Chapter 8 - The Gathering in the Garden
By mid-afternoon, the crisp autumn air gave way to a warm, golden sunlight that bathed the rear terrace of the estate in a soft, amber glow.
Vincent walked across the flagstone patio, carrying a secure satellite tablet. He stopped a few paces from where Lucas was sitting on a wrought-iron bench, watching Ethan and Lily chase a golden retriever puppy across the lawn.
“Boss,” Vincent said quietly.
Lucas didn't turn away from the lawn. “Talk to me, Vincent.”
“The federal prosecutor’s office just finalized the plea arrangement for Julian Sterling,” Vincent reported, his voice even and professional. “Maximum security federal penitentiary in Florence, Colorado. No communication privileges, no visitor access, and his personal assets have been completely liquidated into the municipal victims' compensation fund.”
Lucas nodded slowly, the last lingering tension leaving his shoulders. The ghost of his father’s empire—the blood, the paranoia, the endless cycle of retaliation—was officially buried.
“And the board?” Lucas asked.
“Resigned en masse yesterday morning,” Vincent replied with a faint, rare grin. “They realized that trying to maneuver against a man who has successfully restructured his entire life around transparency and family values is a losing game. They handed over their shares without a single argument.”
“Good,” Lucas said, standing up and brushing a speck of dust from his sleeve. “Let them go build empires somewhere else. We’re done with empires here.”
Vincent tipped his head in respect and stepped back into the shadows of the colonnade, leaving Lucas alone in the sunlight.
May you like
Across the lawn, Lily tripped over a tuft of grass, tumbling softly onto the plush green turf with a burst of infectious laughter. Ethan immediately dropped to his knees beside her, helping her up and dusting off her yellow cardigan with an exaggerated display of knightly chivalry that made her giggle even louder.
Lucas watched them, his chest swelling with a warm, steady peace he hadn't felt since the night Isabella closed her eyes for the last time.
