Chapter 31: A Mourning Worth More Than Money

After the ceremony cleared out, we gathered in the courtyard by the fountain to give Chloe her proper send-off.

I didn’t hold back. I threw money at her in abundance right there on the grass, showering her with stacks of cash to celebrate the clean break from her past and the total end of her money worries.

Chloe stood in the middle of it all, completely stunned before bursting into tears—not from sadness, but pure relief. The weight of her uncle, the stress of school, and the fear of losing everything was officially gone. She felt completely free.

"You guys aren’t just my partners," she sobbed softly, stepping up to me and wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. "You’re my family. My real family."

She pulled me into a deep, passionate hug, holding on tight while May and Tiana laughed, joining in to wrap us both into a massive group hug right in the center of the campus courtyard.

With her 4.0 GPA secured, her uncle completely out of her life, and $3.32M liquid sitting in my account, the academic Chapter was officially closed.

Now, every bit of our energy was clear to lock into Zenith, streamline Tiana’s executive setup, and claim that locked $35 million system payout.

What’s your next move?

We walked out to the VIP area of the parking lot, with May walking beside Chloe and covering her eyes the whole way. Chloe kept laughing, trying to guess what was going on, but May didn’t give away a single clue.

"Alright... three, two, one... open!" May called out, pulling her hands away.

Standing right in front of us was a brand-new, ultra-sleek luxury ride. May had secretly helped me pick out the custom paint color—a stunning, deep electric blue that matched Chloe’s sharp, royal energy—and I paid for it straight out of our liquid balance as a complete surprise graduation gift.

Chloe stood frozen for a second, her jaw dropping as she looked at the car, then down at the keys I dropped right into her palm.

"No way..." she gasped, running her hand along the hood. "Are you serious right now?!"

"100%," I said with a smile. "Every high-powered head legal counsel needs a proper set of wheels. It’s all yours."

May grinned, leaning against the passenger side door. "I picked the color! You like it?"

Chloe didn’t even answer—she just threw her arms around both of us, holding the keys tight in her hand. "I love it! You guys are unbelievable!"

She hopped into the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel with a huge, radiant smile. For the first time in her life, she had total freedom, her own empire, and a high-end luxury car to drive into her new future.

Chloe took the wheel, turning the key, and the engine let out a smooth, deep roar that vibrated through the seats. We pulled out of the parking lot, but the second we hit the main avenue, May and I realized Chloe was driving like a little old lady on her way to Sunday service.

She was barely creeping along at twenty miles per hour, gripping the leather steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white.

"Come on, counselor!" May laughed, leaning up from the back seat and poking Chloe’s shoulder. "You’re driving a super-machine, not a golf cart! Pump it!"

"I don’t really know how to drive like that!" Chloe protested, her face flushing red as she stared intensely at the road. "I just got my license renewed!"

"Forget the speedometer, just feel the wind!" I grinned, reaching over to roll down the windows and dropping the top.

Hearing us cheer her on, Chloe let out a playful shout, slammed her heel down on the gas pedal, and the car surged forward with a loud engine roar. The wind blasted through our hair as we flew down the boulevard, laughing like crazy as the city lights blurred past us.

Then, bright red and blue lights started flashing in the rearview mirror, accompanied by a quick, sharp siren blip.

"Oh no, oh no!" Chloe gasped, her eyes going wide as she pulled the car smoothly over to the curb. "My first day with the car and I’m getting arrested!"

A police officer walked up, took one look at three people in high-fashion designer gear laughing hysterically in a brand-new luxury ride, and shook his head. He wrote out a speeding ticket, handed it through the window to Chloe, and wished us a good night.

Chloe held the ticket in her hand, pouting with her lips stuck out while May and I practically doubled over laughing in our seats.

"My clean record is tarnished!" she huffed, though she couldn’t hide the huge smile breaking across her face.

"We let the law follow the law," I chuckled, taking the ticket from her and tucking it into the glove box. "Consider it your initiation into driving a real car."

We pulled into the penthouse garage shortly after, still riding the high of the night.

The elevator opened directly into the quiet comfort of the penthouse. After the whirlwind of the graduation ceremony, the high-speed joyride, and the ticket drama, the energy in the room dropped into a warm, comfortable silence.

We kicked off our shoes and left the noise of the city down below. There was no need for fancy talk or big plans for tomorrow—everyone was completely exhausted from the non-stop victories of the past few weeks.

We ended up in the master bedroom, the three of us sinking into the massive bed together. Chloe dropped her head onto my chest, letting out a long, heavy sigh of pure relaxation, while May stretched out on my other side, resting her arm over my waist with her eyes already halfway closed.

