Chapter 9 - THE NEW BEGINNINGThree days later, the penthouse living room was filled with soft sunlight and the gentle sound of laughter.
Arthur Sterling sat in an armchair by the window, holding Lily in his lap while she excitedly showed him her drawing book. The emotional reunion had been tearful, beautiful, and profoundly healing for both of them. The corporate empire was restructured, Richard Vance was awaiting trial in a federal penitentiary with no hope of bail, and the Sterling legacy was restored to its rightful heir.
I stood near the kitchen counter, sipping a cup of coffee, watching them interact. A bittersweet pang tugged at my chest. I had found her family. I had returned her to where she belonged. Which meant, inevitably, she would be leaving my penthouse.
"Rob?"
I looked down. Lily had slipped out of her grandfather’s lap and walked over to me, tugging gently on the hem of my suit jacket.
"Yes, Lily?" I asked, kneeling down to her eye level.
She held up a small, folded piece of paper—a crayon drawing of two stick figures standing outside a big building, with a bright yellow sun overhead. Above the figures, she had written my name in clumsy, uneven letters: ROB & LILY.
"Grandpa says I have a big house now," she said softly, her blue eyes looking up at me with absolute trust. "And a lot of rooms. But... he also said this house has two bedrooms. And he asked if you want to move into his house with us, so we can be a family forever."
I looked across the room at Arthur Sterling, who was watching us with a warm, approving smile, nodding slowly.
May you like
I looked back down at Lily, feeling the last cold, empty corners of my wealthy, solitary life melt away completely.
"I think," I whispered, scooping her up into my arms and spinning her around as she giggled, "that sounds like the best business deal I've ever made."
