The nurse nodded and adjusted the blanket over my daughter.

“She’s a beautiful baby,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said.

After the nurse left, I sat in the chair beside the bassinet.

The quietness of the room was a comfort.

I thought about the ledger and the secrets it held.

It would remain in the hands of the federal prosecutors now.

The people who had used it to blackmail and steal would finally face justice.

I had done what I set out to do.

I had protected my daughter and cleared the name of the man I loved.

I rested my chin on my hand, watching Maya sleep.

The road ahead would be quiet, and it would be ours.

I closed my eyes and let the silence wash over me.

For the first time in a very long time, I slept without dreaming of the past.