Chapter 18 - Roots in the Concrete
Spring returned to Phoenix with a breathtaking explosion of color across the restored grounds of the Lawson estate. Now renamed the Victoria Vanguard Foundation Center, the historic property bustled with young female scholars, researchers, and entrepreneurs working on groundbreaking technological projects.
Victoria walked through the sunlit gardens alongside David, the cool desert breeze carrying the sweet scent of blooming jasmine. She stopped near the central fountain—the very spot where Christopher had once stood arrogance-bound, and where Evelyn had first discovered the truth about the twins.
"You know," David said gently, wrapping an arm around her waist, "you could have had this estate torn down to the bedrock. No one would have blamed you."
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"Tearing it down would have given the past too much power," Victoria replied, her gaze steady and bright. "Building something beautiful out of the ruins—something that helps others succeed where I was nearly broken—that is the true victory."
She knelt down, brushing her fingers against a cluster of vibrant red tulips pushing boldly up through the rich, fertile soil. The past was fertilizer; the future was entirely hers to cultivate.
