BELLA
“You’ve been through so much, Mum. More than anyone should have to endure. But you’re here. You made it through, and I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
Cora smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t have made it without you—or Xavier. You’ve been my anchor through this storm. And now that it’s over, I feel like I can finally breathe again.”
My gaze softened. I reached out and took Cora’s hand gently, squeezing it. “It’s not over, it’s just the beginning. You’ve earned this freedom. So… what’s next?”
Her smile widened, and for a moment, she looked as though she were already imagining herself far away from here. “I want to travel. I want to see the world—to visit places I only ever saw in pictures or read about in books. Paris, Rome, Tokyo, New Zealand…” Her voice was light with excitement
