Chapter 15

• Eloise
• Time has a strange way of smoothing over pain and sharpening clarity. Years had passed since the chaos of my childhood, and though the scars Jennifer and I left on each other still lingered, life moved on. I buried myself in my work, using it as an escape from the emotional wreckage.
• That’s why the invitation to the art exhibition felt like a much-needed escape. It was the perfect distraction—an opportunity to step away from the grind and immerse myself in the creativity of others. I could never have predicted that the night would change the course of my life.