Chapter 13 - The Silicon Valley Anchor
Six months later, the California coastline was green with early spring rains.
In a modern, glass-walled office complex overlooking the hills of Palo Alto, the Vance Foundation for Women's Autonomy opened its doors.
I sat at a spacious oak desk in my private office, reviewing our first quarterly report. Beside my laptop sat a simple framed photograph of Clara and me on a sailboat in Santa Cruz, both of us laughing under a wide, blue sky.
My phone rang. It was an official call from Arthur Vance in Boston.
"Good morning, Hannah," Arthur said professionally.
"Hello, Arthur. Is everything alright in Boston?"
"I thought you should know," Arthur reported. "Charles has finalized his resignation from the Stanhope board. He has moved to a small estate in Vermont and withdrawn entirely from public life. Julian's countersuit against the family was dismissed out of court yesterday."
"And Phoebe?" I asked softly.
"She gave birth to twin girls in New York two months ago," Arthur said. "Julian’s attorneys have established a modest child-support trust, but she has no further connection to the Stanhope estate or the hotel corporation."
I looked out the window at the eucalyptus trees swaying in the California wind.
"Thank you for the update, Arthur," I said.
May you like
"Hannah," Arthur paused, his tone shifting slightly. "Mrs. Stanhope—Cordelia—asks about you often. She receives your foundation's monthly newsletter."
"Tell her I am well, Arthur," I smiled. "Tell her I am finally living."
