My husband served poisoned chicken to our son and me, kissed my forehead, and murmured into his phone, “It’s done. They’ll both be gone soon.”

The wedding was small, private, and filled with light.

We held the ceremony in a garden overlooking the sea, surrounded by true friends, dedicated colleagues, and the legal team that had helped deliver justice.

Noah stood beside Marcus as his best man, looking sharp in his suit, his face beaming with pride. As I walked down the aisle in a simple, elegant ivory lace dress, I looked at the two men waiting for me at the altar, and my heart overflowed with peace.

There were no secrets here. No fake smiles, no toxic poisons hidden in the dark, no hidden policies or greedy betrayals. Only truth, love, and a family forged in the fires of survival.

During the reception, as the sun began to set over the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues of gold, pink, and purple, Marcus took my hand and led me to the edge of the terrace.

Noah ran over, holding three floating paper lanterns.

"We light these for new beginnings, right?" Noah asked, handing one to Marcus and one to me.

"That's right, buddy," Marcus smiled, lighting the small candle inside Noah’s lantern. "We leave the past in the dark and send our dreams into the light."

Together, the three of us held our lanterns up toward the evening sky. We let go at the exact same moment.

We watched as the glowing lights caught the warm ocean breeze, lifting higher and higher into the clear night sky, rising far above the dark waters below, shining bright and unstoppable against the stars.