THE LIE THAT WORE A RING - Chapter 34: Chapter 34
You are reading THE LIE THAT WORE A RING, Chapter 34: Chapter 34. Read more chapters of THE LIE THAT WORE A RING.
: The Final Move
You can’t erase the past—but you can close the chapter with your own pen.
It was early morning when Nicholas received the call.
Graham’s voice was tense. “We found it.”
Nicholas sat up straighter in his chair. “What is it?”
“A hidden audio file. Buried in one of Alina’s offshore storage clouds. It was encrypted, but the key was tied to a sketch ID—one of Ava’s drawings. Someone used her name as the passcode.”
Nicholas froze.
“What’s on it?” he asked.
“A conversation between Alina and Marin. Discussing laundering through your charities… and a potential second target.”
Nicholas’s stomach turned. “What kind of target?”
“A senator’s campaign,” Graham said. “This goes beyond you.”
Nicholas hung up and immediately called Ava into his study. Ethan trailed behind her, sensing the weight in the air.
“I need you both to hear this,” Nicholas said.
He played the recording. Alina’s voice was unmistakable—silky, cruel, and calm.
> “He’s just the beginning. The man’s so blinded by grief, he’ll let you do anything. We move the money through the Carter Foundation next. After that, it’s politics. Real power.”
Then Marin’s voice, clipped and confident:
> “And if the daughter figures it out?”
> “She won’t. She’s too busy trying to be the mother I’ll never be.”
The tape ended.
Ava’s hands trembled slightly.
“I wasn’t even a person to her,” she whispered. “I was just… leverage.”
Ethan stepped beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Nicholas looked between them. “You are not leverage. You’re the reason we’re standing.”
Later that day, Elise sat alone in the library, reviewing the notes Nicholas had given her about the scandal.
She felt a presence and looked up—Ava stood in the doorway.
“You okay?” Elise asked.
“I don’t know what my dad sees in you yet,” Ava said honestly. “But I think… you’re not here for what you can take.”
Elise blinked.
Ava continued. “That makes you different. You stayed when things got ugly. Alina smiled through chaos. You just… stay quiet and real.”
Elise stood. “I don’t want to replace anyone. I just want to be here. If that’s okay.”
Ava gave a small, guarded smile. “For now? It is.”
That night, Nicholas made his final move.
He handed the audio recording to a federal investigator. Not for leverage. Not to save himself.
To protect others.
Marin would now be investigated on a federal level, and Alina—though already imprisoned—would face additional charges.
But more importantly?
The Carter name had taken control of its story.
Two weeks later, the family hosted a public event—a fundraiser for trauma recovery programs for teens and single fathers.
Ava gave a short speech.
“Sometimes, family isn’t broken by one mistake. It’s broken by silence. We’ve learned to speak now. And through that, we found healing.”
Ethan added with a grin, “And banana bread.”
The room laughed, and Ava rolled her eyes.
But in that moment, the mansion—once cold and hollow—felt full.
That night, as the stars stretched wide and quiet over their home, Nicholas stood by the fire pit in the backyard, Elise beside him, the kids inside playing a board game.
“Do you think it’s over?” Elise asked.
Nicholas looked into the flames.
“No,” he said softly. “But we’re no longer afraid of it.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
And for the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel like a man haunted by mistakes.
He felt like a man starting over.
With truth.
With love.
With family.
You can’t erase the past—but you can close the chapter with your own pen.
It was early morning when Nicholas received the call.
Graham’s voice was tense. “We found it.”
Nicholas sat up straighter in his chair. “What is it?”
“A hidden audio file. Buried in one of Alina’s offshore storage clouds. It was encrypted, but the key was tied to a sketch ID—one of Ava’s drawings. Someone used her name as the passcode.”
Nicholas froze.
“What’s on it?” he asked.
“A conversation between Alina and Marin. Discussing laundering through your charities… and a potential second target.”
Nicholas’s stomach turned. “What kind of target?”
“A senator’s campaign,” Graham said. “This goes beyond you.”
Nicholas hung up and immediately called Ava into his study. Ethan trailed behind her, sensing the weight in the air.
“I need you both to hear this,” Nicholas said.
He played the recording. Alina’s voice was unmistakable—silky, cruel, and calm.
> “He’s just the beginning. The man’s so blinded by grief, he’ll let you do anything. We move the money through the Carter Foundation next. After that, it’s politics. Real power.”
Then Marin’s voice, clipped and confident:
> “And if the daughter figures it out?”
> “She won’t. She’s too busy trying to be the mother I’ll never be.”
The tape ended.
Ava’s hands trembled slightly.
“I wasn’t even a person to her,” she whispered. “I was just… leverage.”
Ethan stepped beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Nicholas looked between them. “You are not leverage. You’re the reason we’re standing.”
Later that day, Elise sat alone in the library, reviewing the notes Nicholas had given her about the scandal.
She felt a presence and looked up—Ava stood in the doorway.
“You okay?” Elise asked.
“I don’t know what my dad sees in you yet,” Ava said honestly. “But I think… you’re not here for what you can take.”
Elise blinked.
Ava continued. “That makes you different. You stayed when things got ugly. Alina smiled through chaos. You just… stay quiet and real.”
Elise stood. “I don’t want to replace anyone. I just want to be here. If that’s okay.”
Ava gave a small, guarded smile. “For now? It is.”
That night, Nicholas made his final move.
He handed the audio recording to a federal investigator. Not for leverage. Not to save himself.
To protect others.
Marin would now be investigated on a federal level, and Alina—though already imprisoned—would face additional charges.
But more importantly?
The Carter name had taken control of its story.
Two weeks later, the family hosted a public event—a fundraiser for trauma recovery programs for teens and single fathers.
Ava gave a short speech.
“Sometimes, family isn’t broken by one mistake. It’s broken by silence. We’ve learned to speak now. And through that, we found healing.”
Ethan added with a grin, “And banana bread.”
The room laughed, and Ava rolled her eyes.
But in that moment, the mansion—once cold and hollow—felt full.
That night, as the stars stretched wide and quiet over their home, Nicholas stood by the fire pit in the backyard, Elise beside him, the kids inside playing a board game.
“Do you think it’s over?” Elise asked.
Nicholas looked into the flames.
“No,” he said softly. “But we’re no longer afraid of it.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
And for the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel like a man haunted by mistakes.
He felt like a man starting over.
With truth.
With love.
With family.
End of THE LIE THAT WORE A RING Chapter 34. Continue reading Chapter 35 or return to THE LIE THAT WORE A RING book page.