Chapter 17 - Sentence Passed
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The news of Isaac Vance’s twenty-eight-year prison sentence dominated headlines across North America.
The story of the arrogant heir who attempted to destroy his quiet wife, only to be dismantled by her five powerful brothers, became an instant legend in business and legal circles.
A week after the trial, I stood on the dusty ground where the Vance estate once stood.
Massive yellow bulldozers belonging to Sterling Infrastructure were busily crushing the marble pillars and concrete walls of the mansion into dust. The grand crystal chandelier had been removed, and the wooden beam had been split into kindling and destroyed.
Noah, Leo, Julian, Marcus, and Caleb stood around me, wearing hard hats as engineers rolled out the blueprints for the new rehabilitation center.
“The foundation pouring begins on Monday,” Leo reported, handing me a silver pen. “We’re six weeks ahead of schedule.”
“Good,” I said, looking out over the sparkling blue waters of the bay.
Julian smiled, draping an arm around my shoulder. “You look peaceful, Flora.”
“I am peaceful, Julian,” I replied, feeling a warmth in my chest that had been missing for four painful years. “The nightmare is officially over.”
Marcus looked up from his tablet with a smirk. “By the way, Isaac’s prison transfer was completed this morning. He’s been assigned to the maximum-security wing at Walla Walla. His cellmate is a former union enforcer named Big Bob who weighs three hundred pounds.”
Caleb laughed softly. “I hear Big Bob takes personal hygiene very seriously. He’ll make sure Isaac keeps his cell spotless.”
We all laughed—a deep, genuine laughter that swept away the lingering shadows of the past month.
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I looked at my five brothers—my shield, my iron mountain, my family.
I had survived the fire, and in the ashes, I had reclaimed my crown.
