Chapter 9 - The New Northstar
A month later,
the dust had finally settled.
Elias Carter was awaiting trial,
and his name had been scrubbed from every building in the city.
Northstar Technologies was now simply Northstar,
and the company was thriving under Nathan’s new,
transparent leadership.
I was settled into my new office on the top floor,
overseeing a team of analysts who actually cared about the work.
Harper was my right hand,
and the atmosphere was one of creativity and hope,
not fear.
But the biggest change wasn't in the company;
it was in us.
Nathan and I were no longer a scandal;
we were a partnership.
We spent our evenings in the penthouse,
laughing over takeout and talking about a future that was finally ours to build.
I had learned that being a virgin at twenty-eight wasn't a flaw;
it was a testament to my strength.
It meant that I knew what I was worth,
and I was willing to wait for the man who knew it too.
One evening,
Nathan took me back to the Chicago River,
to the spot where he had first asked me to trust him.
The city lights were reflecting in the water,
looking like a million diamonds scattered on a dark silk sheet.
"You know,"
he said,
taking my hand and pulling me close.
"I still think about that day in the cafeteria."
"I think about how close I came to just signing that paper and walking away."
"I think about how my whole life would have been a lie if I hadn't heard you."
"You saved me, Maya,"
he said,
his voice thick with emotion.
"In more ways than you’ll ever know."
"We saved each other,"
I corrected,
resting my head on his shoulder.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small,
wooden box.
It wasn't a diamond ring,
not yet.
Inside was a key,
simple and silver.
"This is to a house in the suburbs,"
he said.
"A place with a garden and room for a dog."
"A place where we can be just Nathan and Maya."
"Not the CEO and the analyst."
"Just us."
I looked at the key,
and then at the man I loved.
"I love it,"
I said,
tears of joy blurring my vision.
"I love you."
We stood there for a long time,
watching the river flow toward the lake.
The secret was out,
the war was over,
and the future was wide open.
I had waited twenty-eight years for my heart to find its home.
May you like
And as Nathan kissed me under the Chicago stars,
I knew that I had finally found it.
