Chapter 10: Rebuilding From Ground Zero**
Returning to the city, Julian put the family manor on the market. The sprawling estate, built on generations of emotional detachment and inherited arrogance, was no longer a place he wanted to call home.
Instead, he purchased a two-story brick building in a revitalized arts district downtown. The ground floor had large bay windows, high ceilings, and exposed brick walls—perfect for a gallery and studio space. The upper floor was transformed into a sunlit, comfortable apartment.
Arthur Vance was officially indicted for grand larceny and wire fraud, and the resulting legal settlements restored what was left of Julian’s true personal assets. The corporate world considered Julian ruined, but he had never felt more solvent.
"Do you miss your big house?" Mia asked one evening as they unpacked kitchen crates.
May you like
Julian looked around at the open space, the smell of fresh cedar and oil paint replacing the stale air of high-society ballrooms. "Not for a single second," he replied, handing her a mug of hot cocoa.
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