CHAPTER 15: THE NEW FAMILY
A year later, we had a small ceremony in the backyard of the house we'd bought together. Michael's family was there. My father was there. Even some of my old friends had come.
I wore a white dress, simple and elegant.
Michael wore a gray suit, the one I'd picked out for him.
He cried when he saw me.
I cried too.
We said our vows.
We kissed.
And we started our new life together.
We still had challenges.
We still had arguments.
We still had moments when the past felt too close, too real.
But we also had each other.
And that was enough.
That was everything.
That night, as we lay in bed, Michael turned to me.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too."
"I promise to spend the rest of my life earning your trust."
"I know."
"I'm sorry for everything I ever did to hurt you."
"I forgive you."
We held each other in the darkness.
And I knew, for the first time in my life, that I was truly happy.
The scars on my back would always remind me of what I'd been through.
But the man beside me reminded me of what I could become.
And I was ready.
Ready to be loved.
Ready to be happy.
Ready to be free.
I reached up and touched Michael's face.
"Thank you," I said. "For being here. For staying. For loving me."
"Thank you," he said. "For giving me a chance."
We kissed.
And I let myself believe in the future.
Because I had survived the past.
And I was ready for whatever came next.
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THE END
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