Chapter 7 - Epilogue — The Crown and the CradleSix months later, the spring sun bathed the sprawling gardens of the lakeside estate in golden warmth.
I sat on a comfortable white wicker rocking chair on the wide veranda, looking out over the sparkling blue water. The air was sweet with the scent of blooming jasmine and freshly cut grass.
In my arms cradled a sleeping angel.
Maya Bennett.
She had my dark, expressive eyes, a head of soft silk-like hair, and a peaceful, contented expression that proved she had never known a single second of fear, scarcity, or cruelty.
A pair of strong, gentle arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind. Marcus Vance—now not only Director of Security but a fiercely loyal family protector—pressed a light kiss to the top of my head, looking down at the baby with a proud, protective smile.
“She’s sleeping like a queen,” Marcus murmured softly.
“She is a queen,” I smiled, adjusting the pink blanket around Maya’s tiny shoulders.
I thought back to that miserable evening six months ago—the freezing, filthy water pouring over my hair, the cruel laughter of people who thought they were untouchable, and the pathetic arrogance of a family that believed a pregnant woman in a soaked dress was nothing more than a helpless burden.
They had tried to break me.
Instead, they had simply given me the excuse I needed to sweep the floor clean.
Down in the city, Brendan was staring at concrete walls behind twenty-four-hour federal prison guards, and Diane was learning what it truly meant to have nothing. They were ghosts of a past life that could never touch us again.
Maya stirred slightly in her sleep, letting out a tiny, sweet sigh before snuggling deeper into my chest.
I kissed her forehead, resting my chin gently against her hair, as I looked out toward the endless horizon where the sun was rising bright, powerful, and entirely unshadowed.
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I didn't need to shout my power. I didn't need to prove my worth to anyone.
I was the author, the owner, and the queen of my own destiny. And no one would ever take that away from me again.
