Chapter 7 - THE REBUILDINGSix months later, the city was draped in the golden, crisp hues of late autumn.
The bakery downstairs, now officially renamed Vance & Co. Artisanal Bakery, was thriving. Odette had taken over the business operations with a fierce, joyful energy, turning the historic storefront into one of the most popular gathering spots in the district.
I sat at the large oak table in the center of the loft, reviewing the quarterly philanthropic portfolio for the Vance Foundation. Following Josephine’s advice, we had converted seventy percent of Callaway Holdings' legacy real estate into affordable housing grants and community development programs, effectively dismantling the cold, predatory corporate culture Preston Callaway had spent decades cultivating.
The Callaway name no longer stood for ruthless corporate dominance. In the business journals, it was now a footnote—a cautionary tale of an arrogant dynasty brought down by its own exclusionary hubris. Preston and Adele had downsized into a modest two-bedroom condominium on the far outskirts of the city, their social circle completely evaporated the moment their wealth dissolved.
As for Weston, he had taken a low-level administrative job at a regional logistics firm—the kind of company he used to dismiss with a wave of his hand during corporate dinners.
Marlo was sitting in her high chair beside my desk, banging a wooden spoon against a plastic bowl with tremendous enthusiasm, her bright green eyes sparkling with mischief. She had my hair, but she had a resilience in her spirit that belonged entirely to herself.
Odette walked up the stairs carrying a tray of fresh cinnamon rolls, laughing as she watched Marlo smear a dollop of frosting across her cheek.
"You have a visitor downstairs," Odette said, setting the tray down and wiping her hands on a linen apron.
I paused, looking up from my laptop. "A courier?"
May you like
"No," Odette smiled, leaning against the back of my chair. "Someone much more interesting. Josephine is here with the final paperwork for the foundation restructuring. And she brought champagne."
I closed the laptop lid with a soft click, standing up to stretch my legs.
