The following morning, after everything had calmed down, Santiago sat at the kitchen table in their temporary home, a large cup of coffee in his hands. The case had been weighing on his mind for months, and now it was finally over. Rinaldi was in custody, and the extent of his crimes had been laid bare for the world to see. But as much as Santiago wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, there was still a sense of disbelief—he hadn't expected to be facing such a powerful adversary.
Amara walked in, holding Luna in her arms, and smiled at him. "You did it. You solved it."
Santiago smiled back, though it was more of a tired grin than a victorious one. "I couldn't have done it without you, without all of us working together."
Luna cooed softly, her presence bringing a sense of calm to the storm that had clouded their lives for so long. Santiago reached over and gently brushed her hair, the weight of the last few months beginning to lift.
"This is it," Amara said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "We're finally free."
Santiago nodded, but he still felt a lingering tension. As much as the case was solved, there was a long road ahead for him and his family. The repercussions of everything they had been through were only beginning to sink in.