Chapter 25 Twenty Five: End

• Karina:
• The smell of roasting turkey and freshly baked pies wafted through the house as I paced in the kitchen, adjusting the final touches to the Thanksgiving spread. The large, open-concept living room was filled with warmth—literally and figuratively. The fire crackled in the stone fireplace, and outside, the last bits of autumn leaves were falling from the trees, as though the world itself was preparing for the holiday.
• I stood at the counter, stirring the mashed potatoes, my hands moving almost automatically as my mind wandered. It felt surreal sometimes, looking around at this life we’d built. The mansion—our mansion—was full of love and laughter. Michael and I had come so far from those dark days, and now, we had everything I could ever dream of. And it wasn't just the material things. It was the warmth of family, the way Mark’s giggles echoed through the halls, the soft kisses Michael left on my cheek when he thought no one was looking.