Chapter 12 - Demolishing the Gilded CageBy early summer, the Vance mansion stood empty. Marcus had finalized the sale of the estate to a non-profit foundation specializing in transitional housing and education for displaced families.
Clara walked through the great foyer one last time, holding baby David in a front carrier. The marble floors had been stripped, scheduled to be replaced with warm hardwood suitable for children’s playrooms and communal study halls.
"Are you sad to see it go?" Marcus asked, walking beside her.
"A house built on fear can never be a home," Clara replied, looking up at the mezzanine where Victoria had once stood screaming. "Giving it back to people who need shelter is the only way to cleanse it."
Marcus nodded. "The logistics trust is fully operational. Over two thousand dockworkers received their pension guarantees this morning. My work here is done."
May you like
"Where will you go?" Clara asked.
"Alaska, for a while," Marcus said, looking out the open doors. "A boat, open water, and silence. But I’ll be back for his first birthday."
Related Stories
