer to heal people than to catch criminals.”

On the fifth anniversary of Ethan’s arrest, the family went to their country house. They spent weekends and holidays there. By the river, they received guests, organized family parties.

“Mommy, tell me the story of the bad uncle,” Anna, who was already three, asked sitting on Emily’s lap.

“What bad uncle?”

“The one who wanted to take our house.”

The children knew a general version of the story without frightening details adapted for them.

“Once upon a time, there was a bad uncle who cheated people,” Emily began. “He stole their houses and their money. And he also wanted to steal our house.”

“And what did mommy do?”

“Mommy found out his plans and told the police. And the police caught the bad uncle and put him in jail.”

“And he will not get out.”

“Not soon. And when he gets out, we will live somewhere else.”

“And Daddy Victor will still be with us.”

“Of course, sweetie. Daddy Victor will always be with us.”

Anna, satisfied, ran to play with her brother. Emily followed her with her gaze, thinking about how life had changed.

Five years ago, she was the unhappy wife of a con man, ignorant of her husband’s double life. Now a happy mother of two, a successful doctor, the beloved wife of a good man.

Victor came over, hugged her, and sat down beside her. They were silent, holding hands, each thinking their own thoughts.

In 5 years, they had learned to value the simple joys. Family dinners, the children’s laughter, late night conversations, plans for the future.

Somewhere, Ethan was serving his sentence, thinking about how stupidly he had lost everything. Pamela was raising a child in another city, trying to forget the past. Ortega was spending his last days in a cell.