Chapter 18 - Reclaiming the Light|
By autumn, Nashville was alive with the vibrant, golden hues of October.
I opened the glass doors of my new office suite on 5th Avenue—Hayes Financial Consulting. The space was bright, filled with natural sunlight, hardwood floors, and green plants.
My first client sat across from me at my desk—a young woman who had recently escaped an abusive marriage and was trying to untangle her stolen financial assets.
"I don't even know where to start, Ms. Hayes," she said, her voice shaking, her hands trembling as she held a stack of bank statements. "He told me I was useless with money. He told me I couldn't survive without him."
I looked at her, seeing an echo of the woman who had lain in that hospital room four months ago, terrified and broken.
I reached across the desk and gently placed my hand over hers.
"You aren't useless," I said firmly, my voice filled with an absolute, unshakeable authority. "And you don't need his permission to rebuild your life. We are going to go through every single page together, and we are going to take back what belongs to you."
The young woman looked into my eyes, her tears drying, a small spark of hope reigniting in her gaze.
"Thank you, Audrey," she whispered.
After she left, I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bustling city streets below.
The pain in my legs was gone. The scars on my forehead were hidden beneath my hair. The broken bones had healed stronger than they were before.
My phone chimed on the desk. A text message from my father:
“Chloe just scored her first goal at soccer practice. We’re heading to the ice cream shop. Come meet us when you’re done changing the world.”
May you like
I laughed softly, typing back a quick reply: “On my way.”
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