Chapter 346: Elena Ward Waved a Piece of Paper

"Elena, guess where this came from?" Elena Ward waved a piece of paper, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Vanessa Ward took it and nearly jumped in shock. "This... this is the Hale family's land deed!"

"Exactly." Elena smirked. "That bastard Nolan Hale nearly killed us. Shawn Johnson helped us get this as compensation."

Vanessa's fingers trembled. The memory flashed before her—the speeding car crashing into the wall, Nolan's twisted face, and the dark barrel of his gun.

"We... we can't take this." Vanessa hastily shoved the deed back into her sister's hands. "If that lunatic finds out—"

"Don't worry, Vanessa." Elena's lips curled into a cold smile. "Nolan Hale is dead."

"Dead?" Vanessa's head snapped up, her voice cracking.

"Mm. Dead." Elena shrugged casually. "Heard it was a gruesome end."

Vanessa suddenly covered her mouth, tears spilling over. Not from grief, but from overwhelming relief. That monster could never hurt her family again.

"Am I... am I horrible for feeling this way?" Vanessa choked out, even as her lips twitched upward.

"Vanessa, we should celebrate." Elena squeezed her sister's shaking hands. "That bastard almost destroyed our family. Now he's gone. We can finally sleep at night."

Vanessa thought of Nolan Brooks checking the doors and windows every night, the butcher knife always in his bag. She remembered the fear in her chest every time she walked the kids to school, how Elena had nearly died—

"Yes, we should celebrate!" Vanessa burst into laughter, the sound almost hysterical. "That bastard got what he deserved!"

The sisters locked eyes, their laughter growing louder, startling Luke and Aaron Jackson playing in the yard.

"Aunt Elena, Mom, what's so funny?" Aaron asked curiously.

Elena scooped up her nephew and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Auntie's happy! Tell your dad to break out his good wine tonight—we're having a feast!"

"Yes, a celebration!" Vanessa wiped her tears, her voice light as a bird's. "Tonight, we celebrate properly!"

As the sun set, the aroma of food filled the yard. Nolan was baffled by his wife's uncharacteristic excitement—until he heard the news. The usually stoic man's eyes reddened.

"Good riddance..." he muttered, pulling out his gleaming butcher knife and slamming it into the cutting board.

That night, The Ward family's home glowed with light and laughter. No one mourned Nolan Hale's death.

Justice had been served.