Chapter 14 - The Final AuditTwo years to the day after the morning I walked out of Paradise Valley, I sat on the private balcony of my penthouse apartment, watching the sunrise paint Camelback Mountain in shades of gold and amber.
Leo, now three and full of boundless energy, padded out onto the balcony in his dinosaur pajamas, holding a wooden block tower.
“Look, Mommy! Tall!” he declared, proudly showing off his construction skills.
I scooped him up into my lap, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “The tallest tower in the world, buddy.”
My phone vibrated on the glass patio table. It was an automated notification from my bank regarding the final liquidation disbursement of the Hayes estate properties, which had finally cleared through federal bankruptcy court.
The remaining assets had been officially auctioned off, wiping away every last vestige of the family’s false grandeur.
I picked up the phone, swiped away the notification without a second thought, and set the device face down on the table.
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Some people spend their entire lives worrying about what others take from them. They spend years plotting revenge, chasing ghosts, or looking backward through the rearview mirror of bitterness.
I didn't need revenge.
