Chapter 7 - A New Foundation
Over the next two weeks, the legal storm surrounding my family played out entirely without my input.
My parents tried every trick in the book—crying on court steps, calling local news stations to claim they were being victimized by an ungrateful, wealthy daughter, and sobbing about how Sienna’s children were suffering. But federal prosecutors weren't swayed by crocodile tears. Sienna accepted a plea deal for felony trespassing and forgery, receiving three years of supervised probation and mandatory community service. My parents, who had coached her and provided the override code, faced accessory charges that forced them to sell their suburban home just to cover their soaring legal fees.
They finally got a taste of what real consequences looked like.
And I wasn't there to bail them out.
Instead, I was building an entirely new life.
My promotion to Senior Director at the consulting firm came with a generous relocation package, a corner office overlooking the National Mall, and a level of professional autonomy I had spent a decade fighting for.
And as for my living situation…
Well, Julian and I had a long conversation over dinner at a quiet Italian bistro in Georgetown about three weeks after my return.
“You know,” Julian said, swirling a glass of Chianti while looking across the candlelit table at me, “technically, you’re still registered as a resident of Arlington on half my utility bills because you left half your wardrobe in my guest closet before you went to London.”
I laughed, taking a sip of my wine. “Are you evicting me, Marshal Vance?”
“Never,” he smiled, leaning across the table and taking my hand in his. “In fact, I was wondering if you’d consider a more permanent lease agreement. No management codes. No family interference. Just… us.”
May you like
My heart soared. “Is that a formal federal proposal?”
“The most important one I’ll ever make,” he said softly.
