Chapter 8 - A New Chapter Begins
Three weeks passed like a breath of fresh air.
The feature article on Aura & Ember came out in the regional lifestyle magazine, titled “Light in the Darkness: How One Woman Turned Tragedy into a Beacon of Hope.” It highlighted not only our luxury artisan candles but also the scholarship fund I had quietly established in my late daughter’s name, helping young women pursue arts education.
Orders flooded the online store. I had to hire three new part-time employees just to keep up with the holiday demand. My studio was filled with the warm, comforting scents of vanilla, cedarwood, and dried lavender.
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During this time, my family tried various desperate tactics to reach me. Irene sent a formal, stiffly worded email demanding I “fix what I broke” for the sake of family harmony. My mother sent a handwritten letter—delivered through regular postal mail since her number was blocked—expressing her “disappointment” in my cold-hearted behavior and claiming that Tyler was “depressed” because of my vendetta.
I didn't reply to any of them. I simply dropped the letters into the shredder, watching the paper curl into fine ribbons. I felt no anger, only a profound sense of peace. The heavy chains of obligation had been struck away.
