Chapter 14
The Open Horizon
Six months after the trial, the spring sun blazed brilliantly over the Atlantic Ocean.
I stood on the teak deck of my newly christened yacht, The New Dawn, cutting through the crystal-clear swells outside Charleston Harbor.
The wind whipped through my dark hair.
On my left wrist, I wore no expensive jewelry, no branded watches, no chains of obligation.
Just a simple silver bracelet and the quiet tick of my father’s restored pocket watch resting safely in my coat pocket.
My phone buzzed on the helm console.
A text from Miller: Clear skies ahead, Captain.
I typed my final reply with steady, unshakeable fingers:
Me: Full speed ahead.
I pushed the twin throttles forward.
The powerful diesel engines roared to life beneath my feet, surging forward into the endless, sunlit horizon.
I was no longer the waitress hiding in the shadows.
I was no longer anyone’s corporate asset.
I was the captain of my own destiny.
May you like
And every single moment finally began with me.
THE END
