Elena stood on the balcony of the penthouse—now the headquarters of Keading Innovations.
The company had been purged, renamed, and rebuilt.
Dr. Caldwell had been reinstated and given full credit for her work.
Arthur sat nearby in a lounge chair, reading a book about orchids.
“You did well, Ellie,” he said without looking up.
“We did well, Dad,” she replied.
She looked out across the city.
She was no longer Mrs. Sterling.
She was no longer just the gardener’s daughter.
She was the architect of her own life.
The collision had been painful—but it shattered the cage.
And now, finally, she could fly.
