Chapter 15
The days after the exhibition felt different. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t just surviving — I was thriving. People came to me with new opportunities, invitations, and genuine interest in what I had to offer.
Daniel’s quiet support remained my steady rock through it all. He never tried to rush me or demand more than I was ready to give. Instead, he encouraged me to keep moving forward at my own pace.
One morning, I received a call from Carla. Her voice was hesitant, almost apologetic.
“Aurora… I know I don’t deserve it, but I want to say I’m sorry for everything. For betraying your trust.”
I was silent for a moment, the flood of emotions hard to hold back. But I took a deep breath and said firmly, “I’m not the same person I was before. I’ve forgiven, but I won’t forget.”
Carla thanked me and promised to stay out of my life.
That conversation felt like closing a painful chapter, a final seal on a door I was ready to shut for good.
I looked at my reflection afterward—no longer the broken girl waiting for a husband who never came home, but a woman who had reclaimed her life.
A woman ready for a fresh start.