The Phoenix Artist

as swift.

derbilt,

uted questions.

porate fraud

Obstruction of justice. Possible involvement in the

empire, shake

ully constructed

a request came t

anted t

nt. "You don't

"But I think...

ure. For

dn't g

hen I walked into tha

ooked..

the haunted int

a hollow-e

to touch me. H

d at me, and

a whisper. "For everything. I see it now. What

ogy that felt real. D

true, releasing a burden I hadn't realized I was

r tracing a path

I told him, my voice ge

dding invitation on

aunt. A

ife. My new

then back to me. A unive

e you'll be happ

am," I sa

my hand, a

l was a

onvicted. A signifi

but his regrets and the e

graced. The family empir

but the damage was too deep. The Vanderbilt

ing unleashed her reveng

her own future uncertain. She had her

ten, their own minor dramas eclipsed by the Vanderbilt implosion. They

hs l

ian sun warm

cean whispere

dding. Close f

is eyes full of love, h

was still

till there, a test

y a profound light, a quiet s

a new locket

Gold. Simp

e past, but a tiny, abstract e

. Of new memor

trust, on genuine l

" had been about re

Liam, was about co

ealing. A s

l whispered sometimes, in t

oices were

m of the waves, and the beating of a heart