Chapter 45 - the day claire stepped down
Three years later, Claire formally stepped down from the board.
The announcement shocked the public.
Reporters asked why.
Some assumed there had been a disagreement.
Others believed Claire was ill.
None of those explanations were true.
Claire simply believed it was time.
At the farewell ceremony, Maya stood beside her.
"You know you can still come to meetings."
Claire laughed.
"I know."
"And give opinions."
"I know."
"Lots of them."
"Probably."
Everyone laughed.
Claire stepped toward the microphone.
"When I started this work, I thought the goal was to build something strong enough that nobody could take it away."
She looked around the room.
"I was wrong."
The audience became quiet.
"The goal was to build something strong enough that it doesn't need one person to protect it."
Applause filled the room.
Claire looked toward her father.
Then toward her mother.
Then toward Chloe, who had returned from medical school.
Her daughter was crying.
Claire smiled.
"This isn't goodbye."
May you like
She stepped away.
"It's proof that we succeeded."
