Chapter 8 - A NEW DAWN
One Year Later.
The crisp, salty air of the Oregon coast whipped through the open windows of our living room, carrying the sound of crashing waves. I stood in the kitchen of our new, modest beachfront home, flipping pancakes on a cast-iron skillet.
A lot can happen in a year.
The sale of the massive Scottsdale house, the luxury cars, and the recovery of the stolen investments had netted us over two and a half million dollars. It was more than enough to pay for Natalie’s world-class medical treatments, buy our coastal sanctuary outright, and secure our future without me ever having to work away from home again. I had started a small, local consulting firm, working from a desk that overlooked the ocean.
My mother, Lorraine, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for her extensive financial crimes and the blatant forgery of the insurance documents. Brooke, having violently turned on our mother to save herself, struck a plea deal. She received three years of probation, massive fines, and was currently working at a fast-food drive-thru in a desolate suburb of Phoenix, living in a tiny studio apartment. They had nothing left. The high society that once worshipped them had completely erased them from memory.
“Something smells amazing,” a voice said from the hallway.
I turned and smiled. Natalie walked into the kitchen, looking radiant. She had gained back the weight she had lost during the years of abuse. Her cheeks were flush with health. The auburn wig was gone, replaced by a chic, stylish pixie cut of her own natural hair, which was finally growing back thick and healthy.
Three months ago, Dr. Thorne had called us with the results of her final scans. She was officially in complete remission. She had beaten the cancer, just as we had beaten the people who tried to let it consume her.
Natalie wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, resting her chin on my shoulder as I plated the pancakes.
“The ocean looks angry today,” she murmured, looking out the large bay windows at the gray, churning water.
“Let it be angry,” I said, turning around and wrapping her in a tight embrace. “We’re safe in here.”
She smiled up at me, a bright, genuine smile that reached all the way to her eyes. The fear that used to live in those eyes was completely gone, replaced by a fierce, undeniable strength. We had walked through hell, betrayed by the people who were supposed to be our blood, but we had emerged on the other side forged in fire.
May you like
We sat down at the small wooden table, eating breakfast as the rain began to patter against the glass. There were no designer clothes, no luxury SUVs, and no grand parties to impress strangers. There was just us, a pot of hot coffee, and a lifetime of mornings ahead of us.
And it was the wealthiest I had ever felt in my entire life.
