Chapter 9 - The New Beginning
Six months later, the autumn air in Chicago was crisp and clean, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and woodsmoke.
Blake and Ethan stood on the back patio of a charming, sunlit craftsman home in a quiet neighborhood north of the city—far away from the oppressive shadow of the Winnetka estate. The house had a massive backyard with an old oak tree, a tire swing hanging from its strongest branch, and windows that let in golden light all day long.
Ethan, now seven and standing a little taller, ran across the grass, laughing as he chased a golden retriever puppy they had adopted the month before.
Blake watched them, a mug of hot coffee warming his hands, a genuine smile on his face.
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The phone in his pocket buzzed. It was a brief email from Marcus: “Asset transfer finalized. You’re officially free, my friend.”
Blake clicked ‘archive,’ locking the past away forever where it belonged.
