Two Years Later – Springtime at the Richardson Estate The Richardson Estate had never looked more alive. The once-shadowed halls now echoed with laughter and music. The roses in the garden bloomed brighter, as if celebrating the peace that had finally returned. Staff moved around with ease and joy. No tension, no secrets, no schemes. In the heart of it all stood Ethan, now twenty-nine, tall and steady, dressed in a soft cream blazer, sleeves rolled up. He was no longer the boy he used to be. He was the man the Richardson legacy now rested on—and he wore it well. Success had poured in like the rain he once prayed for. The company thrived more under his leadership, the family foundation had expanded internationally, and more importantly, the emotional weight of the past had finally been laid to rest. But his proudest achievement wasn’t something printed in magazines or discussed in boardrooms. It was the woman laughing barefoot by the koi pond, a crown of wildflowers in her