Aloe's POV
Evelyn was four months old when I finally left Vermont. Not running this time, not hiding—just choosing to move somewhere that felt more like a permanent home. I chose Portland, Maine—coastal city, good schools for when Evelyn was older, far enough from New York to feel independent but close enough for Wakes's scheduled visitations.
The apartment I rented was modest compared to the luxury I'd known with Wakes or the elegance of Blake's properties. Two bedrooms, decent kitchen, view of the harbor if you stood in exactly the right spot. It was mine, paid for with the settlement from my divorce and the careful budget I'd learned to maintain.
"It's perfect," Sofia said, helping me unpack boxes while Evelyn napped in her new nursery. "Small but yours. That matters."
"Everything's
