Chapter 9 - THE LAST SNOW
William died the following January.
Quietly.
Emily was with him.
So was Daniel.
William had no children.
No wife.
He had built a business empire but very little family.
At the end, Emily held his hand.
“Are you afraid?”
“Yes.”
She appreciated the honesty.
“Me too.”
He smiled weakly.
“You’re not dying.”
“No, but I’m losing someone.”
His eyes filled.
“You barely knew me.”
“Long enough.”
He squeezed her hand.
“Rose would be proud of you.”
Emily shook her head.
“I hope she’s proud of both of us.”
William smiled.
His final words were almost a whisper.
“Keep something warm by the oven.”
“I will.”
He died before sunrise.
At his funeral, hundreds attended.
Executives.
Employees.
Politicians.
Business leaders.
But Emily remembered him differently.
Wet silver hair.
Borrowed sweatpants.
Coffee between shaking hands.
A cinnamon roll.
May you like
A stranger asking not to be left in the snow.
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