Chapter 8 - The Empire Without ConnorA year passed.
Albright Apex survived.
Under my leadership, it became stronger.
I reorganized the board.
Removed corrupt executives.
Expanded into sustainable development.
And created a family foundation.
The twins remained under protected guardianship.
Connor visited them regularly.
He also rebuilt his relationship with me.
Not romantically.
Not yet.
Perhaps never.
But respectfully.
One afternoon, he asked:
“Do you hate me?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“Do you regret marrying me?”
I thought about it.
“No.”
He looked surprised.
“Why?”
“Because I wouldn't be who I am today without the life we had.”
He smiled faintly.
“Even the bad parts?”
“Especially the bad parts.”
He looked toward the twins.
“They're happy.”
“Yes.”
“That's enough for me.”
Then he handed me an envelope.
“What is this?”
“A letter.”
“From whom?”
“My father.”
I stared at him.
“He wrote it before he died.”
I opened it.
The letter explained everything.
He had known about the genetic material.
He had feared Marcus.
He had also suspected that someone would someday try to manipulate the family through succession.
The letter ended with one sentence:
Protect the innocent, but never surrender your freedom to protect the guilty.
I cried.
Connor watched quietly.
“I think he would have liked you,” I said.
Connor smiled.
“He did.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“He once told me you were the strongest person I'd ever meet.”
I laughed through my tears.
“He was right.”
Connor nodded.
“Yes.”
For the first time in years, we laughed together.
May you like
Not as husband and wife.
As two people who had survived something terrible.
