Chapter 18 - The Last DrawingThe study fell into a profound, peaceful silence.
I walked over to the tall windows, looking out over the sparkling lights of the city. The storm that had threatened to tear my entire empire apart had finally cleared, leaving behind an unshakeable, absolute dominion.
The phone on my desk buzzed gently.
I picked it up. It was Elena calling from the Tuscana safehouse.
“Mr. Moretti... everything is secure here. Sophia has finally gone to sleep, but she left something on the kitchen table for you before bed.”
“What is it, Elena?” I asked softly.
“Another drawing. She said you’d understand.”
Fifteen minutes later, a high-resolution image of the drawing pinged directly to my private terminal.
I walked over to the desk and opened the image file.
It wasn't a building. It wasn't an escape route or a prescription bottle or a car parked by the gate.
It was a drawing of a towering lion standing proudly beside a tiny yellow flower, underneath a bright, shining sun.
In the corner, written in neat, careful letters:
May you like
“The lion is safe now.”
I stared at the screen, and for the first time in twenty-five years, a genuine, heavy weight lifted completely off my chest.
