Chapter 30 - The Phoenix in the Ashes
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Two months later.
Spring had arrived in New York City. The cherry blossoms in Central Park were in full bloom, painting the city in shades of soft pink and white.
The scandal that had rocked the country had finally settled. Senator Collins and Elizabeth Bennett had both pleaded guilty to federal racketeering and treason charges, receiving life sentences in federal prison without the possibility of parole.
Dr. Andrew Vaughn’s body had been recovered by the French Coast Guard three days after the incident at Normandy, closing the book on his reign of terror forever.
I stood in the center of a state-of-the-art laboratory on the top floor of the newly built Carter Innovation Center. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling glass, illuminating sleek white desks, holographic displays, and cutting-edge neural mapping equipment.
The door opened, and Ethan stepped inside.
He looked magnificent in a tailored navy suit, his dark hair styled perfectly, the cuts on his face fully healed into faint, barely visible silver scars that only made him look more impossibly handsome.
He walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder.
"What do you think, Dr. Vance?" Ethan murmured, his breath warm against my neck. "Does the new lab meet your standards?"
I turned in his arms, smiling up at him, placing my hands against his broad chest. "It's perfect, Ethan. Better than anything I ever dreamed of."
"It's yours," Ethan said softly. "A place where your genius can change the world... without anyone ever trying to steal it or lock you in the dark again."
I looked into his dark grey eyes—the eyes that had once looked so distant and cold, now filled with an unconditional, breathtaking love.
"I couldn't have done any of this without you, Ethan," I whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek. "You saved my life."
"You saved mine first, Ava," Ethan replied, leaning down to kiss me softly, a lingering, sweet kiss that made my soul soar. "You showed me that a fortress isn't a home until you have someone to share it with."
Lucas knocked politely on the open glass door, holding a clipboard and smiling. "Sorry to interrupt the romance, boss, but the press conference is starting in ten minutes. The whole world is waiting to hear from the new CEO of Carter Enterprises and her Chief Scientific Officer."
May you like
Ethan smiled, taking my hand and locking his fingers with mine. "Ready, Ava?"
"Ready," I answered, stepping forward into the light at his side.
