Chapter 8 - Spring Awakening
By April, Denver had thawed into a brilliant, blooming spring. The jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains stood sharp and clear against a brilliant azure sky, visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my newly renovated penthouse.
I had stripped the apartment down to its bare studs and completely redesigned every square inch. The dark, suffocating cherrywood furniture chosen by Ryan’s mother was gone, replaced by minimalist, sun-drenched Scandinavian oak, white Italian leather, and vibrant modern art purchased with my own independent wealth.
My belly was round and heavy now, kicking with an insistent, joyful energy every time I sat down to review my company's quarterly growth charts. My tech startup had just closed a massive Series B funding round, valuing my software platform at over forty million dollars. I was entirely free.
Grant Sterling had been denied bail due to extreme flight risk and was currently awaiting federal trial in a maximum-security holding facility, facing up to twenty-five years in federal prison for wire fraud, identity theft, and interstate financial conspiracy. Henderson, his slick attorney, had already turned state’s evidence against other co-conspirators in unrelated real estate scams, leaving the Sterling name utterly shattered, bankrupt, and disgraced.
Ryan had been sentenced to eight years in federal custody as part of his plea deal, his name permanently blackened in the Colorado business community.
I stood by the window, a cup of herbal tea in my hand, looking down at the bustling Denver streets below. My phone chimed with a notification from Marcus:
May you like
Civil asset forfeiture complete. All seized Sterling properties, vehicles, and hidden assets liquidated. Total recovery transferred to your primary holding account: $4.2 million. You own them, Claire. Lock, stock, and barrel.
I smiled, taking a slow sip of my tea.
