Chapter 10 - The New Foundation
One year later.
The sun was setting over the wide, green garden of the Jacaranda Lane estate, casting a warm, golden glow across the terrace.
Ethan, now five years old, was running across the lawn, his laughter bright and clear as he chased a golden retriever puppy we had adopted for his birthday. He wore a clean blue shirt, his sneakers brand new, his steps confident and strong.
I sat on the terrace steps, a glass of white wine in my hand, watching him play. Beside me sat Arthur, looking over the final closure documents of the Whitman Logistics merger.
"Everything is settled, Amanda," Arthur said, closing the folder. "The Whitman name has been legally removed from the logistics firm. It is now officially Vega Global Transport. The company had its highest-earning quarter in history last month."
"And Richard?" I asked.
"He accepted a plea deal last week," Arthur said quietly. "Three years at the minimum-security facility in Texcoco for corporate fraud. He won't be bothering you or Ethan for a very long time."
I looked out at the garden—the flowers blooming, the puppy barking, and my little boy standing tall in the center of the lawn, his face bright with a simple, undisturbed happiness.
The living room behind me was clean, the security cameras still blinked quietly to ensure his safety, and the memory of the night he had been forced to crawl had finally been buried under a year of love, respect, and absolute security.
"Mommy! Look how fast I can run!" Ethan shouted, sprinting toward the terrace steps, his arms open wide.
May you like
I caught him in my arms, lifting him high into the warm evening air, his laughter the only sound that mattered in the world.
"You're so fast, my love," I whispered against his clean hair. "And you never have to stop running."
