All Chapters of Loving Mr. Vance in Silence: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

The trial of Arthur Webb was set for a Monday. The courthouse was the same one where Mara and Marcus had been tried. Emma walked through the metal detectors, Nick beside her, her hand resting on his arm. The building smelled like old wood and stale coffee and fear. She had been here before. She had testified against Mara. She had watched Marcus Webb be led away in chains. But this was different. This was the man who had started everything. --- The courtroom was packed. Reporters filled the back rows. Lawyers shuffled papers at the front. The judge — a stern-faced woman with gray hair and sharp eyes — sat behind the bench. And at the defense table, wearing an orange jumpsuit, his hands cuffed in front of him, sat Arthur Webb. Emma had not seen him in person since she was eight years old. He was older now — gray hair, wrinkled skin, pale eyes that looked like they had never seen sunlight. But his face was the same. The same cold expression. The same empty eyes. Emma's stomach t

The courtroom erupted.Whispers spread through the gallery like wildfire. Reporters typed frantically on their phones. The judge banged her gavel, calling for order, her voice sharp and commanding. Arthur Webb sat in the witness box, his expression unchanged, as if he had just announced the weather."Mr. Webb," the judge said. "You will speak only when asked a question. Do you understand?""Yes, Your Honor," Arthur said.Patricia Hayes approached the witness box. Her face was composed, but her eyes were sharp."Mr. Webb," Patricia said. "You just stated that someone ordered you to kidnap those children. Who ordered you?"Arthur was silent for a moment. His pale eyes scanned the room — the judge, the jury, the reporters, the lawyers. And then they landed on Emma.Emma felt her blood run cold."I don't remember the name," Arthur said."You don't remember the name of the person who ordered you to commit a crime?""It was a long time ago."Patricia Hayes raised an eyebrow. "You remember e

The days after the trial passed in a strange, muted haze.Emma had expected to feel different. She had expected relief, joy, the kind of catharsis that came with closing a door on a dark room. But instead, she felt hollow. Empty. Like she had been holding her breath for thirty years and now that she could finally exhale, she had forgotten how.She sat on the couch in the penthouse, Hope asleep on her chest, staring out the window at the city below. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. It was beautiful. She barely saw it.Nick walked into the room. He stood in the doorway, watching her."Emma," Nick said.She didn't answer."Emma."She looked up. "What?""Are you okay?"Emma was quiet for a moment. "I don't know."Nick walked to her. He sat beside her on the couch."What do you need?" Nick asked."I don't know that either."Nick put his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder."I thought I would feel different," Emma said."Different how?""Re

Daniel had been planning the proposal for weeks.He had thought about doing it at a fancy restaurant, with candles and champagne and a string quartet. He had thought about doing it on a rooftop, with the city skyline glittering behind them. He had thought about doing it in a park, with flowers and sunshine and a photographer hiding in the bushes.But none of those felt right. Rachel wasn't a fancy restaurant kind of woman. She wasn't a rooftop kind of woman. She was a woman who had spent years in darkness, years of fear, years of believing she would never be loved. She deserved something real. Something quiet. Something that said I see you.So Daniel chose the garden behind the Healing Hearts office.It was where Emma had helped Rachel burn her letter to her abuser. It was where Rachel had first started to believe that healing was possible. It was where their friendship had deepened into something more.Daniel arrived early, a small velvet box in his pocket, his heart pounding in his

The planning for the bachelor and bachelorette parties started weeks in advance.Daniel wanted something low-key — a steak dinner, some drinks, a few close friends. He had never been the type for wild parties, and he knew Rachel wouldn't want him to do anything she wouldn't be comfortable with. He had seen too many bachelor parties go wrong — stories of strippers and reckless behavior and regretful mornings after. That wasn't who he was, and it wasn't who he wanted to become.Nick offered to plan it, and Daniel accepted, knowing his brother would keep things simple and dignified. Nick had learned, after everything he had been through with Emma, that the best celebrations were the ones that focused on the people you loved, not the spectacle."The only rule," Nick said, "is no strippers."Daniel laughed. "I wasn't planning on any.""I'm serious. Emma would kill me.""Emma wouldn't kill you. She would just make you sleep on the couch."Nick shuddered. "That's worse."Daniel smiled. "You