Chapter 10 - Peace
The judge sentenced David to thirty-five years in federal prison without the possibility of parole.
When the sentence was read, David looked at me in sheer disbelief.
I didn't smile, and I didn't gloat.
I simply turned around and walked out of the courtroom, finally breathing freely.
Elena was waiting in the hallway, holding her son tightly.
We hugged each other, tears of immense relief staining our clothes.
"It's really over," Elena whispered.
"Yes," I agreed. "We are finally safe."
That winter, we celebrated a very different kind of Christmas.
There were no toxic grandparents, no abusive ex-husbands, and no secrets.
Just Elena, the children, and me, sitting around a warm, glowing fireplace.
Caleb opened his present and grinned, holding up a brand-new telescope.
Mia was busy showing the baby how to stack wooden blocks.
I looked around the room, realizing that family isn't always the people you are born to.
Family is the people who stand by you when the world falls apart.
May you like
I took a sip of hot cocoa and smiled.
For the first time in my life, everything was exactly how it was supposed to be.
