Chapter 10 - A Bright New Saturday
The morning sun broke over the horizon, painting the North Carolina sky in brilliant shades of gold, pink, and deep, clear blue.
Six months had passed since the night at the Gastonia mill. The fallout from the Vanguard Logistics ledger had completely transformed the state. Arthur Pendelton and Detective Vance were currently sitting in a federal maximum-security facility, awaiting a trial that would dominate the national news for years. The corrupt judges and politicians who had built their fortunes on Tessa's silence had been stripped of their titles and indicted by a grand jury.
But inside my house in Matthews, the world was completely quiet.
The smell of fresh coffee, sizzling bacon, and sweet vanilla batter filled the air. I stood by the stove, a spatula in my hand, wearing a ridiculous apron Miles had bought me for Father's Day.
A pair of soft, slender arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and a warm cheek pressed against the center of my back. I leaned into the touch, placing my hand over hers, feeling the steady, solid reality of her wedding ring resting against my skin.
Tessa looked healthy, her cheeks full and vibrant, her brown eyes shining with an absolute, unshakeable peace that had been stolen from her for three long years.
"Miles is still asleep," she murmured, her voice musical and clear against my neck. "I think he’s exhausted from the soccer tournament yesterday."
"Let him sleep," I smiled, turning in her arms to pull her close against my chest. I looked down into the eyes I thought I’d never see again—the same eyes that had looked at me across the wedding aisle, the same eyes that had looked up from a piece of cardboard outside a busy food hall.
The grief, the empty boxes, the cold memorial service, and the five words that had shattered my world were nothing but distant memories now. We had survived the storm. We had fought the monsters and won our kingdom back.
From the hallway, the sound of small, hurried footsteps echoed, and Miles burst into the kitchen, his dark hair messy from sleep, a massive grin on his face.
May you like
"Is it pancake day?" he shouted, running straight toward us.
Tessa and I knelt down together, catching our son in a tight, collective embrace as the warm morning sun illuminated our kitchen, ushering in a bright, beautiful, and completely unbroken tomorrow.
