Chapter 11: A New Dawn
Two months later, the "For Sale" sign stood firmly in the front yard of the Vance estate. The house was empty, its dark secrets cleared out by forensic teams and real estate liquidators.
The green dumpsters had been removed from the driveway, replaced by a beautiful stone planter filled with bright, blooming marigolds.
Lily sat on the front porch of her own house, the color completely back in her cheeks, laughing as she drew with colored chalk on the driveway. Her wrist was bare, free of the cursed gold that had almost cost her her life.
Sarah stood by the window, watching her daughter play in the warm afternoon sun. Mark walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
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"She's going to be okay, Sarah," Mark murmured softly, kissing the top of her head.
Sarah took a deep breath, looking out at the quiet, peaceful street. The nightmare that had started in the dark depth of a plastic trash bag was finally over. The neighborhood was quiet once more, but this time, the safety wasn't an illusion. They had fought for their family, faced the dark underbelly of the suburbs, and won.
