Chapter 17 - A New Day|
Two weeks later.
The morning sun shone brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Ashford Estate in Upstate New York.
The Iron Syndicate had collapsed following Chen’s defeat and the arrest of Victor Lane. News of the sudden end to the crime war had sent shockwaves through New York's elite, but my name was kept completely out of the press. To the world, Alexander Ashford had simply outmaneuvered his rivals.
Down in the garden, Mateo was running across the lush green lawn, laughing as he kicked a soccer ball with two of Alexander’s off-duty security guards. He wasn't wheezing. The top-tier specialists Alexander hired had adjusted his treatment, and for the first time in years, my little brother was healthy.
My mother sat on the covered patio, sipping tea and reading a book, her hands rested comfortably without the chronic pain that used to plague her double shifts.
I stood on the glass balcony above, watching them with a quiet smile.
"They look happy," a rich, deep voice said behind me.
I turned to see Alexander walking out onto the patio. He wore a simple white button-down shirt with the collar open, looking far more relaxed than the ruthless boss I had met at the hotel.
"They are," I said, my voice filled with emotion. "I haven't seen my mother smile like that since my father died. I don't even know how to thank you, Alexander."
May you like
He walked over to the railing, standing beside me, looking out over the mountains.
"You don't owe me thanks, Sophia," Alexander said gently. "You saved my life six years ago through your father, and you saved my life again at the docks. If anything, I am still in your debt."
