Page 127 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

“I spent a long time being angry at the world, but not any longer. You always called me your angel, but I think perhaps I was destined to be someone else’s angel instead. I think you’d like her. She’s the kindest, most understanding and selfless person I know. I wish you could’ve met her. Just once. Then you’d know how much happiness she’s brought into my life. How much she’s healed me just by being her.”

I felt Avery trembling next to me, but I didn’t dare look at her because I was getting choked up with emotion too.

“It’s over now. They can’t hurt anyone else. I made sure of it. I did that for you even though you never asked me to. I did it for all the girls they’d hurt over the years. And I guess I did it for me too.”

I heard Avery let out a little sob and it broke my heart. Fuck. This whole thing killed me. Saying goodbye was much harder than I ever expected.

“I love you, Mum. I always will. I promise I’m okay. I’ve got Avery and she’s all I need in this world. We’ll come see you again soon.”

I let go of Avery so I could place the violets I’d brought with me on the place she was buried. When I straightened, I took my wife in my arms and let her cry on my chest as tears slipped down my face too. I wasn’t sure how long we stayed like that, but when she looked up at me, she smiled.

“When I sign the papers, it’ll be over,” she whispered.

I reached up and dried her cheeks on my coat sleeve.

“It will be and we won’t have to worry about any of this shit ever again.”

She nodded, pulling away and taking my hand. We walked back to the car together, both of us having huge weights lifted off our shoulders.

We were almost there.

And very soon, our life together would truly begin.

l

Avery sat at her desk for the very last time. I leant up against it whilst two solicitors stood in the room watching her sign the papers along with one of The Harris Cooperation’s lawyers. She shook out her hand before she signed the last document.

“There, the company is no longer mine,” Avery said as she put the pen down.

“Very good, Mrs Lockhart,” one of the solicitors said as he came forward to collect the papers.

She stood up, taking my hand.

“Do you need anything else from me?”

“No, no. Thank you for your time today.”

She nodded at the assembled party before we walked out of her office together. She stopped off to say goodbye to Saskia and Clara before we got in the lift.

“How does it feel to be unemployed?” I asked.

She giggled.

“Weird, but good. Do I even need a job? I’m technically a billionaire.”

“We’re billionaires you mean.”

She looked up at me, grinning.

“Well, yes, what’s mine is yours.”

“You’re most definitely mine.”

Her doe eyes glinted.

“Mmmhmm… I’ve belonged to you since the day we met.”

And she knew very well I’d belonged to her since that day too.

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