id not feel like victory. It felt like relocation. Like she had pa

alls. A bed wide enough to swallow her whole. There was a walk-in closet already filled with

nd turned slowly. "So this is how pea

e at the door. "C

ot too far. He had changed into something simple, n

omfortable?

ine" she

the staff know." She almost laughed. Staf

t?" she aske

used.

what

lly before answering. "

in the quiet room. "An

ou rest" he

derstand the man behind the p

her stomach tighten

he continued. "But you will

. "Respect is diffe

d. "But one is

to say. He gave a small

her breath. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her phone. Messages were sti

sage st

okay?'

before replyi

diately. 'Are you sure? T

sadly. Sudden for

you tomorrow

cked like the one back home. For the first time in years, she knew rent would not be a pro

er chest stil

came s

coffee. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then it all rushed back. She dr

orning,

her different

was already seated at the dining table, reading t

ept?" h

le" she

the chair oppos

ind of silence that wasn't

e spoke. "There will b

used mid-ai

lmly. "News trave

"And what am I s

plied. "That we are

small breath. "

eady are.

carefully. "Doesn

e lived long enough to know peopl

t," she sa

for a moment. "

, cameras flashed immediately. Journalists called out her name. Som

as clicke

ushing, not holding too tight, just present. Together, they

mediately. "That won

he a

e you sure you're ready for wh

have been talking about me long before you.

d away. "

ce, but near enough for his voice to so

mall, tired lau

t herself in the mirror. The girl looking back

she knew someth

was now part of something bigger, so

ew headlines and fresh gossip, one t

was the e

ould be somethin