One year later, Mallory explains that she is writing this account for Flora because József wants Flora to someday hear the truth from Mallory instead of from the media. After Flora's rescue, reporters and television producers pursued Mallory, but she and József chose privacy and released only a brief statement. Mallory then recalls the immediate aftermath: Ted died from Caroline's gunshot attack, Caroline died after being stabbed with the broken arrow, and Mallory confessed to stabbing Caroline in self-defense. During a hostile police interrogation, Mallory deliberately hid Margit's drawings and supernatural help to protect Flora, fearing she would be charged with double homicide until physical evidence and József's testimony confirmed key parts of her story.

Adrian, who had found Ted's body and called 911, reunited with Mallory at the police station, and József arrived soon after. In the months that followed, Flora returned with József to Seneca Lake, Adrian went back to Rutgers, and Mallory refused to make any rash decisions about her future. Instead she moved into her sponsor Russell's guest room in Norristown, took a job at a running shoe store, started running with coworkers, returned to church, and resumed attending NA meetings, steadily rebuilding her life and recovery.

Doctors would not let Mallory visit Flora at first because Flora was still fragile and trying to form a stable sense of self. Through calls and emails with József, Mallory learned that Flora was living on a farm with extended family and receiving extensive therapy. Mallory told József the full truth about Margit's involvement and sent him the drawings, which convinced him. Flora herself was given a simplified explanation: she had been born Flora Baroth, abducted by Ted and Caroline, and could decide her own name and gender presentation going forward. Despite predictions of a long struggle, Flora quickly embraced being Flora and living openly as a girl.

Near Halloween, Mallory also reconnected with her mother, who had been following the case closely and was proud of Mallory's sobriety. Mallory met her mother's new husband, Tony, and learned that her mother had saved clippings, contact information from people hoping to reconnect, and even a card from Dr. Susan Lowenthal, whom Mallory still avoids contacting. By late July, Mallory was thirty months clean, preparing to move into sober housing at Drexel, and planning to study elementary education. Adrian, now graduated and working in Philadelphia, joined her on a trip to visit Flora before continuing on to Niagara Falls and Toronto.

At Baroth Farms, József warmly welcomed Mallory and Adrian, showed them Margit's paintings, and explained that Flora no longer saw Anya and had largely left Teddy's old world behind. When Flora came downstairs with her cousins, she was shy, distant, and clearly uncomfortable with Mallory's gifts and memories, making Mallory realize that Flora was trying to move on from Spring Brook and might not have room for Mallory in her new life. Mallory chose not to force the connection and prepared to leave. Outside, however, Flora ran after her, silently hugged her tightly, and slipped her one last drawing. Mallory ends by saying that when Flora eventually wants the full truth, this written account will be waiting for her.