Reconciliation

Rebecca visits the estate. She’s been calling for days, demanding to see Stone. I allow it.

She enters his quarters. Stone is kneeling on the floor, completely naked, his collar gleaming.

Rebecca stares at him, her face a mixture of horror and grief. “Marcus. What have they done to you?”

“I chose this, Rebecca. I chose this. I wanted this. I needed this.”

She starts to cry. “How could you? How could you do this to us? To your children? To me?”

“I’m sorry, Rebecca. I’m so sorry. But I had to do this. I had to be honest. I had to be seen.”

She looks at him, her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t understand. I will never understand.”

“I know. I know you won’t. But you don’t have to understand. You just have to accept it. Accept that I made my choice. Accept that I’m happy. Accept that I’m finally free.”

She’s silent for a long moment. Then she says, “I can’t. I can’t accept this. I can’t accept you.”

She walks out of the room.

Stone watches her go, tears streaming down his face. But he doesn’t move. He doesn’t follow. He stays kneeling, his head bowed.