The aroma of orange zest and toasted almonds drifted through the executive conference room, sharp and distinct against the stale smell of expensive leather and furniture polish.

Four weeks after their birth, the day finally arrived.

Leo, Maya, and Samuel had hit all their developmental milestones, gained healthy weight, and were officially cleared to go home.

I bought a brand-new, secure estate located on five acres of private waterfront property in Bellevue—far away from the noise of the city and completely shielded from the press. I hired a full-time security detail led by a former Secret Service officer to ensure no one from my past could ever step foot on the property without permission.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Elena and I sat on the wide, covered back porch of our new home.

The view opened up to the calm, blue expanse of Lake Washington, sparkling under the afternoon sun. Three white wooden cribs sat in the sunlit nursery just inside the French doors, but right now, all three babies were sleeping peacefully in a wide, custom-built triple bassinet beside us on the porch.

Elena leaned back against my shoulder, wrapped in a soft cashmere blanket. Her skin had regained its rosy glow, and her eyes, once clouded by grief and exhaustion, were bright with peace.

I wrapped my arm around her, resting my cheek against her hair.

“It feels like a dream,” Elena whispered softly, her fingers gently playing with mine. “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, terrified that I’m still back in that studio apartment behind the bakery... terrified that Martha’s going to knock on the door and tell me I have to leave.”

I squeezed her tight, kissing her temple. “You are home, Elena. You are safe. No one is ever going to hurt you again.”

“What happened with the trial?” she asked quietly.

I took a slow breath. “Margaret and Paige pled guilty to federal wire fraud, grand larceny, and corporate forgery yesterday afternoon. Because of their lack of prior criminal records, Margaret was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Paige received four years.”

Elena remained silent for a moment, watching the small waves ripple against the shore. “Do you feel sad?”

I thought about it honestly. I thought about the mother who had raised me, the sister I had played with as a child, and how absolute greed had rotted their souls until they were willing to crush a pregnant woman’s life without a second thought.

“I mourn the family I thought I had,” I admitted softly. “But I don't regret protecting the family I actually have. They chose their path, Elena. We chose ours.”