Vanessa opened her mouth to protest again, but her words died in her throat. Thaddius had already turned his back, leading me to our old bedroom to gather my things. The room was just as I remembered it, yet it felt foreign and empty, stripped of the warmth and love it once held.

“Mom, we’ll get through this,” Thaddius assured, his voice softening as he helped me fold a few clothes into an old suitcase. “I’m here now. We’ll find a way to reclaim what’s rightfully ours.”

Tears welled in my eyes. “I never wanted to burden you with this, Thaddius,” I whispered. “It was my mistake—”

He shook his head, silencing me with a gentle squeeze of my shoulder. “This is not your fault. Sometimes, people take advantage of goodness and trust. But you’re not alone anymore. We’ll fight this together.”

With our belongings gathered, we stepped out of the room. Vanessa and her family stood clustered in the living room, their expressions a mix of disbelief and anger. Yet they didn’t stop us; perhaps they sensed the futility in attempting to chain a spirit so determined to fly free.

Thaddius held the door open for me, and as I crossed the threshold, leaving behind years of suppression and heartache, a newfound sense of freedom washed over me. The past may have been riddled with deceit and loss, but the future was now a blank canvas, one that Thaddius and I could paint anew.

As we walked down the path, away from the house that was once a home, I leaned on my son, feeling the strength in his presence. For the first time in years, I could dream again. Dreams of new beginnings, of reestablishing our roots, of reclaiming not just a house, but a life filled with dignity and love.

Thaddius glanced at me, a reassuring smile tugging at his lips. “We’ll get through this, Mom,” he repeated softly.

And for the first time, I believed him.