Chapter 10: The New Beginning
Back in Maine, the autumn leaves were beginning to turn golden and red along the rugged coastline.
Victor sat on the wooden porch of their new home, sipping a cup of coffee as the morning tide rolled gently against the rocks below. The trauma of the past months had faded into a quiet, resilient strength. He had traded expensive suits for flannel shirts, and corporate boardrooms for quiet coastal walks.
Ethan was inside the kitchen, happily banging a spoon against a cereal bowl, chattering away about building a giant sandcastle on the beach later that afternoon.
Victor pulled Clara’s letter from his pocket, gazing at the handwriting one last time before folding it neatly and sliding it into a wooden keepsake box on the table.
May you like
He didn't know what the future held. He didn't know if the shadows of the past would ever truly leave them alone. But as he looked out over the vast, endless expanse of the ocean sparkling under the morning sun, he knew one thing for certain:
He was ready for whatever came next.
