Chapter 18
Three days passed in a blur of corporate restructuring, financial audits, and endless legal filings.
Beatrice threw herself into her work with manic intensity, working eighteen hours a day to numb the pain.
Wilkes & Hart was officially rebranded as Gallagher Financial, with Beatrice as the undisputed chief executive.
Her mother and Maggie were secured in a stunning new townhome in Brooklyn, far away from any lingering threats.
Yet, despite her incredible success, a hollow ache remained inside Beatrice’s chest.
Every time she looked at the empty space beside her desk, she remembered the feel of Dante’s hand in hers.
Her phone lay silent on her desk; he hadn't called or texted once since leaving her office.
He had respected her boundary completely, withdrawing his presence from her life as requested.
A soft knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.
Her new personal assistant walked in, holding a sleek black velvet box tied with a gold ribbon.
“Miss Gallagher, this was delivered by a private courier just now,” the assistant said, placing it on the desk.
Beatrice waited until the assistant left before cautiously opening the velvet box.
Inside lay a heavy vintage silver pocket watch, its glass face slightly scratched with age.
Attached was a small handwritten card in Dante’s precise, elegant script:
“This belonged to your father, Arthur. My father took it from him during the liquidation in 2014. I spent three years tracking it down in a European auction house to return it to you. It was never my intention to hide the past, only to protect your future.”
Beatrice picked up the watch, holding it close to her chest as tears finally spilled down her cheeks.
She opened the back casing of the watch.
Engraved inside were her father’s initials: A.G.
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Below it was another handwritten note from Dante, folded tightly inside the casing.
“If you want to know the whole truth about what happened in 2014, come to the waterfront warehouse at midnight.”
