With my master's guidance, I signed up for a elite finance course. I studied while shadowing him, learning hands-on in real time.
My life gradually shifted, as if I had been reborn, steady, grounded, and full of purpose.
I no longer sat in the courtyard waiting for Zayn to come home each day.
I no longer racked my brain just to keep him entertained.
And I no longer played the silent role of his unnamed, unofficial lover.
Only then did I truly grasp the meaning behind my master's eight-year pact.
He had always known Zayn wasn't the right man for me, yet he still let me go down that road. Because only after being kept could I truly understand what freedom cost.
A few months later, Sarah sent me her wedding invitation and asked me to be a bridesmaid.
For my only close friend in Northb
