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“I love you too. See you soon.”

When I was with Vanessa, my world had so much color—so much love. It practically oozed out of me. That sounded cheesy, but it was the truth. I didn’t know how else to describe it. When a man admitted that love oozed out of him, he was hopelessly in love. There was no going back.

I smiled like a fool as I got to my car and drove off. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. The journey to this moment had been difficult, but it was worth it because of Vanessa. She was the blessing I came home to every day. Because of this, I’d do anything to protect her.

I’d give my life to ensure the woman I loved was safe.

I stopped at the grocery store to pick up scallions and four bouquets of flowers. Then I drove to Vanessa’s apartment building, entered the hallway, and took the elevator up to her apartment. As I walked through, I made a mental checklist of all the things that needed an update. The walls needed a fresh coat of paint; the lighting was outdated, and the rug needed to be replaced.

I arrived at her apartment and knocked, even though I had a key.

When the door opened, Mom Gigi and Ellen greeted me with hugs and gestured for me to enter. Hannah Lam sat on the couch drinking something.

She placed her cup down, rushed over, and embraced me. “Thank you for helping me escape.”

“You’re welcome.” I offered each woman a bouquet, saving one for Vanessa.

“Thank you. You’re so thoughtful.” Hannah took the flowers and brought them to the kitchen sink while Mom Gig and Ellen placed their bouquets on the coffee table.

My team had extracted Hannah when a van took her and other inmates out to the highway for a cleanup. Though Vanessa had told Leo she no longer wanted him to extract her mom, they had refused. So I changed tactics and killed them before they could get to her. The inmate, Hannah Lam, was now considered dead. A dead body was dressed up as her to make it look like an inmate from The Women’s Facility had died in a van during her community work.

She returned with a vase of flowers and placed it on the coffee table.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out her new social security card, driver’s license, and passport. “For you to start over.”

“Heidi Lam,” she muttered, looking down at the cards. Her hands trembled and tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know what to say. A simple thank you isn’t enough.”

“I love your daughter, and I want her to be happy. Getting you out of prison has been her priority all these years.”

The rescue occurred two days ago. But I wanted things to die down a bit before I informed Vanessa.

“Can I see her now?”

“That’s why I’m here. Vanessa is making chicken porridge. I think your presence is going to make her day. “

I looked at Mom Gigi and Ellen. “You’re invited to dinner too.”

“Even if you hadn’t invited us, we would’ve barged in,” Ellen said. “I’m proud of you, little brother.”

“A compliment from you usually means you want something. So what is it?

She punched me in the biceps. “Can’t a sister compliment her brother?”

As they piled into my SUV, Heidi asked, “Canyou please stop by the SaigonBistro? I would like to get somebánh mì. Haven’t had them in a long time.”

“Excellent idea. They’re one of my favorites too.”

“Since we’re there, we might as well go in and say hello to Hope,” Mom Gigi said.

“Who’s that?” I asked, pulling into a parking spot.

“You’ll see.”

I couldn’t believe that my mother and sister knew Vanessa’s mom. I’d only discovered this revelation when Heidi had asked to use my phone to call her friends. When she’d typed in Mom Gigi’s number, we’d stared at each other for a moment.

Life was filled with unpredictable moments, and this was one of them.

We entered the restaurant, and like before, it was crowded. But Mom Gigi walked straight through the kitchen to the back and toward the office. The chef, cooks, and servers nodded at her as though she were a VIP member.