Chapter 10 - Grayhaven Reborn
Five years later, the iron gates of Grayhaven House no longer felt like a prison wall.
They stood wide open on a bright Saturday morning in September, welcoming sunlight, laughter, and life into the grand estate.
The east wing was no longer a forbidden zone of sickness and silence. The heavy mahogany doors remained propped open, letting the sea breeze sweep through the corridors.
In the sprawling gardens, nine-year-old Lila—wearing a neat blue school uniform, her pink hearing aid upgraded to the latest model—was running across the lawn, chasing a golden retriever puppy.
On the stone patio, Mara sat at a wrought-iron table, laughing as Damian poured her a cup of freshly brewed tea. The silver hair at his temples had grown in thicker, and his posture was strong, upright, and unbroken.
Victor Vance walked up the stone steps holding a stack of shipping manifests, shaking his head with an amused grin.
"Port authority called, boss," Victor said, placing the papers on the table. "Cargo volume is up twenty percent. And the New York council formally ratified our territorial boundaries this morning. No disputes."
Damian didn't look at the papers. He looked across the lawn, watching Lila bend down to pick up a yellow sunflower, before turning back to Mara and taking her hand in his.
May you like
"Let them keep the ports, Victor," Damian smiled, squeezing Mara's fingers. "I've already won everything that matters."
Across the estate, the wind rustled through the oak trees, carrying no whispers of fear or blood, only the sound of a little girl’s laughter echoing brightly against the sea.
