Chapter 29 - The Final Audit
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The end of the fiscal year brought the final, massive audit for Vanguard Strategies.
Claire was buried under paperwork, finalizing the budgets for the three major hotel renovations she had spearheaded.
She was sitting at her kitchen island at 10 PM, surrounded by highlighters and spreadsheets, when her phone rang.
It was Daniel.
She stared at the caller ID for a long moment before answering.
"Hello, Daniel."
"Claire. I’m sorry to call so late."
"What is it?"
"I'm leaving," he said, his voice surprisingly calm.
Claire stopped reviewing the spreadsheet.
"Leaving Vanguard?"
"Leaving the city," Daniel clarified. "I've accepted a position with a smaller firm in Seattle. It's a fresh start. No legacy to uphold. No ghosts."
Claire felt a sudden, profound sense of finality settle over her.
"Seattle is a long way."
"It is," he agreed. "I think that's the point."
"Are you taking the job because you want it, or because you're running away?"
"A little of both," Daniel admitted honestly. "I need to figure out who I am when I'm not carrying the Mercer name."
"That sounds like a good idea."
A long silence stretched between them, thick with the weight of everything they had been and everything they were not.
"I wanted to say goodbye," Daniel said softly. "And thank you."
"For what?"
"For not letting me drag you down with me."
Claire closed her eyes, feeling a strange, bittersweet ache in her chest.
"Take care of yourself, Daniel."
"You too, Claire."
The line clicked dead.
May you like
Claire set the phone down. She looked at the spreadsheets, the meticulous budgets she had created entirely on her own.
She picked up her highlighter and went back to work.
