Chapter 20: One Year Later
Exactly one year after the incident captured in the frantic footage of the boy sprinting down the hall, the corridor looked entirely different. The marble floor was still polished, but a vibrant, woven runner now stretched down its length, dampening the sterile echoes. The pedestal where the Venus bust had once stood now held a sturdy, unpretentious bronze sculpture of a family.
Mateo came bounding down the hallway. He wasn't running from invisible demons, nor was his face twisted in a mask of rage. He was chasing a golden retriever puppy, laughing breathlessly as the dog skidded on the floorboards. Arthur stepped out of his study, no longer a ghost in a charcoal suit, but a father in a comfortable sweater. He knelt down, catching the puppy as Mateo collided with him in a joyous heap. Rosa watched from the end of the hall, a warm smile gracing her lips. The million-dollar mansion had been shattered that day, but in its place, something entirely priceless had been built.
