Chapter 20 - The Dream Fulfilled
Later that night, after the guests had departed, the children were safely tucked into their beds in Lakewood, and the dishwasher was humming quietly in the kitchen, I walked through the house one last time before bed.
The living room was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the fireplace embers.
I walked over to the bay windows and looked out into the cul-de-sac.
The street was dark and peaceful. The newly planted white hydrangeas and purple salvia stood tall against the stone foundation. The concrete walkway was clean, free of skid marks, free of yellow crime scene tape, free of gas cans.
I reached out and lightly ran my fingers across the smooth, cool surface of the quartz island.
Every single square inch of this house had been paid for.
Every single square inch had been fought for.
And every single square inch belonged to me.
My phone pinged on the counter.
I picked it up, expecting an automated security alert.
Instead, it was a notification from the corporate banking portal:
**VANCE & STERLING ACCOUNTING: PARTNERSHIP DISTRIBUTION DEPOSIT CONFIRMED.**
A soft, quiet laugh escaped my lips.
I locked the screen, set the phone down on the counter, and walked toward the stairs.
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I didn't check the deadbolts three times anymore. I didn't sleep with one eye open. I didn't flinch at the sound of a car engine in the distance.
I turned off the final light, stepped onto the smooth oak stairs, and climbed up toward my bedroom in the quiet, sovereign peace of my dream home.
