Chapter 10 - THE FINAL SURPRISEOne year later.
The Crestwood Financial Group was transformed into a foundation dedicated to financial transparency. I was the new Chief Operating Officer, and Julian Sterling and I had spent the year piecing together the last decade of my father’s life. We found him. He had been living under an alias, protecting the very evidence that eventually brought the syndicate down.
I sat in my office, looking at the city skyline. Julian walked in, holding a photograph—a new one. It was the three of us: me, Julian, and my father.
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"You know," Julian said, looking out the window, "your father once told me that if anything ever happened to him, he hoped you’d grow up to be as smart as he was. I think he’d be proud to know you’re even smarter."
I smiled, finally feeling like the girl who had been pushed into that bathroom stall was a lifetime ago. I wasn't just a staff accountant anymore; I was the one who held the keys to the kingdom, and I wasn't going anywhere. I was exactly where I was meant to be—building a future on the foundation my father had fought to protect. The door to my office was open, and for the first time, I felt truly safe.
