Chapter 12 - New Beginnings
Six months later, the Graystone Estate was sold at auction.
The Kingsley name faded from the society pages, replaced by new scandals and new faces. My parents moved into a small condo in the suburbs. My mother eventually got a job at a boutique.
Grant went to rehab. We didn't talk much, but he sent me a postcard once a month to let me know he was sober. It was a start.
As for me, I kept my money in the trust.
I used a small portion of the interest to open a boutique bakery in the city, something I had always wanted to do but was told was "beneath" a Kingsley.
It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon, and I was wiping down the front counter when the bell above the door chimed.
Julian walked in, shaking out his umbrella.
He smiled when he saw me, a warm, familiar sight that always made my day better.
"I brought the quarterly financial reports," he said, tapping his briefcase. "Your trust is growing steadily."
"I have a good accountant," I teased, handing him a fresh croissant.
He took a bite and groaned in appreciation. "And I have a brilliant baker."
Julian leaned against the counter, looking around the busy little shop.
"You did it, Evie," he said softly. "You really built something real."
"We did it," I corrected him.
I thought about my grandfather, and the wooden box, and the three million dollars that almost ruined my life.
He was right. Money didn't make you safe.
Knowing who to trust, and having the courage to stand up for yourself—that was where true control lived.
"So," Julian said, his eyes twinkling. "Are we going over these reports, or are you going to let me take you to dinner finally?"
I took off my apron and smiled.
May you like
"Dinner sounds perfect."
I walked out from behind the counter, leaving the past behind, completely ready for whatever came next.
