Sarah felt a strange sense of calm as she made the decision. She wasn’t acting out of spite or anger; this was simply a necessary correction to a lifetime of imbalance.
“Cancel?” Marco’s voice carried a note of surprise. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, cancel everything,” Sarah replied firmly. “No wagyu beef, no crème brûlée, no catering at all.”
There was a brief pause on the line. “Understood,” Marco said, his tone now serious. “I’ll inform the team. Is there anything else you need from us?”
“No, that’s all for now. Thank you for understanding, Marco.”
As she hung up the phone, Sarah felt an unexpected lightness. For years, she’d been the reliable daughter—the one who could be counted on to fix, fund, and finalize anything her family needed. She had been the magician behind the curtain, orchestrating flawless events while her family took the bows. But no more.
She opened her laptop, pulling up the email draft she’d written months ago. It was a simple message, one she’d been too hesitant to send before now. The subject line read: “A New Chapter.”
