Chapter 20 - In the Black

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, the apartment was filled with a deep, unbreakable peace.
I stood by the kitchen window, watching the streetlights flicker on as twilight settled over Boston.
My life had undergone the ultimate audit. The toxic liabilities of my family’s old world had been scrubbed clean, the fraudulent ledgers of elite entitlement had been shredded, and every single asset—from our little home on Elm Street to the structural heart of Sterling Enterprises—was built on a foundation of absolute truth and hard work.
Maya walked into the kitchen, wrapped her arms around my waist, and looked up with a sleepy smile.
“Mommy, are we rich now?” she asked innocently.
May you like
I smiled, picking her up and resting her head against my shoulder.
“We were always rich, baby,” I whispered, kissing her forehead as the radiator hummed its steady, comforting rhythm. “We just finally have the numbers to prove it.”