Chapter 70
Chapter 70: Groundbreaking on the Hudson
Spring 2046. The morning sun was brilliant as it reflected off the water of the Hudson River. A massive crowd of city officials, journalists, and local residents gathered along the shoreline for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Manhattan Arts and Environmental Pavilion.
Anna stood at the center of the stage, wearing a sharp navy blazer, a silver shovel in her hand. Beside her were the Mayor of New York and the Governor.
I sat in the front row of the VIP section, wrapped in a warm wool scarf, watching my daughter take the microphone.
"This building isn't just made of concrete, steel, and sustainable timber," Anna’s voice boomed through the loudspeakers, clear, confident, and echoing across the river. "It is built on the idea that public spaces should be honest. They should belong to the people who use them, not the shadows who fund them. We are building a landmark that will stand for centuries as a testament to what happens when creativity is protected by integrity."
As she pushed the silver shovel into the earth, the crowd erupted into a deafening cheer. The cameras flashed, capturing the moment for the evening news.
After the ceremony, Anna walked off the stage, bypassing the reporters and the politicians, and walked straight to where I sat. She dropped to her knees in front of my chair, wrapping her arms around my waist, burying her face in my lap just like she used to do when she was a little girl.
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"We built it, Mom," she whispered, her voice thick with tears of joy. "It’s real now."
"It was always real, Anna," I said, stroking her hair. "The world just finally caught up to you."
