Chapter 15 - Dawn of a New Era
The press conference was broadcast live across national networks. Arthur Vance stood behind the podium, flanked not by corporate lawyers or corrupt board members, but by Clara, Leo, and several other former staff members who had finally found their voice. Arthur announced the complete dissolution of the Vance holding empire, turning the grand mansion over to a charitable trust dedicated to supporting survivors of institutional abuse and workplace exploitation. The flashbulbs blinded the room, but neither Arthur nor Clara blinked. When the microphones went dead and the reporters dispersed, the grand estate felt entirely different—quiet, peaceful, and truly empty of ghosts. Arthur walked out onto the front steps with Clara, the morning sunlight breaking through the heavy clouds and warming the polished marble tiles of the entrance. There were no titles left to protect, no hidden ledgers to guard, and no shadows left to hide behind. As they looked out toward the horizon together, the heavy dramatic tension of the past finally melted away, replaced by the quiet, radiant promise of a truly free future."
