The soft light of the evening sun filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. Malia stood at the kitchen counter, carefully setting the table for two. It was a simple dinner, nothing extravagant, but it felt significant in its quiet intimacy. After everything that had happened—the betrayals, the heartache, the manipulations—this moment felt like the first true breath of peace she had experienced in a long time.
The apartment was different now. The walls seemed less oppressive, the air lighter. It wasn't just the physical space that had changed; it was her life, her heart, and her perspective. Selene was gone, and with her departure, the heavy weight that had been suffocating Malia for so long had lifted. But even more than that, Malia had learned something she hadn't known she needed to learn: she had found herself again.
