Chapter 86 - The Healing Tide
Summer returned to Chicago, bringing warm breezes, clear blue skies, and tranquil waters back to Lake Michigan.
Our lives settled into a sweet, peaceful rhythm. Marcus officially took over as Chief Operating Officer of Sterling-Vance, allowing Ethan and me to transition into advisory roles so we could spend maximum time raising our children.
Once a month, Ethan and I flew to Geneva to visit Veronica. With proper medical care, counseling, and genuine family love, the darkness in her eyes slowly dissolved, replaced by a soft, hopeful light. She began painting, filling her sunlit room with vibrant canvases of flowers and lake landscapes.
One afternoon, as Noah and Sophie played tag on the green lawn of our Chicago estate with Marcus's daughter Lily, Ethan walked up behind me on the patio.
He held two glasses of iced tea, sliding one into my hand before wrapping his free arm around my waist, pulling me close against his side.
"What are you thinking about, Victoria?" he whispered, his chin resting against my temple.
"I'm thinking about how strange life is," I smiled, looking out at the glittering lake. "A year ago, I thought we had fought our last battle. I was so afraid when those marshals took me away."
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Ethan turned me in his arms, his deep blue eyes gazing down into mine with an intensity that took my breath away. "I told you that night, Victoria. I built an empire for you, but I would tear down the entire world just to bring you home."
"And you did," I whispered, reaching up to gently trace his jaw. "You always do."
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