"Best day ever," Chloe murmured softly, her voice trailing off as sleep started to catch up with her.

"Definitely," May agreed in a lazy whisper, her energetic spark finally settling down for the night.

I rested my arms around both of them, taking in the quiet moment. We had taken Chloe from under her uncle’s thumb to a 4.0 graduate with complete freedom, built May into an untouchable global face, and laid the exact foundation needed to scale Zenith into a billion-dollar house.

As the penthouse lights dimmed and their breathing evened out into deep sleep, I lay there in the quiet, fully recharged and ready for the massive moves waiting for us tomorrow.

The morning sun poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, painting the living room in warm, golden light. I sat up, letting out a long, satisfying stretch as my joints popped.

Looking over, May’s side of the bed was already empty. She had that restless athletic energy—even after a late night out, there was no keeping her down. Down in the private gym section of the penthouse, I could hear the steady rhythm of her sneakers pounding against the treadmill as she knocked out her morning jog.

Chloe, on the other hand, was completely out cold, buried under a mountain of plush pillows. Her face was relaxed, totally free of the constant tension that used to sit there back when she was grinding for her exams and dodging her uncle. She deserved every single second of sleep she could get.

I padded quietly into the kitchen, keeping my footsteps light so I wouldn’t disturb her. I fired up the coffee machine, the rich aroma of fresh dark roast instantly filling the room.

May finished up her run, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from her neck as she walked into the kitchen with a huge grin, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Morning, boss," she whispered, leaning over to steal a sip straight from my freshly poured mug. "Chloe still out?"

"Like a light," I chuckled softly, taking the mug back. "Let her sleep. She’s earned a full day of doing absolutely nothing."

"Facts," May agreed, grabbing an apple from the counter. "So, once she wakes up and gets her coffee, are we heading over to Zenith? Tiana texted me earlier—said the new executive hires are arriving today."

I took a slow sip, letting the caffeine kick in. This was the final piece. Bringing in those top-tier executives meant Tiana could officially step back from the crushing day-to-day operations, completing her lifestyle glow-up.

About an hour later, Chloe finally dragged herself out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes with her hair in a messy, adorable bedtime bun. She was still half-asleep, clutching her blanket like a shield as she blindly stumbled toward the kitchen island where the smell of fresh coffee was drifting.

May’s eyes lit up with instant mischief. She nudged my arm, giving me a subtle "watch this" grin before putting on the most panicked, serious face she could muster.

"Chloe! Oh my god, you’re awake!" May gasped, gripping the edge of the counter like the world was ending. "Did you look out the balcony window yet?!"

Chloe froze mid-step, her sleepy eyes blinking open. "What? What happened?"

"It’s your car!" May cried, turning to me with wide, frantic eyes. "Tell her! The valet towed it! They said since it didn’t have the permanent license plates attached yet, some city truck came by ten minutes ago and hauled it right out of the private garage!"

Chloe’s jaw dropped. The sleepiness vanished from her body in less than half a second. "WHAT?! My electric blue ride?! Are you kidding me?!"

She practically dropped her blanket and bolted toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, frantically looking down at the street level.

I couldn’t resist dropping right into the joke with May, keeping my face completely stone-cold serious as I took a slow sip of coffee.

"I tried to stop them, counselor," I said smoothly, shaking my head with fake disappointment. "I even showed them your graduation plaque, but the guy said, ’Rules are rules, especially after last night’s speeding ticket.’"

Chloe spun around, her mouth hanging open in absolute shock as she looked back and forth between the two of us. "No... no, no, no! My ticket tarnished my car’s reputation already?!"

May couldn’t hold it in for another second. She snorted, bursting into loud, hysterical laughter while leaning against the counter for support. I broke character right after, letting out a chuckle as I held up the car keys, dangling them right in front of her.

"It’s downstairs in space 4B, completely safe and untouched," I grinned.

Chloe blinked, processing the prank before her face flushed bright red. "MAY! You absolute menace! And you!" she yelled, pointing a accusing finger at me while trying—and failing—to hide her own massive smile. "You joined in! You’re supposed to be on my side!"

"Hey, team dynamic," May wheezed out, wiping a tear from her eye. "Now you’re fully awake!"

Chloe snatched a throw pillow off the couch and tossed it straight at May’s head, though she couldn’t stop laughing herself as she finally poured her cup of dark roast.

With the prank out of the way and everyone fully energized, the mood was completely set for the day.