Part 14: A New Dawn on the Canal
Smoke and the scent of gunpowder linger in the basement as Inspector De Jong and a team of heavily armed officers storm the room. Arthur de Witt tries to flee toward the stairs, but within seconds is tackled to the ground and put in handcuffs. As he is led away screaming and shouting, I let myself drop trembling onto a chest. Inspector De Jong extends a hand and helps me up.
"Are you alright, Lucas? You reached us just in time with that GPS tracker on your phone." I nod, holding the heavy folder of evidence and the USB stick tightly against my chest. "Yes, inspector. It's over." Three months later, the Vance family empire has been fully cleansed. My parents have been convicted of large-scale fraud and complicity in murder, and Arthur de Witt faces a lengthy prison sentence.
The estate has been rebuilt, and the name Vance no longer stands for greed and coldness, but for justice. I stand on the stone bridge over the Herengracht, the morning sun breaking through the clouds, casting a golden glow over the water and Amsterdam's historic facades. My backpack is empty, but my future lies open. Grandma Evelyn was right: the truth always triumphs, even if you have to go through hell to get there.
