Chapter 5 - Morning Light
The morning sun rose over Boston Harbour, painting the sky in brilliant strokes of gold, amber, and rose.
Inside her private hospital suite, Megan woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and warm cinnamon pastries. She blinked against the sunlight, feeling surprisingly rested for someone who had been thrown down a flight of stone stairs less than twenty-four hours ago.
She turned her head.
Sitting in the armchair beside her bed was Elias, reading a tablet computer while holding a lukewarm paper cup of hospital coffee.
"Morning, sleeping beauty," Elias said, glancing up with a faint, weary smile.
"How long have you been sitting there?" Megan asked, her voice raspy.
"Long enough to review three corporate takeovers and answer fifty emails from federal prosecutors," Elias replied, setting the tablet down. "How are the babies?"
Megan instinctively placed a hand over her rounded belly. As if on cue, two quick, distinct thumps pressed against her palm.
"They're fine," she smiled softly. "Energetic as ever. The nurse came in an hour ago and said my blood pressure is normal, and if I rest for another day, I can go home."
"Not home," Elias corrected gently. "My estate in Beacon Hill. The guest wing has been converted into a nursery, and Dr. Vance has agreed to provide round-the-clock home monitoring."
Megan looked at her brother, her eyes welling up with sudden, unexpected tears. "Elias... I don't even know how to thank you. For everything. If you hadn't caught me... if you hadn't come back..."
Elias stood up, walking over to the side of the bed and sitting down on the edge of the mattress, taking her hand just like he used to when they were kids scraping their knees in the backyard.
"I promised our father before he died that I would always protect you, Lena," Elias said, his voice thick with emotion. "I failed you once by letting Graham slip into our lives. I won't make that mistake again. Graham was arrested at his office at 3:00 AM. His assets are frozen, his bank accounts are locked, and his bail has been set so high he’ll be wearing orange until he’s a grandfather."
"And Vivian?" Megan asked.
"Federal marshals picked her up at her Back Bay condo an hour ago," Elias said with a grim satisfaction. "She was trying to book a one-way flight to Zurich using one of Graham’s corporate credit cards. The card declined."
Megan let out a slow, breathy laugh. "Karma works fast."
"When Monroe, Vance & Sterling are involved, it works at the speed of light," Elias smiled.
Just then, the hospital room door swung open.
Stepping into the room was a nurse pushing a wheelchair, followed by a tall, elegant woman with silver hair and a familiar, sharp smile.
"Well, well, well," said Sarah Vance, stepping forward with a clipboard in hand. "I hear we have a mother who is eager to check out of my hotel."
Megan beamed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders that she hadn't realized she had been carrying for six miserable years.
For the first time in her life, the future didn't look like a dark, terrifying unknown.
May you like
It looked like safety. It looked like family.
And it looked like absolute victory.
