Chapter 9 - The Heirs of Cascade Ridge
Two days later, the mountain passes were finally cleared by state snowplows. Sunlight broke through the dense clouds, bathing the snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Mountains in a blinding, golden radiance.
Inside the Cascade Ridge Estate, the shattered glass in the west wing had been temporarily boarded up, and the heavy scent of burning cedar filled the air.
Lily sat propped up in a plush armchair in the living room, wearing a warm pink sweater Rosa had knitted for her. The twins were sleeping soundly in a proper bassinet nearby. Lily was holding a small wooden puzzle in her lap, her green eyes wide and bright, completely devoid of the terror that had haunted her just days before.
Nathan walked into the room carrying a mug of hot cocoa with extra marshmallows, kneeling down beside her chair.
"For the bravest girl in Washington," Nathan said softly, handing her the mug.
Lily took it with both hands, smiling shyly. "Is the bad man gone, Uncle Nathan?"
"He's gone, Lily. He’s never coming back," Nathan promised, his voice thick with emotion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the scratched silver bracelet, carefully sliding it back onto his own wrist, right beside his watch—a constant, unyielding reminder of the sister he failed to protect, and the niece he swore to defend with his life.
The front doors swung open softly, and Sheriff Miller stepped inside, accompanied by a state social worker carrying a thick leather binder.
"Nathan," Miller said, tipping his hat respectfully. "The federal prosecutors accepted the financial ledgers we recovered from Marcus's office. His assets have been frozen, and the state has officially granted emergency guardianship of Lily, Owen, and Ethan to you."
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Nathan looked up at the social worker, then back at the three children who represented the last remaining pieces of his family. The cold, empty mansion of steel and glass no longer felt like a prison. It was a home again.
"They're not going anywhere," Nathan said firmly, placing a gentle hand on Lily’s shoulder. "They're home."
