Chapter 10 - The Garden of Daisies
Eighteen months after that fateful, rainy afternoon in Trinity Church Cemetery, the sun shone brightly over the rolling green hills of the Greenwich estate.
The vast backyard of Hartwell Manor had been completely transformed. Where manicured corporate lawns once stretched, there was now a sprawling, golden sea of blooming wild daisies, blowing gently in the warm spring breeze.
In the middle of the field sat a newly built wooden gazebo, where William sat at an easel, painting a portrait of Maya playing with a golden retriever puppy near the flowerbeds. Her laughter—bright, clear, and unburdened by fear—echoed across the sunny landscape.
A quiet step behind him made William turn. Standing at the edge of the patio was Sarah Jenkins, Maya’s former pediatric counselor who had worked with them through her recovery, now a close family friend and manager of the Clara Vance Foundation.
"She looks so happy, William," Sarah said softly, watching Maya run through the flowers. "You saved her."
William looked at the small girl, her hair catching the bright afternoon light, her hazel eyes sparkling with pure, unadulterated joy. He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the small, worn cloth doll that had once belonged to Olivia, now resting safely alongside a dried yellow daisy.
May you like
"No, Sarah," William said gently, his heart feeling whole and warm for the first time in years. "She saved me."
He set his paintbrush down, stepped out of the gazebo, and walked into the sea of gold to join his daughter in the light.
