Audrey's POV
The shock still coursed through my veins like ice water. My mind reeled from everything that had just unfolded, and though we hadn't yet crossed the territorial boundaries, I felt as if I were floating in some strange limbo between my past and whatever lay ahead.
Chaim's fingers intertwined with mine provided the only anchor keeping me grounded. The warmth of his touch reminded me that I wasn't alone anymore, that someone finally understood what it meant to include me rather than cast me aside like damaged goods.
Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined I would find the courage to voice how deeply their treatment had wounded me. But with Norma's fierce strength flowing through me, I had done exactly that. The words had poured out like a dam bursting, and damn if it hadn't felt incredible to finally show them the true cost of their cruelty.
Now Ashley would be part of my world again. Never again would I have to face my family's coldness alone.
