Chapter 19 - The New BeginningOne year after the wedding that never happened, the Sterling Dignity Center opened.
Hundreds of people attended.
Young entrepreneurs.
Small-business owners.
Students.
Workers.
People who had never been invited into rooms like the ones where Margaret had built her empire.
Marcus stood beside his mother on the stage.
He looked at the crowd.
"This building is not about our family."
He paused.
"It's about everyone who has ever been told they weren't important enough."
The audience applauded.
Margaret looked around.
A young woman in the front row was crying.
A man beside her held the hand of his teenage daughter.
There were no crystal chandeliers.
No five-tier cake.
No designer gowns.
But Margaret thought it was one of the most beautiful rooms she had ever entered.
Marcus turned toward her.
"Ready?"
Margaret smiled.
"Always."
Together, they cut the ribbon.
The crowd erupted.
And somewhere outside, beyond the glass doors, a familiar woman stood watching.
Tiffany.
She didn't enter.
Not yet.
May you like
She simply smiled.
Then she walked away.
