Chapter 8 - A New Beginning
Six months later, I moved into a new house.
It wasn't as large as the Whitmore estate.
It didn't need to be.
It had sunlight.
A garden.
A quiet office.
And a kitchen where I could cook without someone asking how much the renovation cost.
I started a foundation in my father's name.
It supported small businesses started by women who had been overlooked by traditional investors.
The first grant went to a woman who owned a transportation company.
She cried when she received it.
I understood why.
Someone had finally believed in her.
One evening, Naomi came over for dinner.
“You look happy.”
“I am.”
“Do you miss him?”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
I thought.
“I miss who I thought he was.”
She nodded.
“That's different.”
“Yes.”
My phone buzzed.
A message from Kelsey.
She had given birth.
A baby girl.
Healthy.
She sent a photograph.
I smiled.
Then another message arrived.
Thank you for not destroying us.
I typed:
May you like
Your daughter deserves a chance to build her own story.
Then I put my phone away.
