Chapter 7 - The Final EchoThe door clicked shut behind Julian, leaving me alone once again in the quiet sanctuary of my office.
I walked back to the massive glass window, looking down at the bustling streets of Columbus below. The city lights were beginning to flicker on, painting the evening asphalt in ribbons of gold and crimson.
My phone, resting quietly on the side table, lit up with a gentle notification.
It was a reminder from my OB-GYN: Scheduled checkup tomorrow at 9:00 AM. Everything looks healthy and strong.
I smiled, placing both hands gently over my stomach.
"Just a little longer, my love," I whispered into the quiet room. "We're almost ready for you."
My mind drifted back to the courthouse steps just three weeks ago—to the rain, the flashbulbs, the sound of Ethan’s voice cracking as he realized his entire illusion had evaporated into thin air. He had thought that calling me the family's greatest shame would somehow diminish my worth, reduce me to a footnote in his grand biography of success.
He had failed to realize a fundamental truth of the world:
Shame only belongs to those who hide in lies.
For those who stand firmly in the truth, what others call shame is often just the heavy iron gate opening to a brand-new kingdom.
May you like
A sudden, sharp contraction rippled through my abdomen—not painful, just a gentle, insistent reminder that the past was fully behind us, and the future was about to arrive on its own terms.
I took a deep, steady breath, turned away from the city lights, and walked out of my office, ready for whatever tomorrow would bring.
