Alaric explained that his father had kept private records hidden among old estate papers, discovered only after his recent passing. Years ago, his father had commissioned expensive gowns from her mother's shop, promising payment that never fully arrived. When her mother pressed for the debt, false accusations of theft were quietly arranged to silence her, destroying her reputation and forcing the shop to close.
Alina felt anger rise sharply within her, memories of her mother's tears finally making painful sense. "She lost everything because of your family," she said, struggling to keep her voice steady.
Alaric did not defend his father, instead lowering his eyes with visible shame.
"I only recently learned the truth," he admitted. "The moment I saw your gown, I recognized her stitching immediately. I needed to know if she was still alive, if there was any way to make this right."
Alina studied him carefully, torn between lingering anger and unexpected sympathy for his evident guilt. "She passed away 2 years ago," she said quietly, watching his expression fall further. "She never spoke of what happened, only that trusting powerful families had been her greatest mistake."
Alaric absorbed her words silently, clearly wrestling with the weight of his family's past actions. "I cannot undo what was done," he said finally, "but I intend to correct the record publicly and ensure her name is remembered with the respect she deserved."
Alina wanted to refuse his offer out of pride, yet something in his sincerity made her hesitate.
For the first time since receiving his letter, she allowed herself to consider that perhaps this conversation was not about restoring his family's conscience, but genuinely repairing a wrong that had shaped her entire life.
Over the following weeks, Alaric worked quietly but persistently to uncover every detail of his father's dealings with Alina's mother.
He visited old business associates, reviewed forgotten contracts, and gathered testimonies from former shop assistants who remembered the unfair accusations firsthand.
Alina, though hesitant at first, began assisting him, driven by her own desire to finally understand the truth behind her mother's silent suffering.
Their meetings, initially formal and cautious, gradually became more comfortable as mutual respect grew between them.