for Elise’s wedding. I donated it in their name. While Margaret fumed, I walked away—armed with a lawyer, my own future, and peace. I didn’t sue. I didn’t have to. Their reputations were ruined, and I was free. Ten years later, Elise reached out to apologize. She’d changed. So had I. Above,
my desk now sits a single teacup from that set—a reminder that while they took so much from me, they never took my power. Sometimes, justice doesn’t need a courtroom. Just a good memory… and the right moment.