Ivan pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "It's alright, my dear," he murmured. "Don't cry. It's better now that you know. The truth is painful, but it's always better."
She felt Ivan's hand gently caress her hair as she leaned against his chest. He slowly pulled her face back to look into her eyes with a tender expression. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?" he asked softly. "It's not better for you to go about your day without knowing who is responsible for your mother's death. Now that you know, we can do something about it."
Arkadi, who finally stepped forward, decided to speak too. "Ivan is right, Everly. It's better now that you've found out. But if you need to cry, you should. It's a perfectly normal thing to do in these kinds of situations." He offered her a polite nod before walking toward the door and opening it. "I'll give you some alone time. I'll be downstairs if you need me."
