Chapter 19 - The Anniversary
Exactly five years after the horrific night at the Grand Heritage Hotel, I returned to the cemetery.
The grounds were meticulously maintained, the green grass vibrant under the late spring sun.
I did not come with an entourage. I came alone, holding two massive bouquets of fresh, white lilies.
I knelt down in the grass, placing one bouquet at the base of my father's headstone, and the other at the base of General Arthur Pendelton's.
"We did it,"
I whispered to the quiet, peaceful stones, running my fingers over their engraved names.
"The foundation is national now. We are helping thousands of families every single day. The money is safe. The legacy is unbreakable."
The wind rustled through the ancient oak trees above me, sounding almost like a gentle, approving sigh.
I didn't cry. I didn't feel the crushing weight of grief anymore. I only felt a profound, overwhelming gratitude for the two men who had sacrificed everything to ensure I survived the fire.
"I am guarding the gates,"
May you like
I promised them one last time.
"And no one will ever tear them down again."
