This wasn’t just about getting out; it was about reclaiming her life, about rewriting the narrative that Daniel had tried to script for her.

As the hinge began to give way, Emily felt a renewed sense of hope. Her thoughts drifted again to her child, and she whispered promises of a future together, of safety and warmth.

She imagined wrapping her arms around her baby, holding them close, and never letting go. It was this vision that sustained her, that kept her hands moving even when they felt like lead.