Chapter 5: The Crown
Chapter 5: The Crown
A month later, the dust had completely settled.
I stood on the sidewalk outside the sprawling marble mansion. The wrought-iron gates were padlocked. A massive "SOLD" sign was hammered into the perfectly manicured lawn. I had liquidated the property to a tech billionaire from Silicon Valley who planned to bulldoze it and build something modern.
It was fitting. The house was built on lies, arrogance, and my stolen labor. It deserved to be erased.
I adjusted the strap on my shoulder. It was the same worn, brown leather purse Margaret had always sneered at. What she never knew was that the bag was a custom, one-of-a-kind piece crafted by my grandfather in Argentina before he built the Escalante empire. It was worth more than her entire jewelry collection combined. It was a reminder of where I came from, and what real wealth actually looked like: quiet, enduring, and undeniable.
My phone buzzed. It was my executive assistant.
"Ms. Escalante, the private jet is fueled and ready. The board in Tokyo is expecting you for dinner."
"Tell them I'll be there," I replied, turning my back on the mansion for the last time.
May you like
I slipped into the back of my waiting Maybach. The driver merged seamlessly into the bustling city traffic, leaving the ruins of Andrew Hayes completely in the rearview mirror.
I didn't need to be rescued. I was the one who controlled the current. And from now on, I was the only one steering the ship.
