Chapter 131: Eight years

Selen sat at her desk later that night, the heavy silence of the house matching the finality of her decision.

She opened the email from Robert Vance once more and pulled up the attached files. Knowing that her support structure with the Spanish office was completely broken, she refused to let her family drift into an administrative collapse.

She typed out a direct, formal response accepting the position at The Vanguard International Art Group, attached her signature to the digital parameters, and sent the official answer back to Vance’s office before she went to bed.

First thing the following morning, Selen initiated a communication with the primary legal advisor of her ministry in Madrid. Because of the ongoing internal investigation, the connection took several minutes to clear oversight protocols, but she remained completely patient until the advisor finally appeared on the terminal screen.

"I am turning in my official resignation notice, effective immediately," Selen said, her tone sharp, professional, and entirely stripped of hesitation. "My deployment arrangement in England was authorized under Maria’s jurisdiction, and since her department is currently under audit, I am choosing to terminate my contract with the office."

The legal advisor reviewed her personnel files on his own screen, checking the exact parameters of her history and financial logs. After a long, quiet review of the system data, he looked back up at her with a calm, neutral expression.

"We have verified your account activity and the triplets’ records, Selen. Your administrative profile is entirely clear. Whatever is currently going on with Maria’s investigation does not affect you or your kids. Your network is clear of any anomalies, and we officially clear you to resign from your post." he said.

Selen felt a profound wave of relief wash over her chest, knowing that her family was completely insulated from the ministry’s internal fallout. She finalized the digital termination paperwork, closed the terminal link, and spent the rest of the week preparing for the massive transition ahead.

***

The following week, Selen traveled to London for her official meeting with the executive board of The Vanguard International Art Group. She walked into their building with absolute composure, her personal boundaries completely intact as she sat across from Robert Vance’s representatives.

The contract terms were exactly as they had discussed, offering her a backing, independent career security, and a line of protection that guaranteed her family’s lifestyle needs in England. She reviewed the final parameters step by step and signed the contract, locking her career into its permanent new Chapter.

With her professional life completely secured, Selen focused her entire energy on the children. That upcoming weekend was David, Daniel, and Diana’s eighth birthday, and she wanted to ensure their celebration was completely perfect.

She spent her afternoons organizing the party setup at the Kent estate, coordinating the cake order, and setting up the decorations in the back garden near the oak tree.

The triplets were entirely happy, talking constantly about the games they wanted to play and looking forward to their big day.

Selen gathered the local shipping files from her desk and realized she still needed to collect several specific items for the celebration that could not be delivered to the estate in time.

The children had requested custom themed banners, matching plates, and specific outdoor activity favors that required a personal trip to the shopping center.

She checked her watch, ensuring she had enough time before the triplets finished their school afternoon, and notified her driver to prepare the vehicle for the trip into town.

The drive down from the Kent estate was quick, but her mind remained completely occupied by the looming weight of her choices. She knew that by signing the Vanguard contract, she had legally anchored herself to England, meaning her career choices would become a permanent fixture of her life.

She sat quietly in the back seat, forcing herself to maintain her composure as the driver drove into the parking lot of the main shopping mall.

The driver parked the car smoothly, stepped out to open her door, and immediately fell into step behind her as she walked toward the main entrance.

Having him alone provided a reliable layer of assistance, ensuring she would not have to carry the massive load of party favors through the crowded corridors alone.

Selen walked inside with efficient, purposeful strides, her driver following closely as she bypassed the luxury clothing boutiques and high-end storefronts. Her main priority was getting the supplies efficiently so she could return to her children without throwing off their afternoon schedule.

She took the escalator up to the second level, her driver maintaining a respectful distance right behind her as they followed the directory signs toward the large commercial plaza at the far end of the eastern wing.

The bright signs of the major retail chains flashed around her, but her eyes were searching for the specific vendor that stocked the imported party decorations the children wanted.

As they approached the corner junction near the central food court, the noise of the mall began to fade slightly, replaced by the specific, vibrant display of balloons, colorful streamers, and birthday banners visible through a massive glass storefront.

Selen stepped closer to the entry, her driver waiting firmly by her side as she observed the rows of bright materials stacked neatly behind the clear windows. She pushed past, wanting to locate the items on her checklist as quickly as possible.

The interior was packed with bright cardboard boxes, helium tanks, and tiers of colored paper plates. She moved past the front display stands, as her driver stood ready to manage the heavy lifting.

She adjusted her coat, took a slow breath to settle her thoughts, and walked into the party store in the mall with the lingering of familiarity of the mall from years ago.

Selen walked down the aisles of the party store, her eyes locked onto her checklist as her driver followed a few paces behind with a large wire shopping basket.

She grabbed the custom-themed banners the boys had requested, several packs of matching plates, and the outdoor activity for the back garden games.

Her driver quietly took each item from her hand, stacking them neatly to ensure nothing was crushed. Once she had everything she needed to make the celebration completely perfect, she walked straight to the counter, paid for the supplies, and let her driver carry the heavy bags as they exited back into the main terminal corridor of the mall.