Part 8: Echoes from the grave.

Part 8

Echoes from the grave.

The lawyer’s words hung in the air, cold and menacing. One final piece of information about your father's death.

My father had died of an alleged stroke four years ago—right at the peak of my divorce proceedings and corporate restructuring. I had accepted the doctor's report back then without question, too consumed by work to dig deeper. But standing in my sunlit office beside Eleanor, I realized the ghost of our past wasn't quite finished with us.

I looked at Eleanor, whose face had gone pale again. I pressed the mute button on the phone.

"Do you want me to hear what she has to say?" I asked her quietly.

Eleanor took a deep breath, setting her jaw with newfound strength. "No, Julian. We don't let her play her games anymore. If there's truth to be found, we let the feds dig it up. She has no power over us."

A wave of clarity washed over me. She was right. Victoria was trying to dangle one last hook, attempting to drag me back into her web of chaos and paranoia.

I unmuted the phone and spoke directly into the mic, my voice steady as stone. "Tell my ex-wife that her bargain chips are worthless. Whatever lies she kept, she can share with her cellmate for the next thirty years."

Before the attorney could reply, I ended the call and disconnected the line permanently.

Two hours later, Eleanor, Lily, and I stood on the pier overlooking the Hudson River. The afternoon breeze swept across the water, cool and refreshing. In my hand, I held the velvet box containing the Sapphire Serpent necklace.

"Are you sure about this?" Eleanor asked, watching the glint of the blue stone in the sunlight. "That's worth a fortune."

"It's worth nothing if it carries her memory," I replied.

I opened the box, took the heavy diamond and sapphire piece in my hand, and tossed it far out over the water. It arced through the bright blue sky before splashing silently beneath the waves, disappearing into the dark depths forever.

Lily clapped her hands, laughing as the water rippled outwards.

I wrapped my arm around Eleanor's shoulder, pulling her close, while holding Lily's small hand in mine. For seven years, my life had been defined by cold numbers, hostile takeovers, and bitter mistrust. I had built an empire, but I had lost my home.

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"Come on," I said, a genuine smile breaking across my face for the first time in years. "Let's go home."