Chapter 7 - The Rebuilding
With Julian in federal prison, the corporate scandal rocked the business world. Arthur took a six-month leave of absence from Sterling Holdings.
He didn't want to look at spreadsheets. He wanted to look at his daughters. He wanted to look at Clara.
They moved out of the massive, cold estate and bought a beautiful, sprawling farmhouse in upstate New York. A place with warm wood floors, a big kitchen, and a backyard where the girls could run without worrying about breaking expensive antiques.
Clara tried to resign, insisting Arthur didn't need a caregiver anymore.
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"You're right," Arthur said one evening, standing on the porch overlooking the property. "I don't need a caregiver. I need a partner. I need you."
He didn't offer her a contract or a salary. He pulled her gently into his arms and kissed her, erasing the last remnants of the ghosts that had haunted him for a year and a half. Clara kissed him back, the walls she had built around her own heart finally crumbling.
