The parchment crackled softly in Marissa's hands. It was the only sound in the private room of the Golden Swan. The angry heat that had been burning in her chest since she found the letter that morning simply evaporated. It was replaced by a cool, golden sense of satisfaction.
Do I like it?
She looked at the deed again. It was official. It was real. It was power.
Marissa looked up at Derek. Her eyes were no longer sharp or guarded. They were bright with genuine pleasure.
"This place," Derek continued, his voice low and proud. "It now fully belongs to you. It is your private property. It is unrelated to the Thompson estate accounts. It is unrelated to me. It is yours."
Marissa smiled. She ran her thumb over the wax seal on the document. She looked around the room, seeing potential. She saw the profits. She saw the independence.
