Chapter 10 - Avery’s Rebirth
The spring air in Chicago was warm, carrying the scent of fresh rain and blooming lilacs from the lakefront. The yellow crime scene tape was gone from the suburban house; it had been sold at auction, the proceeds donated entirely to a foundation for victims of corporate abuse that Mara and I had established.
We stood on the deck of a beautiful, sunlit penthouse overlooking Lake Michigan. The table was set with fresh fruit, pastries, and a simple, elegant birthday cake with a single candle in the center. It was my twenty-seventh birthday.
"You look happy, Avery," Mara said, leaning against the railing, a glass of champagne in her hand.
"I am," I said, and for the first time in my life, the words didn't feel like a lie I was telling for the neighbors.
My real name was officially restored: Avery Vane. The Sterling name had been erased from my documents, buried in the prison records where it belonged. The Vane-Lucien conglomerate had been dismantled, its assets redistributed to the communities they had harmed, leaving me with a modest, clean inheritance that funded our foundation.
Elena Vance walked out onto the deck, wearing a casual leather jacket, a wide grin on her face. "Well, the paperwork is finalized. The Lucien Group’s remaining shell companies have been completely liquidated. You’re officially a free woman, Avery."
I looked down at the cake on the table. The frosting was simple white cream, with no blue writing, no pink roses, and no hidden malicious intent. Just a clean slate.
"Go on," Mara whispered, smiling warmly. "Make a wish, sweetheart."
May you like
This time, the voice was real. The love was real. My hands didn't shake as I leaned over the table. I didn't need to wish for safety, or for an escape, or for my parents to love me. I already had everything I needed.
I blew out the candle, and the smoke drifted up into the clear blue sky, completely free
