Chapter 10
One year to the day after Daniel’s arrest, Elias and I stood on the roof of our newest building.
Below us, families were moving into brand-new homes.
“Remember when we thought this was impossible?” Elias said.
“Nothing’s impossible when you don’t give up,” I said.
My mom brought us hot coffee. My dad took photos of the view.
We watched the sun set over Dallas, painting the sky gold and pink.
I touched the necklace my dad gave me. It felt like a promise kept.
“For a long time,” I said, “I thought success meant being the strongest, the hardest worker, the one who never stops. But it’s not. It’s about who stands beside you.”
Elias squeezed my arm. “And who you never let go of.”
Down below, a little girl ran out of one of the new houses, holding a balloon. She looked up and waved.
I waved back.
Justice had been served. The lies were buried. The truth was bright.
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I wasn’t just safe. I was loved. I was proud. I was home.
And for the first time in my life, I knew exactly where I was going.
