The walls of Lily's room were painted in shades of gold when the morning sun broke through the thick drapes. Her heart was still heavy from the previous weeks' burdens when she woke up. Nevertheless, there remained a sliver of optimism amid the sadness. It was there, brittle and transient, but she was unable to identify its source.
The night before, Lily had been putting the broken pieces of her life back together. She had decided to take back control, even if the sorrow, the lies, and the betrayal were all fresh. Her first motivation had been retaliation, but now she felt compelled to restore herself. She refused to let Cassandra or Daniel dictate her future. She would stand up for herself, not for others.
