Chapter 18 - Rebuilding from Ash
|
Six months later.
The spring sun warmed the patio of my new single-story home on the outskirts of Savannah.
The body cast was finally gone. After months of grueling physical therapy, painful surgeries, and relentless determination, I was walking again. I moved with a slight limp, relying on an elegant wooden cane, but I was standing on my own two feet.
The Morgan estate had been liquidated under court order.
Through the civil asset forfeiture process and the divorce settlement, the court awarded me forty percent of Ethan's remaining assets as compensation for my catastrophic injuries.
The rest of the fifty-million-dollar Vance trust was fully restored to Emily Morgan, who had relocated to a private retreat in Switzerland to recover her health and rebuild her life away from the nightmare of Atlanta.
Ethan Morgan was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at Hays State Penitentiary.
Margaret Morgan received thirty-five years for her role in the kidnapping and attempted murder, guaranteeing she would spend the rest of her natural life behind bars.
My phone chimed on the patio table beside my tea cup.
It was an international text message from an unlisted number in Zurich.
“The roses in my garden are blooming today, Claire. I hope you are standing tall.”
I smiled, picking up my phone, and typed a quick reply.
“Standing taller than ever, Emily. Thank you.”
May you like
I set the phone down and looked out over the lush green lawn. For the first time in two years, I felt a deep, profound sense of peace. The nightmare was over. The dark shadows of the balcony were behind me forever.
Or so I thought.
