Chapter 13 - The New Routine
By Monday morning, the ghost of Linda’s visit had completely evaporated, replaced by the vibrant reality of my new life.
Marcus Sterling’s legal team finalized the asset liquidation paperwork over the weekend. All remaining personal accounts, joint credit lines, and corporate holdings were officially severed and transferred into a secure trust managed solely under my maiden name and Emma’s future guardianship.
I sat at my home office desk, reviewing the updated property portfolio.
The Maine coastal cottage—the one Linda and Ryan had tried to steal behind my back—was now fully registered under my name. I had already contacted a local property management team in Portland to prep the house for a family getaway next summer. A place of peace, far away from the toxicity of the past.
My phone rang. It was David Higgins, the chief financial manager who had helped audit the trust accounts.
“Good morning, Mrs. Vance,” David said brightly. “Everything is officially in the clear. The forensic audit is locked, sealed, and delivered to the district attorney. Your finances are entirely secure.”
“Thank you, David,” I said, leaning back in my leather chair. “I appreciate your discretion and speed through all of this.”
May you like
“It was an honor, ma’am. Some people build empires on sand; you just rebuilt yours on bedrock.”
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