Chapter 13: Separate Years
The years after the decree required nothing from me and offered nothing in return.
I lived inside the boundaries I had drawn the night I left the hospital: a different city when I chose, work that did not intersect with Dominic’s industry, a small set of relationships that had never needed Victoria’s approval. The trust continued its quiet administration. Sophia’s yearly summaries grew shorter until they became a single line confirming that no new actions had been required.
I did not track the construction company’s later performance or the details of wherever Dominic and Victoria eventually settled. The protective order expired on its own schedule without renewal because there was no longer any point of contact to protect against. Absence had done the remaining work.
