Chapter 10 - The Beautiful Dawn
Liam held Sarah's hand so tightly his knuckles turned entirely white.
They arrived at the crash site as dawn broke beautifully over the dense pine forest.
The burning wreckage of the mercenary helicopter was scattered across a massive clearing.
Liam jumped out of the moving cruiser and sprinted toward the twisted metal.
He completely ignored the roaring flames and the shouting police officers.
He saw the pilot and the two mercenaries lying motionless in the grass.
He desperately searched the debris, terrified of what he might find.
Suddenly, he heard a soft, familiar cry coming from a patch of tall grass near the tree line.
Liam ran toward the sound and fell to his knees in the damp dirt.
Little Leo was completely unharmed, wrapped securely in his star-patterned quilt.
Liam scooped the crying newborn into his arms and wept tears of pure joy.
Sarah arrived seconds later, dropping to the ground and pulling them both into a desperate embrace.
Their family was finally back together, completely safe and whole.
Later that week, Eleanor was formally indicted on dozens of federal charges.
She was sentenced to life without parole in a maximum-security prison, stripped of all her wealth.
Sarah's massive inheritance was legally fully restored by a panel of federal judges.
They used the immense fortune to buy a beautiful, highly secure estate in the countryside.
The horrific trauma of the past was finally replaced with peace, love, and endless happiness.
They were incredibly wealthy, entirely safe, and more deeply in love than ever before.
Late that evening, they softly put Leo down to sleep in his luxurious new crib.
Liam kissed Sarah goodnight and walked downstairs to lock the heavy front doors.
As he turned the deadbolt, he noticed a pristine white envelope shoved under the welcome mat.
May you like
He ripped it open and found a photograph of himself from earlier that very afternoon.
Written in fresh red ink on the back were the words, "Eleanor was only taking orders from me."
