Chapter 16 - Shadows of the Past
December 31st, 2026.
Exactly one year to the day since the New Year’s Eve disaster.
I stood on the expansive glass-paneled balcony of my penthouse, looking out over the frozen Denver skyline. Snowflakes drifted lazily through the crisp night air, catching the neon glow of the city lights below.
Inside the warm, sun-drenched living room, my daughter—now a bright, running toddler—was laughing as she played with her building blocks, her golden retriever resting his heavy chin across her tiny sneakers.
The front door chimed softly.
Marcus Vance stepped out onto the terrace, holding two crystal flutes filled with vintage Krug champagne. He handed me one, his weathered face creased into a rare, genuine smile.
“One year, Claire,” Marcus said, clinking his glass against mine. “Federal indictments finalized, corporate assets secured, European logistics fully integrated, and the Sterling name is officially mud across three continents. How does it feel?”
I took a slow sip of the crisp champagne, letting the bubbles dance across my tongue. I looked down at my hands—steady, powerful, and completely unburdened.
“It feels like breathing fresh air after being underwater for three years,” I said softly.
May you like
“And Grant and Ryan?” Marcus asked, eyeing me carefully.
“Grant is serving twenty years in maximum security with zero chance of parole. Ryan is sitting in a minimum-security facility in Canon City, wondering how he threw away a billion-dollar empire for a cigarette and a lie.” I turned my gaze back to the glowing skyline. “They don't exist anymore, Marcus. They’re just ghost stories.”
