Chapter 17 - The RecordingsAt eleven, Sorrel asked to hear the recordings.
I said no.
She became furious.
“They're mine.”
She was right.
The recordings belonged to her story.
But some contained language and memories she wasn't ready to absorb alone.
Dr. Helena helped us create a plan.
Sorrel chose what to hear.
The first recording was from the dinner.
Aurelia's voice.
“Crawl faster. Servants don't keep their masters waiting.”
Sorrel stopped it.
“I remember.”
“I know.”
She chose another.
The one where Aurelia told her I had chosen work over her.
Sorrel cried.
“That one messed me up.”
“I know.”
“Did you choose work?”
I answered carefully.
“I chose work believing I could do it without losing closeness with you.”
She waited.
“I was wrong.”
“You could've just come home.”
“Yes.”
She leaned against me.
Not forgiveness.
Something better.
Connection.
Years later, at fourteen, Sorrel chose to destroy her personal copies.
The legal archive remained where required.
Her old watch eventually stopped working.
She recycled it.
There was no shrine.
No obsession.
May you like
Technology had helped preserve evidence.
It didn't need to become her identity.
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