Chapter 6 - THE RECLAMATION OF POWER
Inside the mansion,
the air felt cleaner,
as if a fever had finally broken.
Taylor walked through the rooms,
watching the cleaning crews systematically remove every trace of Spencer and his mother.
The guest suite was being stripped to the studs,
the furniture sent to a local charity.
The master bedroom was being completely reimagined,
the "cream silk robe" already long gone.
Taylor sat in the library,
surrounded by the books she actually liked,
not the ones Spencer displayed for status.
Marcus entered with a fresh pot of tea,
setting it on the desk.
The press is clamoring for a statement,
Taylor,
he said.
They want to know about the "Secret CEO."
Taylor took a sip of the tea,
savoring the warmth.
Tell them that T.S. Group is undergoing a restructuring,
she instructed.
Tell them that the former consultant,
Spencer Solomon,
is no longer affiliated with the firm in any capacity.
And the lawsuits?
Marcus asked.
He’s already trying to claim "emotional distress."
Taylor laughed,
a genuine,
sharp sound.
Let him try,
she said.
We have the recordings of him at the hospital.
We have the testimony of the nurses he ignored.
We have the proof of his embezzlement from the marketing budget to pay for Kaylie’s "services."
If he wants to go to court,
we’ll ensure he leaves with even less than he has now.
She looked out the window at the driveway,
now empty of the tow trucks and the drama.
I want this house to be a home for Lisa,
Taylor whispered.
I want her to grow up knowing that strength doesn't have to be loud.
I want her to know that the world belongs to those who build,
not those who boast.
The phone on her desk rang—the private line.
It was her lead investigator.
We found where Martha is staying,
the voice said.
A cheap motel on the outskirts of town.
She’s trying to sell her jewelry,
but it turns out most of it was "costume" Spencer bought her to save money.
Taylor felt a small,
cold satisfaction.
The irony was poetic.
The woman who valued status above all else was now decorated in plastic.
Leave them be,
Taylor said.
Their own lives are the worst punishment I could give them.
She hung up and walked to the nursery,
where Lisa was waking up.
The baby let out a soft coo,
her tiny hands reaching for the light.
Taylor picked her up,
the warmth of the infant’s body healing the last of her wounds.
We’re going to be okay,
Lisa,
she whispered.
The "mansion" is just a house now.
And your mother is finally the queen.
May you like
The chapter of the "Shadow Wife" was closed.
The era of Taylor Solomon had officially begun.
