Chapter 11: The First Step
Two weeks passed. The fallout from the Apex Syndicate scandal made international headlines, leading to the dismantling of the corrupt network and the arrest of several high-profile executives. Vance Maritime was saved, its leadership restructured under a transparent board.
At the Vance estate, the afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the marble floor of the grand foyer—the exact spot where Lily had washed Julian’s feet weeks earlier.
Julian sat in his wheelchair at one end of the room. Beside him stood a team of physical therapists, but Julian motioned for them to step back.
Across the room stood little Lily, holding a small wooden toy boat.
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Julian took a deep breath, placing his feet flat on the cool marble floor. He gripped the armrests of his chair. His legs trembled, the dormant muscles firing with new life as the last traces of the drug vanished completely from his system.
With a focused effort, Julian pushed himself upward. His knees wobbled, but he held his ground. For the first time in three long years, Julian Vance stood upright on his own two feet.
