Chapter 12: Severing the Past**

Three weeks passed in quiet simplicity. Dominic chopped wood, bought groceries from the island's single general store, and cooked simple meals. His tailored suits were replaced by flannel shirts and heavy wool boots.
One afternoon, Claire arrived on the weekly supply ferry carrying legal documents.
"Arthur and Victoria tried to claim you were mentally unfit," Claire said, sitting at the small kitchen table. "They liquidated your executive shares at market low."
Dominic looked at the papers, then smiled genuinely. "Sign them over. Transfer thirty percent to an independent trust for Elena and our child, and use the rest to fund community clinics along the coast. I don't want a single cent tied to that company."
Claire nodded respectfully. "You look happier than I've ever seen you, Dominic."
May you like
"Because I finally am."
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