Chapter 6 - The Yellow Box
Walter carried the yellow box across the beach.
A small crowd followed him.
Vanessa saw them approaching and misunderstood immediately.
The box had been visible near the celebration stage all morning. Vanessa assumed it contained a sponsor gift or an award connected to her promotional appearance.
She quickly fixed her hair.
Her assistant stared at her.
“You cannot be serious.”
“This is probably the committee’s way of calming everything down.”
“The committee just canceled you.”
“They need my audience.”
Vanessa put on her sunglasses again and lifted her phone.
When Walter stopped in front of her, she smiled warmly.
“Are we doing the presentation now?”
Walter’s eyes moved toward the destroyed castle.
“Yes,” he said. “We are.”
The crowd formed a wide circle.
Emily remained several yards away, holding Noah.
Walter presented the box.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Congratulations. You’ve been selected for today’s special beach presentation.”
Vanessa’s smile widened.
She reached for the ribbon.
The moment she opened the lid, the confidence drained from her face.
She saw Daniel’s nameplate.
She saw the photograph of Noah’s completed castle.
Then she saw the security image of herself destroying it.
“What is this?”
Walter explained that the nameplate had originally been placed beside Daniel’s rescue jacket. It had recently been replaced with a permanent metal plaque.
Noah had asked whether he could use the wooden plate near his castle during the afternoon ceremony.
Walter had planned to place it inside the sand after surprising him with the new safety center.
Vanessa’s kick had cracked it.
Her heel had landed directly on Daniel’s name.
“You damaged property belonging to the rescue foundation,” Walter said. “You also violated the conditions of your filming permit.”
Vanessa tried to close the box.
Walter stopped her.
“There is one more item.”
He removed the envelope addressed to the Carter family and walked toward Noah.
When he announced the Daniel Carter Coastal Safety Center, the beach erupted in applause.
Noah held the letter against his chest.
May you like
For the first time since the castle fell, he smiled.
Vanessa remained behind them, holding the box that contained the evidence of everything she had done.
