Anne's breath hitched as her thumb hovered over the precious gemstone. She recognized it. This was her pendant, the one she had cherished as a child until it had been snatched away from her. She still remembered how Lorie had torn it from her neck, claiming it as her own, wearing it ever since like a trophy.
Anne looked up at her father. "Why are you giving this to me now? It was with Lorie."
Paule's eyes were shadowed with regret. "Because I'm finally giving it back to its rightful owner. This pendant was with you the day I found you on the street. It was yours then, and it's still yours now."
His shoulders sagged under the weight of guilt. "I should have returned it to you years ago. But when I saw how happy Lorie was to have it, I… I couldn't bring myself to take it from her. Part of me was selfish. So I stayed silent."
