Chapter 6 - The Sunset We Shared
Six months later.
The summer breeze blew softly through the oak trees surrounding my private farm in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The sun was setting over the rolling hills, casting a brilliant, breathtaking display of fiery orange, deep pink, and golden light across the horizon.
On the front porch of the farmhouse, a small wooden table was set with fresh flowers, lemonade, and a sketchpad.
Abigail sat on the porch swing, a set of colored pencils in her hand, drawing the sunset.
The bruises were gone. Her lip had healed without a scar. But more importantly, the fearful, broken look in her eyes had been replaced by a quiet, radiant strength.
With the help of Major Lin and a team of federal victim advocates, Abigail had finalized her divorce from Nicholas Ferguson. The federal government’s asset forfeiture had completely dismantled Ferguson Global Holdings. Patricia, Nicholas, and Gregory were currently serving federal prison sentences ranging from eight to fifteen years at a maximum-security facility in West Virginia for racketeering, assault, and tax fraud.
The Ferguson empire was completely gone.
I stepped out onto the porch, dressed in a simple cotton shirt and jeans, holding two glasses of ice water.
"How's the painting coming, sweetie?" I asked, setting the glasses down and sitting beside her on the swing.
Abigail looked up, a soft, beautiful smile spreading across her face as she showed me her sketchpad. It was a drawing of the sunset, but in the center of the canvas stood a small farmhouse surrounded by a tall, unbroken shield made of silver eagle feathers.
"It's almost finished, Mom," she whispered, leaning her head against my shoulder just as she had done when she was a little girl.
I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close, feeling the warmth of the evening air and the absolute peace that had finally returned to our lives.
"You know," Abigail said softly, looking out at the sky, "when I was locked in that guest house, I thought nobody was coming for me. I thought they were too powerful. I thought money and connections could cover up anything."
I squeezed her shoulder gently. "Nobody is powerful enough to hurt my daughter and walk away, Abigail. Nobody."
Abigail looked up into my eyes, her green eyes shining with immense gratitude and unyielding love. "Thank you for coming to that hospital, Mom."
I smiled, kissing the top of her head as the last light of the sun dipped below the trees, filling the world with brilliant, beautiful colors.
May you like
"I will always come for you, baby," I promised softly. "No matter where you are. No matter who stands in the way."
And as the night stars began to twinkle over the quiet North Carolina countryside, the mother and daughter sat together on the porch, safe, whole, and finally free.
