Chapter 6 - A City’s SilenceThe news of the "Azure Crown Arrest" dominated the front pages of every newspaper and blog in the state by the next morning.
The media footage of Vanessa Vale, handcuffed and crying in her silk dress, went viral across social media. The public, who had been fed anonymous lies about my "criminal past" for months, was suddenly filled with admiration for the undercover detective who had survived a bullet to protect her city.
I sat in the kitchen of our cozy home, drinking coffee, watching the reports on the news. The sun was shining warmly through the windows, casting a peaceful, gold light across the wooden table.
Daniel came in, holding a fresh bouquet of white roses, and set them down next to my coffee cup. He leaned down, kissing the top of my head. "The board of directors for Vale Holdings just had an emergency meeting. They voted unanimously to remove Vanessa's family from the trust. The court has frozen all her assets to pay restitution."
"I don't care about the money, Daniel," I said, looking out at the quiet garden.
"I know," he smiled, pulling out a chair and sitting beside me. "But you earned the peace. You spent years hiding in the shadows to protect this city. Now, you can finally live in the light."
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"What about Vanessa’s trial?" I asked.
"Chief Sterling called," Daniel replied, his hand finding mine. "They have three years of encrypted emails showing she was actively coordinating with the cartel to launder their funds. Her plea deal was rejected. She is going to prison, Elena. For a very long time."
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