Weeks passed. The scandal had settled into a long legal battle, but the world had moved on to newer tragedies. For Alicia and Arthur, life had shifted into a quieter, more meaningful rhythm.
Carter Corp was being restructured under a new board, one that Arthur had helped select before stepping down as CEO. He was no longer the billionaire king, but he was far from a "nobody." He was now the full-time director of the Everglow Foundation.
They were standing on a dusty construction site on the outskirts of the city. The first foundation of the new Children's Hospital was being poured.
"Léo is coming home tomorrow," Alicia said, wearing a hard hat over her messy hair. The transplant had been a success, and her brother was finally in remission.
Arthur smiled, looking at the blueprint in his hands—a design they had finished together. "He'll have the best room in the ward we built. He can watch the sunset every day."
He put the papers down and looked at Alicia. The wind caught her hair, and for a moment, she looked exactly like the girl from his dreams—the one on the golden beach.
"I lost a lot of things this month, Alicia," Arthur whispered, taking her hands. "The title, the mansion, the 'perfect' reputation."
"Do you regret it?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat.
Arthur pulled her close, the scent of the construction site—dust, cement, and hope—surrounding them. "I only regret that I didn't find you sooner. Everything I lost was just weight. You're the only thing that makes me feel light."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Inside wasn't a corporate diamond, but a ring made of rose gold, shaped like a delicate, intertwined vine. "Will you help me build the rest of our lives, Alicia? Not as an employee, and not as a partner... but as my wife?"
Alicia looked at the ring, then at the man who had burned an empire just to keep her safe. "Yes," she breathed, tears of joy finally replacing the tears of grief. "A thousand times, yes."
In the distance, the city skyline glittered, but the tallest tower no longer mattered. The strongest structure was the one they were standing on: a foundation of truth.