Chapter 5: Clear Skies
Six months later, the Carter name had stripped of its prestige.
The legal fallout from the federal investigation forced the family to liquidate most of their assets to pay fines, and Julian was facing a lengthy suspended sentence and permanent corporate disqualification.
The family empire hadn't crashed with a bang, but with a slow, agonizing unraveling.
Emma stood on the balcony of her new studio space in downtown Chicago.
The morning air was crisp and clean.
Her name had been completely cleared by the auditors, and while rebuilding her business from scratch was hard work, every single project belonged entirely to her.
May you like
Her phone buzzed on the table. It was a notification for an incoming text from an unknown number—likely Julian trying to reach out again. Emma didn't open it.
She deleted the thread, blocked the number, and took a sip of her coffee, looking out at a horizon that finally belonged to her.
