I laughed. «I don’t know about mogul, but I’m thinking about getting my MBA eventually. Maybe starting something of my own someday.»
«You will. I know you will.» She stirred her coffee, then looked at me seriously. «How are you feeling? Really?»
I thought about it for a moment. «Honestly, better than I have in years. For so long, I measured my worth by what I could do for Brandon. By how much I could sacrifice. How much I could give up. How small I could make myself so he could be big.»
I took a breath. «And when he left, I thought I had nothing. But I was wrong.» I looked down at my hands, still a little rough but healing. «I had myself. I just forgot that mattered.»
Walking home from the cafe, I passed Metropolitan Elite Hospital. Through the big glass windows, I could see doctors and nurses moving through the lobby. Somewhere in there, Brandon was working, wearing his white coat, looking successful from the outside.
I stopped for just a moment. Not because I missed him. Not because I was angry. I stopped because I realised I felt nothing.
No pain. No bitterness. No longing for what we used to have. Just peace. Just freedom.