The cool night air hit my face like a balm as we stepped outside, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions that had brewed within those walls. I paused, taking a deep breath, the weight of the evening slowly lifting off my shoulders.

“Are you alright?” Luke asked, concern etched in his features.

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness. “I am now,” I replied, placing a protective hand over my belly. Our baby—the future we had planned—was what truly mattered. The $120,000 fund was not just money; it was a promise to our child, a commitment to provide a life free from the manipulations and machinations that had overshadowed my own upbringing.