Chapter 20 - The Rising Phoenix
Six months after the sentencing, the dust had finally settled over Maple Ridge.
The brick colonial on Oak Ridge Drive had been sold. I had bought it back, fully renovated it, and sold it to a lovely young family of doctors who were moving to the area to work at the regional hospital. The proceeds from the sale were used to fund a new scholarship program for immigrant women pursuing dental and medical degrees in Ohio.
My three dental clinics were thriving. Released from the financial drain of the Hale family, my corporate cash flow had tripled. I had just signed the lease on a fourth location in downtown Columbus.
I was sitting on the terrace of my new penthouse apartment in Columbus, looking out over the city skyline. The evening air was warm, and the city lights were just beginning to flicker on.
Marcus walked out onto the terrace, carrying two glasses of sparkling water with lemon. He handed one to me and leaned against the railing.
"We just got the final report from the county recorder," Marcus said, a soft smile on his face. "The divorce is officially finalized. You are legally Evelyn Carter again. No more Hale."
"Evelyn Carter," I repeated, the name tasting sweet and clean on my tongue. "It sounds like a brand-new book."
"It is," Marcus agreed, clinking his glass against mine. "The Hales are gone, Evie. Daniel is working an entry-level sales job in Toledo, living in a studio apartment, and Margaret is currently serving her first year at the Marysville Reformatory. Clara’s probation officer is keeping her on a very tight leash. You did it. You survived them, and you took back your life."
I took a sip of my water, looking out at the vast, open horizon of my future.
May you like
My ribs had healed, stronger than they were before the break. My heart was light, free of the suffocating weight of parasitic love. I had built an empire with my own hands, and this time, no one was going to steal it from me.
I smiled, the warm breeze catching my hair. The storm was over, and the phoenix had officially risen from the ashes.
