"It's been a while since I've been me. It was always for others, never for me.
Once in a while, doing something for myself feels really good.
This is for my FREEDOM.
No more suffering. 💔 Let me enjoy this moment."
Elissa stood on her balcony in the quiet dawn, the mug of tea in her hands cooling as the golden light of morning washed over Orionvale. The city stretched below her, alive with the faint hum of life beginning to stir. The chaos that once consumed her world felt distant now, almost like a bad dream she had just woken from. But the scars—hidden beneath her sleeves and in the corners of her heart—were a constant reminder that the nightmare had been very real.
She exhaled slowly, her breath visible in the crisp morning air. This moment, this silence, felt foreign yet liberating. It had been years since she allowed herself to stand still, to simply exist. She had spent so much of her life in motion—giving, sacrificing, enduring—always for someone else. First for her parents, whose hopes and dreams she carried like a second skin. Then for Jackson, the man who had promised her a world of love but delivered something darker. And finally, for her daughters, her three precious girls who had been the only light in her shadowed life.
Her gaze drifted to the horizon, where the sun was rising steadily, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange. For years, she had felt like the sun was setting on her life, every day darker than the one before. But now, for the first time, she felt the warmth of something new—a quiet hope that she hadn't dared to name before.
"This is mine," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustle of the breeze. "This freedom. This life. It's mine."
The words felt foreign, like they belonged to someone else, yet they stirred something deep within her. It had been so long since she had spoken for herself, dreamed for herself, lived for herself. Now, as the world around her awakened, she felt a stirring in her chest—a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
Elissa glanced over her shoulder toward the small room where her daughters slept, their laughter from the previous evening still echoing in her mind. Selina, Becky, and little Evina—they were her heart, her reason for enduring all those years of torment. It was for them that she had fought so hard to break free, and it was for them that she had risked everything.
But today, as the first rays of sunlight kissed her face, Elissa allowed herself to think of something she hadn't in years: herself.
It wasn't selfish, she realized. It was necessary. After all, how could she give her daughters the life they deserved if she couldn't find herself again?
She set the mug down on the railing and ran her fingers through her hair, the breeze tangling it slightly. This was a new beginning, a clean slate. The bruises had faded, but the strength she had discovered in herself remained.
It had been a while since she felt free. It had been a while since she felt alive.
The faint sound of movement inside the apartment brought her back to reality. Her daughters would be waking soon, their bright eyes and warm smiles ready to greet her. She smiled softly, knowing that her freedom wasn't just for herself—it was for them, too.
Elissa took one last deep breath, letting the morning air fill her lungs.
This is just the beginning, she thought, her lips curving into a determined smile. It's been a while, but I'm finally free.
And with that, she turned and walked back inside, ready to face whatever came next.