Chapter 6 - The Architect of Her Own Destiny
Three months later.
The autumn air in Denver was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and fresh rain. Valerie stood on the private balcony of her Capitol Hill condominium, sipping a cup of hot chamomile tea.
The view from her balcony was different now. The old, crumbling buildings across the street were gone, replaced by the foundations of a new, state-of-the-art community center and affordable housing complex.
When Valerie took control of Sterling & Sons, she didn't build the greedy luxury hotel they had planned. Instead, she partnered with a green-energy non-profit, rewriting the blueprints to create a sustainable, beautiful space for the community. The development had made her one of the most respected and successful commercial developers in the state of Colorado.
She heard the glass door slide open behind her. Natalie stepped out, carrying a clipboard and a warm smile. She had divorced Diego’s brother and was now working as the Chief Financial Officer of Valerie’s new firm, Vanguard Development.
"The final zoning permits for the community center just cleared, Boss," Natalie said, her eyes shining with pride. "We start construction on Monday."
"Excellent," Valerie smiled, taking the clipboard. "How are our friends doing?"
Natalie laughed, a sound of pure liberation. "Well, Richard and Victoria’s trial concluded yesterday. Because of their signed confessions and cooperation with the federal asset seizure, they were sentenced to five years in a federal facility. Their mansion in Cherry Hills is being auctioned off next month. The proceeds are going to the Denver Coalition for the Homeless."
"And Diego?" Valerie asked, her voice calm and untroubled.
"His plea deal for felony assault was rejected because of the severity of the injury and the premeditation of the family dinner," Natalie replied. "He’s serving three years at State Penitentiary. I hear he’s assigned to laundry duty."
Valerie looked down at her hands. The physical scar on her hairline was mostly faded, a faint white line hidden beneath her thick hair. But the emotional scar had turned into armor.
She had spent years letting the Sterling family make her feel small, letting Diego convince her that she was lucky to be tolerated by a family of their "stature."
Never again.
"You know, Natalie," Valerie said, looking out over the city she was helping to rebuild. "When that plate broke over my head, I thought my life was over."
"And now?" Natalie asked.
May you like
Valerie smiled, a brilliant, radiant smile of a woman who had fought her way through the dark and emerged into the blinding light of her own power.
"Now, I realize it was just the sound of the glass ceiling shattering."
