Chapter 17 - The Dawn of a New EraThe morning sun broke through the storm clouds, casting a golden glow across the harbor as my town car pulled back up to the estate gates.

The air felt lighter. The oppressive weight that had suffocated these halls for six months was finally gone.
I stepped out of the car, walking up the marble steps with my cane, my legs stronger with every passing day.
Tessa walked beside me, carrying her leather briefcase, her expression serene.
"Well," Tessa said as we walked through the grand front doors into the foyer. "I suppose you don't need a twenty-five-dollar-an-hour aide anymore."
I stopped, turning to face her.
"No," I agreed softly. "I don't."
Tessa’s expression flickered for a fraction of a second—a brief, unreadable shadow crossing her face before she nodded professionally. "I'll submit my formal transition paperwork to HR by noon. It's been an... unforgettable experience, Mr. Corvino."
She turned toward the door, ready to leave.
"Tessa," I said.
She paused, looking back over her shoulder. "Yes?"
"I didn't say you were fired," I walked closer, stopping just a foot away from her. "I said I don't need an aide anymore. But Corvino Holdings still needs a Chief Operating Officer. And more importantly... I need someone who isn't afraid to tell me the truth."
Tessa stared at me, her eyes widening slightly as the full meaning of my words settled in. A slow, radiant smile broke across her face—the first real, unburdened smile I had ever seen from her.
"That's quite a promotion, Vincent," she said softly.
May you like
"Consider it hazard pay," I replied, extending my hand.
She took it, her grip warm, firm, and unbreakable.
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