When his parents visited them for dinner weeks later, the atmosphere was slightly altered. Eleanor greeted her with measured warmth, even offering to help set the table. “You’ve been busy, I hear,” she said. “Work must be demanding.” Mia smiled. “It’s rewarding.”
That night, back home, she reread the original cancellation email still saved in her inbox. It no longer hurt; it just marked where the story began. She deleted it, smiled, and shut her laptop. The war was over. She’d won.