Chapter 10 - The Return to the Light-10
Four months after the horrific car crash that had threatened to destroy my life, I stood on my own two feet without a cane.
The morning sun shone brightly over the grounds of the newly constructed Vance Family Estate—a sprawling, six-acre waterfront sanctuary on the quiet shores of Bainbridge Island.
I had sold the old corporate assets associated with my parents' greed, restructured VanceTech into an ethical medical technology foundation dedicated to pediatric care, and built a permanent home for my children far away from the toxic shadows of Medina.
The house was filled with warmth, light, and music.
Large glass windows looked out over the blue waters of Puget Sound. In the spacious living room, Nurse Clara—now a permanent, cherished member of our household staff—was sitting on the plush rug, helping Leo and Maya assemble a giant wooden train set.
Daniel Cho walked out onto the sunlit patio, holding two mugs of hot coffee. He handed one to me, stepping up to the stone railing to look out over the water.
"The final auction of the Mercer family assets concluded yesterday afternoon," Daniel said softly. "The Medina mansion sold for six point two million dollars. The proceeds, along with the recovered funds from Seraphina's Florida accounts, have been fully deposited into the Claire Vance Pediatric Medical Trust."
"And the trial?" I asked, taking a sip of the warm coffee.
"Evelyn pled guilty yesterday morning to avoid the death penalty," Daniel replied. "She was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. Richard received twelve years at a federal correctional facility. Seraphina was sentenced to six years for embezzlement."
I looked down at the coffee in my hands, watching the steam rise into the crisp morning air.
"Do they ever ask about me?" I asked quietly.
"Richard tried to send you a letter from prison last week," Daniel said, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "He claimed he was sorry. He claimed he loved you like a daughter and begged for money for his prison canteen account."
I didn't reach for the letter.
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"Burn it, Daniel," I said, my voice completely devoid of hesitation. "I spent thirty-two years giving them everything I had. I don't owe them another second of my life, another thought in my head, or another dollar from my mother's legacy."
Daniel nodded, pulling a silver lighter from his pocket. He set the edge of the letter on fire, letting the gray ashes blow away in the sea breeze over the water.
