Chapter 9 - The Cornerstone Legacy
Three months later, a sleek black town car pulled up outside the Cornerstone Diner on Ridgewood Avenue.
Patty was wiping down the counter when the front bell chimed. She looked up, expecting the usual late-night regulars. Instead, a young woman walked in wearing an expensive charcoal pantsuit, carrying a large, beautifully wrapped gift basket filled with artisanal pastries, fresh coffee beans, and a handwritten card.
It was Scarlett.
"Scarlett!" Patty gasped, dropping her rag and running around the counter to wrap her arms tightly around the former waitress. "Look at you! You look like a million bucks! What are you doing back in this neighborhood?"
"I just came to drop off a few things, Patty," Scarlett smiled, handing her the basket. "And to pay my final tab."
She reached into her designer handbag, pulled out a thick, white envelope, and laid it neatly beside the cash register.
Inside was a cashier’s check for $50,000, accompanied by a legal deed transferring ownership of the entire Cornerstone Diner building directly to Patty, completely free and clear of mortgages or back taxes.
Patty opened the envelope, pulled out the deed, and her knees buckled. She grabbed the edge of the counter, tears streaming down her weathered cheeks. "Scarlett... what... what is this? I can't accept this! Where did you—?"
"Consider it back-pay for all those double shifts, Patty," Scarlett said softly, squeezing her hand. "Take care of yourself. And tell Danny to learn how to make his own coffee."
May you like
She turned around, walked out the front doors of the diner, and stepped back into the waiting town car where Julian Vance sat in the back seat, watching her with a quiet, approving smile.
The driver shifted into gear, and the car melted seamlessly into the Chicago traffic, leaving behind a diner that would never have to worry about cold coffee again.
