Chapter 5 - Dawn at the Bedside
Christmas morning broke over Paris in pale shades of rose and silver.
The snow had stopped, leaving the city blanketed in a pristine, silent white. Inside the hospital room, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, catching the golden highlights in Leia’s hair as she slept curled up in the armchair, still wrapped in the cashmere blanket.
Henri Morrow opened his eyes.
The crushing weight in his chest was gone. His breathing felt clear, deep, and painless for the first time in months. He turned his head slowly and saw Étienne sitting in the corner chair, reading a financial tablet by the soft glow of a desk lamp.
"You're still here," Henri rasped, his voice much stronger than the night before.
Étienne looked up immediately, turning off the tablet and standing by the bed. He poured a fresh glass of water and held it while Henri took a cautious sip.
"I told you I wasn't leaving until I knew he was stable," Étienne said.
Henri leaned back against the pillows, studying the billionaire’s tired face. The arrogant titan of industry looked human—older, burdened, yet strangely relieved.
"Why are you doing this, Étienne?" Henri asked, dropping the formal 'Monsieur.' "You don't owe us anything legally. The statute of limitations on our partnership dispute expired a decade ago."
"I don't owe it to the law, Henri. I owe it to my own conscience," Étienne replied quietly. "Yesterday, your daughter taught me a lesson in integrity that no boardroom lecture ever could. She had my wallet—thousands of euros—and she ran through the snow to give it back because her father taught her honesty. And all I taught you was betrayal."
Henri was silent for a long moment. He looked over at Leia, who stirred slightly in her sleep, smiling at some quiet dream.
May you like
"She is a good girl," Henri murmured, pride softening his features. "She draws portraits on the boulevard. She wants to go to art school in Lyon. But we could never afford the tuition, let alone the rent."
"Not anymore," Étienne said firmly. "Starting today, everything changes."
