Six months later, everything collapsed around them. Victor was indicted for fraud. Marjorie lost her social status and the mansion she had nearly sacrificed to fund the scheme. Serena pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and disappeared from public view.

Meanwhile, I kept Daniel’s company running and transformed part of his estate into a cancer research foundation in his honor. For the first time since his death, the house felt peaceful again.

On the anniversary of Daniel’s funeral, I visited his grave at sunrise with fresh flowers in my hands. The wind moved softly through the trees as I stood there alone.

“I handled it,” I whispered. And for the first time in a very long time, I finally felt free.