Chapter 10 - The Happy Ending
As we sat around the beautiful new dining table that evening, glasses raised in a joyful toast, Sarah smiled across the table at me.
"To Elaine," Sarah said, her eyes shining with pride. "The strongest, most resilient woman I know. Cheers to new beginnings."
"Cheers!" everyone echoed, the sound of crystal glasses ringing out in sweet harmony.
I took a sip of the chilled champagne, letting the bubbly warmth wash over me. I looked around the table at the people who genuinely loved and cherished me, then glanced out the large window toward the quiet, peaceful street outside.
May you like
Mark and Jenna were entirely out of my life, locked away in the miserable little worlds they had built with their own selfishness and cruelty. They were ghosts of a past I had successfully survived and left far behind.
I felt a profound, unshakeable peace settle deep within my soul. I was safe. I was home. And for the first time in my life, every single seat at the table belonged entirely to me.
