Chapter 19 - The New Horizon
Summer arrived in Vermont with emerald hills, warm breezes, and sunlight dancing across Lake Champlain. The local community had fully embraced Claire and me as pillars of local philanthropy, completely unaware that the quiet bookkeeping husband who walked beside her in tailored suits commanded an international syndicate with operatives in every major capital across the globe.
We hosted a garden party on the sprawling lawns of Vance Manor, inviting local judges, doctors, and civic leaders. Laughter and soft jazz music floated across the manicured grass. Standing near the rose garden with a glass of sparkling cider in hand, I watched Claire laughing effortlessly with Dr. Mercer and the local senator.
She had survived the ice. She had conquered the betrayal of her own blood. And she stood beside her husband stronger, brighter, and more radiant than ever before.
"You look deep in thought, Boss," Marcus murmured, stepping up beside me in a discreet gray suit while pretending to admire the rosebushes.
"Just appreciating the view, Marcus," I replied softly, sipping my cider. "Just appreciating the view."
"Any trouble from Zurich or Tokyo?"
May you like
"None. The world rotates on its axis, and the machine runs itself."
Marcus nodded respectfully and melted back into the crowd, leaving me alone with the peaceful hum of a Vermont summer afternoon.
