Chapter 19 - RECLAIMING THE HEAVENS
Two months later. San Francisco.
The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden glow across the floor-to-ceiling windows of my two-bedroom downtown penthouse.
The antique furniture Eleanor had wanted to force into the room was nowhere to be found. Instead, the space was filled with mid-century modern pieces, vibrant green houseplants, and modern artwork celebrating local California artists.
DING-DONG.
I opened the front door to find Maya holding a tray of freshly baked pastries, her two children running past her into the living room to play with the high-tech board games set up near the balcony.
"Happy housewarming!" Maya smiled, wrapping me in a warm, sisterly hug.
"Come on in," I laughed, taking the tray. "The coffee is just finishing brewing."
We walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the breathtaking skyline of San Francisco and the glittering bay beyond.
Maya looked at me, her eyes filled with deep warmth. "Do you ever think about that night at the dining table?"
I took a slow sip of my coffee, feeling the cool breeze from the open balcony door.
"I used to think about it every night," I admitted softly. "I used to rewatch the blood hitting the tablecloth in my mind. But not anymore."
May you like
"What do you think about now?" Maya asked.
"I think about how lucky I was that they showed me who they really were," I replied, turning my head to look at her. "If Adrian hadn't thrown that plate, I might have stayed in that quiet, toxic marriage for years. His violence didn't break me—it liberated me."
