“I’m proud of you,” he whispered.
I nodded, leaning into him, feeling the steady thump of his heart against my cheek. “I just wish it didn’t have to be this way,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
We walked in silence to the car, each step feeling like a release from years of tension and heartache. Though my relationship with my family hung in the balance, I knew I had made the right choice for my child—for our future. And as the city lights stretched out before us, I allowed myself a moment of hope. This was just the beginning of a new chapter, one defined by the love and strength that had carried me through the darkest moments.