Chapter 16 - THE HAND HE GAVE
Grant grabbed Renata's wrist.
For one terrible second, the woman who had destroyed his family hung from the hand of the man she had betrayed.
"Do not let me fall," she cried.
Grant pulled while Caleb anchored him from behind. Firefighters reached the balcony and secured a rescue line around Renata.
They saved her.
Not because she deserved mercy, but because Grant refused to become what she was.
Outside, police placed Renata in handcuffs on a stretcher. She stared at Lily as officers carried her toward the ambulance.
"You should have stayed quiet," she said.
Lily answered, "No."
That one word carried more strength than any speech.
The mansion's ballroom was destroyed, but the fireproof compartment beneath the stage survived. Firefighters recovered Margaret's missing records, including the final page of her letter.
Grant read it beside the ruins.
Do not teach Lily that power means making people afraid. Teach her that power means making people safe.
Vivian surrendered to police. She admitted deleting evidence and helping conceal the financial crimes. In exchange for cooperation, prosecutors agreed to consider her role separately from the murder conspiracy.
Senator Vale, Owen Cole, Renata, Pike, and three board members faced charges. Daniel Voss entered witness protection with his daughter.
The news networks called it the Callahan scandal.
Grant called it the cost of looking away.
Then another problem arrived.
Child protection officials opened a review into whether Grant had failed to protect Lily. Renata's attorneys argued that his wealth had allowed him to ignore warning signs.
A judge ordered an emergency custody hearing.
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Until the court decided, Lily might be removed from the only home she knew.
She looked at me and whispered, "Are they taking me away?
