Chapter 8 - The Aftermath
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of investigations, hearings, and headlines. Vincent Calder became the city's unlikely hero—the man who exposed the surveillance state hidden in a run-down apartment building.
He didn't escape unscathed. His businesses were audited, his freight companies investigated, and he spent days in depositions. But he didn't care. He had kept his promise.
He sat in his office, his desk empty, save for the velvet pouch.
Ellie’s mother had quit her job at the library, having been offered a position at a private foundation established by—anonymously—the Calder Group. They were moving to a safer neighborhood, a place with playgrounds and trees.
Vincent visited them once before they left.
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"You're a monster, aren't you?" Ellie asked him, but she said it without fear.
"I’m just a man who owns a lot of buildings," Vincent replied. "And you’re a girl who owns a lot of trust."
