William stepped out onto the balcony of the Master Suite, tightening the belt of his robe against the spring chill.
The sky was a tapestry of diamonds, clear and vast. Below him, the Estate stretched out in silent majesty. The storm damage was repaired. The gardens were manicured. The tents for tomorrow’s gala stood like white pyramids on the great lawn.
He took a deep breath of the cool air. For the first time in a decade, his heart rate was steady. He wasn’t fighting a corporate raider. He wasn’t grieving a dead wife. He wasn’t at war with his brother.
He looked back into the room where Victoria slept soundly next to their daughter.
“We made it,” William whispered to the stars. “We actually made it.”
He lingered for a moment longer, savoring the profound, impossible peace. He didn’t know that down in the library, Leo was unlocking the side door. He didn’t know that in the woods, a woman was clutching a DNA test like a weapon. He didn’t know that this was the last quiet night he would ever have.