My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

Anthony Moriarty was spending a weekend with his family—his father, his wife, and his little daughter were with him. It was one of those rare weekends when he could sneak away to relax a bit. What he didn't count on was a piece of news that would shake up his plans, at least for a moment.

"Babe... Hey, you've got a call!" said Angela Moriarty, handing her husband the phone.

"Yes, speaking..."

"Mr. Moriarty?"

"This is he," said Anthony as he dried his hair after getting out of the pool.

"We're calling from the geriatric care clinic..."

"Oh," Moriarty replied upon hearing that.

He quickly walked toward the garden, trying to put some distance between

himself and his family. It was a delicate topic, and he didn't like involving them in

it.

"Go ahead," said Moriarty once he was far enough away.

"We're calling to inform you that Mr. Frank Levett has passed away..."

"Wow. For a moment I thought it was something else. You already have instructions on what to do when that happened, so I don't really get why you're calling."

"Mr. Levett left some letters for you..."

"For me? What could that blind and unhinged man possibly have written to me?"

"The letters are sealed, so you can come pick them up whenever you're able. Unless you prefer we mail them to your address."noveldrama

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll make room in my schedule and come by as soon as I can."

As soon as he hung up, his wife wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, noticing that despite his usual tough demeanor, he looked shaken.

"Something wrong, love?" Angela asked gently, trying to soothe whatever was bothering him.

"Frank Levett is finally dead..." the man said, still trying to process the words.

That old man-tongueless, fingerless, blind, earless-had slowly wasted away in the silence of a retirement clinic.

Maybe his death wasn't dramatic. He didn't end up riddled with bullets like many had wished. No one came to slit his throat or chop off his head. No one dismembered him or dissolved him in acid. No, his death came in a room at a geriatric facility.

Yes, the kind of place where most old men go to live out their final days. A place where they can still interact with others and give life one last breath.

But for Frank Levett, it had been hell. Without all his senses, the man suffered from delusions. He heard voices. He felt someone walking beside him.

Maybe it was Alexia. Maybe it was his son. Or maybe just maybe it was one of the many men who'd died because of him. Like Leonardo Palmer, for example.

One thing was certain: the man didn't die peacefully. Sure, he didn't get the brutal punishment Marcus had hoped for, but he knew exactly what he was doing-his death was going to be slow and excruciating.

"Are you going to tell your father?" Angela asked curiously.

"No, no point... He thinks Frank Levett kicked the bucket ages ago."

"What about Lucius?"

"No. Lucius and Amanda already have enough on their plate with school, work,

and her pregnancy. I'm not adding more worries."

"What'll happen to the guy?"

"The clinic he was in has a

columbarium where they keep the ashes of those who die without family... That's where he's resting. Every now and then someone leaves flowers, but eventually all those ashes end up being used as fertilizer for the plants. So yeah, in the end, Frank Levett will be of some use, don't you think?"

"I guess so. Probably not the ending he expected, or the one his enemies like Marcus Barzinni hoped for. But in the end, the man will just fade into oblivion."

"That's exactly how someone like him should end up just a shadow of something that should never have existed."

"Alright, let's head back. We don't want to draw attention. You'll tell me later if everything went okay."

"Yeah... though something's bugging me."

"What is it, love?"

"The guy left me some letters, and I have to go get them. They said they'll only hand them over to me."

"Are you planning to go?"

"Yeah, but not right away."

"Okay, well, let's not focus on that now. If the man's dead, may God keep him—or send him wherever he belongs," said Angela, holding her husband's hand.

"It's strange to think how in the end, justice, karma, or fate's revenge comes for those who thought they were untouchable. My aunt, her son, and their family can finally rest in peace."

"Don't waste more time on that man. He's not worth it. You did what you had to do. If he lived a hell on Earth, it was all his own doing, don't you think?"

"Yeah, you're absolutely right."

"Come on, let's go check on Valentina. Get her out of the pool already—that girl wants to turn into a fish... She hasn't eaten anything because she won't stop swimming."

"Let her be. It's one of the few days we actually get to spend together."

"Judge Moriarty, since when are you so soft?"

"When it comes to my little girl, my princess..."

Angela smiled as she walked beside the man everyone called the ruthless Judge Moriarty. So ruthless, he was already training young Lucius to work in the court. So ruthless, Re'd gotten all excited and boughta bunch of baby stuff for Amanda. So ruthless, he was even dreaming about the baby and wanting one of his own.

There was no doubt if anyone truly knew the real Anthony Moriarty, it was her,

Angela Moriarty, and their close family.